2001 Press Releases

Ambassador Kennedy and Turkmenistan Minister of Culture Orazgeldy Aydogdiyev.

Turkmen-American Mosque Preservation Project Opened in Annau

View of the site and group of participants. Full Size image

Oct. 11, 2001

The Governments of Turkmenistan and the United States officially opened a restoration project at the 15th-century Seit Jemmalatdin Mosque in Annau on October 11, 2001. With support from the U.S. Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation, local archeologists and historians will reconstruct the unique mosaic tile of the mosque, build tourist walkways and strengthen the foundation of the ruins. U.S. Ambassador to Turkmenistan Laura E. Kennedy and Turkmenistan's Minister of Culture Orazgeldy Aydogdiyev opened the project by joining two pieces of the ancient mosaic, which both said was symbolic of the two countries' cooperation and friendship.

The event marked the one-month anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks in America, as well as the 53rd anniversary of the earthquake of 1948 that destroyed Ashgabat and the mosque.At the opening ceremony, Ambassador Kennedy said that this day "marks the opening of a project with significant religious, historic and artistic value, as well as with profound symbolism for both the United States and Turkmenistan… Turkmenistan and the United States will begin the process of putting back together the beautiful mosque and restoring it to the people of Turkmenistan. And also today, together with Turkmenistan and our other friends, we are piecing back together the fabric of the modern world, restoring to us all a sense of security and humanity after the tragic events of September 11."

Minister Aydogdiyev noted that the Annau mosque is considered one of the holiest sites in the country and is a place of pilgrimage of many Turkmen Muslims. He and Minister of Foreign Affairs Rashid Meredov praised Turkmen-American cooperation, which in Annau dates to 1904 and continues today. 

Ambassador Kennedy also noted that "U.S. involvement in this project symbolizes our profound respect for Turkmen culture and our continuing support for Turkmen independence, the tenth anniversary of which we celebrate in a few days. It also symbolizes our respect for Islam, a great world religion. America is also a nation of Islam. Millions of our citizens are Muslims." Ruslan Muradov, Vice-President of the Turkmen Union of Architects and manager of the project, hopes to complete work within one year and display the reconstructed mosaic tile in a museum on site in Annau.