Today, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosted the third meeting of the National Commission of Turkmenistan for UNESCO, which was attended by vice-premiers in charge of culture and education, heads and representatives of relevant ministries and departments, the hyakimlik of Ashgabat, and the media.
Recall that the composition of this commission was approved on October 23, 2020 by a special Resolution of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.
Opening the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov stressed the importance of expanding cooperation between Turkmenistan and UNESCO. As it was emphasized, work in this direction is consonant with the principles and measures laid down in the Roadmap for the International Year of Peace and Confidence.
During the meeting, the process of further adding numerous historical and cultural sites and crafts of Turkmenistan to the UNESCO lists was discussed. In this regard, a report was heard on the preparation of preliminary nomination dossiers for inclusion in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List of historical monuments and the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity - felt art and blacksmith's craft, Turkmen tazy and hunting falcon.
The importance of multilateral cooperation on the UNESCO platform, including the implementation of tasks arising from the “Agreement between the Ministry of Culture of Turkmenistan, the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Tajikistan and the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Uzbekistan on the joint promotion, management and protection of the components of the Serial transnational nomination “Silk Road: Zarafshan -Karakum corridor” on the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List”.
In addition, it was reported on the work done on the project being implemented jointly with Iran to include the art of Turkmen embroidery in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List. In this regard, the fact was noted that the proposal for such a name for the nomination was initiated by the Iranian side.
The meeting participants heard a report on the implementation of projects to create UNESCO Chairs in a number of universities in Turkmenistan, as well as the introduction of the country's secondary schools (one school from Ashgabat and one velayat each) into the system of UNESCO Associated Schools.
The tasks of including Ashgabat in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in the Design category were discussed. They also discussed proposals to include natural monuments of our country in the List of Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
At the end of the meeting, a report was heard on the activities of the National Commission of Turkmenistan for UNESCO on solving problems arising from the Memorandum of Cooperation between the Government of Turkmenistan and UNESCO for 2021-2023 signed on April 15 this year. In this regard, the need to expand interaction with this authoritative international organization was emphasized, the State News Agency of Turkmenistan reports.
