Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow
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Berdimuhamedow in 2017
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| Chairman of the People's Council of Turkmenistan | |
| Assumed office 14 April 2021 |
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| Preceded by | Position established |
| 2nd President of Turkmenistan | |
| In office 14 February 2007 – 19 March 2022 Acting: 21 December 2006 – 14 February 2007 |
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| Vice President |
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| Preceded by | Saparmyrat Nyýazow |
| Succeeded by | Serdar Berdimuhamedow |
| 2nd Leader of the Democratic Party | |
| In office 4 August 2007 – 18 August 2013 Acting: 21 December 2006 – 4 August 2007 |
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| Preceded by | Saparmyrat Nyýazow |
| Succeeded by | Kasymguly Babaýew |
| 3rd Vice President of Turkmenistan | |
| In office 1 March 2001 – 14 February 2007 |
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| President |
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| Preceded by | Orazgeldi Aýdogdiýew |
| Succeeded by | Raşit Meredow |
| 4th Minister of Health | |
| In office 15 December 1997 – 21 December 2006 |
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| President | Saparmyrat Nyýazow |
| Preceded by | Chary Kulyýew |
| Succeeded by | Byashim Sopyev |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Gurbanguly Mälikgulyýewiç Berdimuhamedow
29 June 1957 Babarap, Turkmen SSR, Soviet Union |
| Nationality | Turkmen |
| Political party | Independent (2013–present) |
| Other political affiliations |
TDP (before 2013) |
| Spouse | Ogulgerek Berdimuhamedowa |
| Children | 4, including Serdar |
| Parents |
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| Alma mater | Turkmen State Medical Institute |
| Profession | Dentist |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Turkmenistan |
| Branch/service |  Turkmen Ground Forces |
| Years of service | 2007–present |
| Rank |  Army general |
Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow (born June 29, 1957) is a politician from Turkmenistan. He was the second President of Turkmenistan from 2006 to 2022. Today, he is the chairman of the People's Council of Turkmenistan. His son, Serdar Berdimuhamedow, is the current president.
Before becoming president, Berdimuhamedow worked as a dentist. He served in the government as the Minister of Health starting in 1997. In 2001, he became the third Vice President. After the death of President Saparmyrat Nyýazow in 2006, Berdimuhamedow became the acting president. He then won the presidential election in 2007. He was re-elected in 2012 and again in 2017.
In 2022, Berdimuhamedow stepped down as president. His son, Serdar, took over after winning an election. This made Turkmenistan the first country in Central Asia to have a father and son lead the country one after another. In 2023, his son reappointed him as chairman of the People's Council. He was also given the special title "National Leader of the Turkmen People."
Contents
Early Life and Education
Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow was born on June 29, 1957. His birthplace was Babarap, in what is now Ahal Province in Turkmenistan. He is the only son in a family with six children.
His father, Mälikguly Berdimuhamedow, worked as a police officer. His grandfather, Berdimuhamed Annaýew, was a teacher. He also served in the Red Army during World War II. His grandfather was one of the first to cross the Dnieper River in 1943. Sadly, he died in the 1948 Ashgabat earthquake.
Becoming a Dentist
Berdimuhamedow studied at the Turkmen State Medical Institute. He graduated in 1979 and became a dentist. He also earned a PhD in medical sciences in Moscow. By 1992, he was teaching dentistry at the Medical Institute. In 1995, he became the head of the dentistry center for the Ministry of Health.
Political Journey
In 1997, Berdimuhamedow was appointed as the Minister of Health. In 2001, he became one of the deputy chairmen of the Cabinet of Ministers. In this role, he was in charge of health, science, education, and sports.
The Ministry of Health was responsible for closing hospitals outside of major cities in 2005. This was an order from the president at the time.
President of Turkmenistan (2006–2022)
After President Nyýazow passed away in December 2006, Berdimuhamedow was chosen as the acting president. The country's constitution said that an acting president could not run for election. However, the People's Council changed this rule. This allowed Berdimuhamedow to run in the 2007 presidential election. He won with a large number of votes.
His first trip as president was to Saudi Arabia in April 2007. He visited Russia and met with President Vladimir Putin later that month.
Changes as President
After becoming president, Berdimuhamedow made several changes.
- He opened internet cafés in Ashgabat with free internet access.
- Schooling was extended from nine to ten years.
- Classes in sports and foreign languages were brought back to schools.
- He planned to open new schools for the arts.
- He restored pensions for many elderly people.
- He reopened the Turkmen Academy of Sciences.
In 2015, work began on the TAPI pipeline under his leadership.
In February 2017, he was re-elected for a third term as president. He received almost 98% of the votes. In October 2017, he gave a special Turkmen dog to Vladimir Putin.
In 2020, Berdimuhamedow was recognized with a funny award, the Ig Nobel Prize. This was for showing how politicians can affect life and death during the COVID-19 pandemic. In November 2020, he revealed a golden statue of his favorite dog breed, the Central Asian Shepherd Dog.
In July 2021, he ordered troops and weapons to the Afghanistan–Turkmenistan border. This was to prevent the conflict in Afghanistan from spreading into Turkmenistan.
In February 2022, it was reported that Berdimuhamedow planned to step down. This led to an early election in March. His son, Serdar, won the election and became the new president on March 19.
After Being President
The People's Council of Turkmenistan was brought back in September 2020. While still president, Berdimuhamedow was elected to the People's Council in March 2021. He was then chosen as its chairman.
On January 21, 2023, his son, President Serdar Berdimuhamedow, reappointed him as chairman of the People's Council. He also gave his father the title "National Leader of the Turkmen People." This title gives him the right to speak on important matters. It also gives him and his family protection and financial support from the government. The People's Council became the highest government body, making its chairman a very important leader.
Berdimuhamedow has continued to travel and meet with foreign leaders. His first trip as National Leader was to the United Arab Emirates in February 2023.
Awards and Honors
Awards from Turkmenistan
- 1994 – Star of President Order
- 2016 – Medal for 25 Years of Turkmenistan's Independence
- 2019 – Honorary Elder of the State
- 2021 – Master Equestrian of Turkmenistan
- 2022 – Skillful Diplomat of Turkmenistan
Awards from Other Countries
- 2007 –
Saudi Arabia: Order of King Abdulaziz - 2007 –
United Arab Emirates: Order of Zayed - 2007 –
Uzbekistan: Order of Distinguished Service - 2008 –
Kazakhstan: Medal "10 years of Astana" - 2010 –
Tajikistan: Order of Ismoili Somoni - 2011 –
Bahrain: Order of Sheikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa - 2012 –
Turkey: First Class of the Order of the State of Republic of Turkey - 2013 –
Serbia: Order of the Republic of Serbia - 2014 –
China: Honorary Professor, Beijing Medical University - 2014 –
Azerbaijan: Order of Sheikh-ul-Islam - 2015 –
South Korea: Honorary Doctorate, Sungkyunkwan University - 2015 –
Japan: Honorary Doctorate, University of Tsukuba - 2016 –
Islamic Republic of Afghanistan: Gazy Mohammad Akbar Khan Medal - 2016 –
Pakistan: Honorary Doctor of Political Science, Quaid-i-Azam University - 2016, 2017 –
Moldova: Order of the Republic - 2017 –
Gagauzia: Order of Gagauz-Yeri - 2017 – Kazakhstan: Order of Dostyk
- 2017 –
Russia: Order of Alexander Nevsky - 2017 – Russia: Order of Dyslyk
- 2018 –
Malaysia: Certificate of Award "for development of mass media", Asia-Pacific Broadcasters Association - 2022 – Kazakhstan: Order of the Golden Eagle
- 2022 – Russia: Order "For Merit to the Fatherland"
International Awards
- 2022 –
Organization of Turkic States: 2022 Supreme Order of Turkic World
Personal Life
Family
Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow is married and has four children: three daughters and one son. His son, Serdar Berdimuhamedow, is the current president of Turkmenistan. Serdar has served in the military and held many government jobs before becoming president. Some of Berdimuhamedow's grandchildren have studied in Switzerland.
His father, Mälikguly Berdimuhamedow, passed away in 2021. His mother, Ogulabat Berdimuhamedowa, passed away in 2023.
Hobbies
Berdimuhamedow enjoys writing books and songs. He also likes to act as a DJ and participate in health activities.
In 2019, he received the highest award from the International Cycling Union (UCI). This was for his country's support of cycling.
See also
In Spanish: Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow para niños
- Politics of Turkmenistan
- FK Arkadag
