On November 7, the official opening of the 42nd session of the General Conference of UNESCO, its main governing body, was held in Paris (France). A delegation of Turkmenistan, headed by the Minister of Culture of Turkmenistan Atageldy Shamuradov, is taking part in the forum, informs a Turkmenportal correspondent.

The delegation included: Executive Secretary of the National Commission of Turkmenistan for UNESCO Chinar Rustemova, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Turkmenistan to France, Permanent Representative of Turkmenistan to UNESCO Maksat Charyev, Head of the Department of Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Ministry of Culture of Turkmenistan Gozel Magtymgulyeva and Deputy Chairman of the State Committee of Turkmenistan for Physical Culture and sports Parahat Agayev.

Speaking at the plenary session of the Conference held today, the head of the Turkmen delegation Atageldy Shamuradov noted the fruitfulness of Turkmenistan’s expanding cooperation with UNESCO in recent years and its multifaceted nature. Having listed the achievements in the implementation of joint projects, including in the fields of culture, science and education, ecology and youth policy, the minister focused on the prospects for further interaction.

Special attention was paid to the 300th anniversary of the great Turkmen poet Magtymguly Fragi and the initiative to celebrate it in a series of UNESCO anniversaries.

UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay and forum delegates were invited to the celebration on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of cooperation between Turkmenistan and UNESCO, which will be in 2024.

On the sidelines of the General Conference, meetings of the Turkmen delegation with UNESCO officials are taking place. Thus, during a conversation with UNESCO Deputy Director General for Culture Ernesto Renato Ottone Ramirez, heads of a number of UNESCO programs, current issues of further cooperation and exchange of experience in the field of preservation and restoration of cultural heritage and organization of joint events were discussed.

The UNESCO General Conference will continue its work until November 27.