Unveiling of Turkmen President's Statue Covered in 24-Carat Gold

A statue of Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, the President of Turkmenistan, covered in 24-carat gold, was unveiled in the central square of the capital. According to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, the statue of Berdymukhamedov is six meters tall, depicting him on horseback with a dove on his sleeve, and is named "Arkadag Benasy" (the monument of one whose supporter is a mountain), standing 21 meters above ground. Students at the unveiling ceremony chanted "Thanks to Arkadag." "Arkadag" is Berdymukhamedov's official title. The report describes the construction of a golden statue for the "autocratic" president of Turkmenistan as a sign of the return of "cult of personality" to the country. According to Radio Free Europe, Saparmurat Niyazov, the former president of Turkmenistan, also had his golden statue erected in cities across the country, but this is the first statue made for the current president. The cult of personality is a phenomenon where an individual presents an "idealized and heroic" image of themselves through mass media and political propaganda. Berdymukhamedov became president of Turkmenistan after Niyazov's death in 2006 and has remained in office since. Niyazov, who held the official title "Turkmenbashi" (Leader of the Turkmen), was in power from 1992 to 2006. The largest statue of the former president was 15 meters tall and placed on a 75-meter pedestal, which was dismantled by Berdymukhamedov in 2010. The report adds that the appearance of Berdymukhamedov's statue resembles the bronze statue of Peter the Great, the most powerful Tsar of Russia, which was erected in 1782 in St. Petersburg. However, the statue of the Turkmen president is taller than that of Peter the Great. Berdymukhamedov had promised reforms in Turkmenistan, a country with vast gas reserves, but the report states that few reforms have been made, and the country is listed as one of the worst in terms of social freedoms by the "Freedom House" organization. The Turkmen parliament awarded Berdymukhamedov the title of "Horse Rider and Professional Horse Trainer" last year. The Turkmen horse is one of the most famous breeds in the world and is considered a cultural symbol of the country. The Associated Press also reported that elevating the status of Turkmen presidents to a "demi-god" has been a way to "sanctify the legitimacy of the government" over the past two decades. Turkmen officials claim that the statue was erected at the "insistence and desire of the people of the country and their numerous requests." Berdymukhamedov himself said last year in response to requests for his statue that "My main goal is to serve the people and my country, so I will listen to the people's views and do whatever they choose."