Turkmenistan celebrates Memorial Day in honor of the victims of the 1948 Ashgabat earthquake, as well as compatriots who died fighting for the defense of the Motherland and those who fell on the battlefields of the Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945.

According to the newspaper Neutral Turkmenistan, on the night of October 5-6, 1948, a devastating earthquake of colossal power instantly destroyed the Turkmen capital.

77 years have passed since that tragedy, the memories of which still echo with pain in the hearts of every citizen of the country. "They will not grow old as we do; age will not weary them. At sunset and in the morning, we will remember them in our namaz—prayer," the publication stated.

On this day, commemorative events are held at the Halk Hakydasy Memorial Complex in Ashgabat, as well as in all cities and villages of Turkmenistan. Thousands of Ashgabat residents come to the Ruhy Tagzym monument to honor the memory of the victims of the October tragedy, pay tribute to those who raised the capital from ruins, and lay flowers at the monuments within the complex.

As noted in the statement, preserving the memory of heroes and victims is important for historical truth and helps preserve national memory and the dignity of the country's citizens.