Ambassador Mohammad Hassan, President of the ECO Cultural Institute, described the renowned poet Makhtumkuli Fragi as the national poet of the Turkmen people and a transnational figure during a commemorative conference held in his honor.
The conference, organized by the Turkmen House of Culture and Arts on the evening of Thursday, June 11, 2026 (21 Khordad 1405), took place at the Kowsar Hall of Abu Rayhan Biruni, Kharazmi University in Tehran. The event was attended by ambassadors, diplomats, artists, and admirers of Makhtumkuli Fragi’s works, and the celebrated poet was hailed as a source of pride for the region.
Ambassador Mohammad Hassan emphasized that Makhtumkuli lived in the eighteenth century, a period when the societies of the region were facing political fragmentation, social challenges, and cultural transformations. Through the language of poetry, he raised the call for unity, justice, spirituality, and cultural identity. For this reason, his works transcended geographical boundaries and gained a lasting place among the diverse peoples of the region.
Speaking in Persian, the President of the ECO Cultural Institute stated that what distinguishes Makhtumkuli from many of his contemporaries is the integration of wisdom, mysticism, people-centered thought, and social concerns in his poetry. He viewed poetry not merely as a means of expressing personal emotions, but as a tool for social reform, public awakening, and strengthening solidarity among ethnic groups and nations. This characteristic enabled his ideas to resonate widely among poets across the ECO region.
He added that in Turkmenistan, Makhtumkuli is recognized as the founder of national classical literature, and numerous generations of poets have drawn inspiration from his language, style, and ideas. However, his influence was not confined to the borders of Turkmenistan. In Iran, particularly among Iranian Turkmens as well as within Persian-language literary circles, his poetry has received considerable attention, and the humanistic and ethical themes of his works have inspired poets and scholars alike.
It is worth noting that the conference, held on the occasion of Makhtumkuli’s birthday anniversary, also featured speeches by Ilyas Gaybov, Ambassador of Turkmenistan to Tehran; Dr. Nizamiddin Zahedi, Ambassador of Tajikistan to Tehran; and a number of distinguished scholars.
Turkmen artistic groups also performed musical programs during the event.