The 21st issue of the historical, document-based, scientific methodical journal, Türkmen Arhiwi, published by the Central Archive under the Cabinet of Ministers, has just come out.
It opens with a series of official documents adopted in 2019. Among them are Presidential Decrees and Resolutions passed in the field of science and education, as well as Mejlis and Elders’ Council Resolutions.
The journal features a brief chronologically-arranged account of the most important social and political events of the year designated as “Turkmenistan: The Land of Prosperity”, which were attended by the head of state Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.
They include large forums, solemn groundbreaking ceremonies of Akhal velayat’s administrative center in Geokdepe etrap and a new village in the vicinity of the Altyn Asyr Turkmen Lake, the official opening of a supermodern gas-to-gasoline industrial complex in Akhal velayat, among others.
One of the main highlights of the year was the Khalk Maslakhaty meeting chaired by the nation’s leader, during which priority objectives were identified for the comprehensive development of the country and society.
Chaired by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, the meeting of the CIS Council of Heads of State in the Turkmen capital vividly demonstrated neutral Turkmenistan’s proactive, forward-looking and responsible approach to fostering multifaceted partnerships within the Commonwealth.
The adoption of the Ashgabat Declaration, initiated by the nation’s leader, stands as eloquent testament to this. It aims to enhance the mutually advantageous, strategic economic cooperation within the CIS and to raise the interstate relations, based on the traditional ties of friendship and good neighborliness, to a qualitatively new level.
Working visits by the head of Turkmenistan to Japan, the Republic of Azerbaijan to attend the 18th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Non-Aligned Movement, and to the Republic of Uzbekistan were the major international events that marked the period under review.
Held on the initiative of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov in the Avaza National Tourist Zone, the First Caspian Economic Forum served as another clear illustration of our home country’s high prestige in the world arena and international recognition of the constructive initiatives by the head of state, aimed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals in the regional and global context.
The journal’s section “New Publications” offers readers articles on presentations of the books authored by the nation’s leader: “Türkmen Alabaýy”, the 11th volume of the fundamental treatise titled “Medicinal Plants of Turkmenistan”, and the 12th volume of selected works by President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov “Towards New Heights of Progress”.
A series of articles focuses on one of the key functions of the State Archival Service, which offers comprehensive guidelines to records management departments of ministries, institutions and enterprises on proper document control and records management.
A special article is devoted to the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Central State Archive.
Thanks to the far-reaching reforms ongoing in the country on the initiative of the nation’s leader Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, traditional paper-based documents have undergone substantial changes in their content and structure.
With the widespread adoption of computer technologies, new record management practices are becoming increasingly common.The main responsibility of archival professionals, which remains the same in modern times, is to preserve documents and records of the National Archival Fund.
A series of articles entitled “Expert Appraisal of Documents for Value”, “Rules for Letter and Telephone Message Writing”, etc. continue to explore this topic.
The journal contains one of the sections of the List of Standard Social-Issue Documents and Their Retention Period. Specialists will find it particularly useful and helpful. The information is intended for organizations, documenting their activities, irrespective of their types, level and scale in the sectoral system and the form of ownership.
The issue also features thematically arranged archival documents with accompanying commentaries by specialists. They are highly informative and provide valuable evidence. For example, a factual account of the history of the city of Turkmenbashi, which marked its sesquicentennial (150th anniversary).
An integrated and science-based approach to studying the country’s history, preserving and promoting the nation’s material and spiritual heritage is one of the priority objectives of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov’s policy. In this context, every edition of the Journal boasts interesting information about our country’s history.
Thus, its latest issue presents an article looking at water well construction techniques and ways of obtaining water in deserts. Another article provides historical evidence about the nineteenth-century Dashsarai Palace in the town of Kerki, Lebap velayat.
One of the articles is devoted to the history and the interior of Turkmen dwellings. Supported by historical records, it talks about the design of traditional homes and provides their description in ancient folk epics and works of fiction.
An article headlined “The Turkmen carpet: The Trademark of the Nation” offers archival data and evidence proving that the origin of carpet weaving in our country goes back to ancient times.
The current issue is richly illustrated with photographs from the National Archival Fund of Turkmenistan.