The President of Turkmenistan received the Makhtumkuli Fragi Memorial Medal with identification N 1, which was established by the administration of Astrakhan region of the Russian Federation on the occasion of the inauguration of a monument to the great Turkmen poet, an outstanding humanist and Oriental philosopher Makhtumkuli Fragi in Astrakhan. Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov was also awarded the honorary breastplate "For Civil Merits", I degree.

As part of the festive celebrations in Astrakhan the Makhtumkuli Fragi Memorial Medal was also handed to Minister of Culture, TV and Radio of Turkmenistan Gulmurad Myradov; Ambassador of Turkmenistan to the Russian Federation Halnazar Agahanov; Charge d''affaires of the Russian Federation in Turkmenistan Alexey Demin; sculptor, author of the monument to Makhtumkuli Fragi erected in the city of Astrakhan, teacher of the Turkmen State Specialized Art School at the State Academy of Arts of Turkmenistan Saragt Babayev; Honored Worker of Culture of Turkmenistan, director of the National Cultural Center of Turkmenistan Tuvakbibi Gurbanova; head of the Astrakhan branch of the Humanitarian Association of World Turkmens, member of the Executive Committee of the Congress of Turkic Peoples Shamil Taganyazov; deputy head of the Astrakhan branch of the Humanitarian Association of World Turkmens Zulhabira Tulikova and Madinehanum Dzhanmuratova.

It should be recalled that on 14-15 May Days of Turkmen Culture were held in Astrakhan region with the assistance of the Embassy of Turkmenistan in the Russian Federation. The inauguration of the Makhtumkuli monument in a square near the Astrakhan State University was the main event. The delegation of masters of culture and arts of Turkmenistan headed by Minister of Culture, TV and Radio Gulmyrad Myradov arrived in Astrakhan to participate in the inauguration ceremony.

Turkmenistan and Astrakhan region, which is home to Russia''s largest Turkmen diaspora, have long-standing relations, signed a bilateral agreement on trade-economic and cultural cooperation, and interact at the intergovernmental level on a regular basis.