On October 31, 2024, an international conference on the adoption of the UN General Assembly resolution “UN Games” upon the initiative of Turkmenistan and the Republic of India was held in the Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan.
The conference was attended by the leadership and staff members of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, heads and representatives of diplomatic missions and representative offices of international organizations accredited in Turkmenistan, representatives of political parties of Turkmenistan, faculty members and students of higher educational institutions, heads and representatives of public organizations, local and foreign mass media, as well as athletes.
In his speech, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov emphasized the importance of the adoption by consensus of the resolution “UN Games” and noted the role of Turkmenistan in strengthening peace, friendship and mutual understanding between countries and peoples.
It was stated that the successful holding of the V Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Ashgabat in 2017, the adoption of a resolution by the UN General Assembly on the initiative of Turkmenistan in 2018 to establish June 3 as World Bicycle Day, as well as the decision of the CIS Council of Heads of Government to declare Ashgabat the “City of New Sports Opportunities of the Commonwealth” evidence the reasoning and consistency of international community’s position in recognizing the merits of Turkmenistan as an initiator and active participant in multilateral partnership in the field of sport, its contribution to the international sports movement as an essential component of the policy of friendship, cooperation and mutual understanding.
Representative of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Turkmenistan Jalpa Ratna, Head of the Department of the Magtymguly Turkmen State University Atajan Burunov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of India to Turkmenistan Madhumita Hazarika Bhagat, Rector of the Turkmen State Institute of Physical Culture and Sports Hydyr Nunnaev, UNRCCA Political Adviser Andrey Khanzhin, as well as Honoured Coach of Turkmenistan, Judge of International Category, Master of Sports of International Level Shohrat Mammedov gave speeches at the event.
It was noted at the conference that by actively participating in the international sport movement, organizing representative competitions, initiating major UN decisions in this sphere, Turkmenistan in practice confirms its commitment to the high humanistic ideals of the Olympic movement. And this position is justly supported and respected by the world community.
The participants stated that sport, namely, sport diplomacy has a unique ability to build trust, unite people, promote understanding and acceptance of diversity. Therefore, this initiative combines the principles of inclusion and equality, reflecting the fundamental principle of the Sustainable Development Agenda - “Leave No One Behind”.
The outcomes of the conference were summarized by Gulshat Yusupova, Rector of the Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan.
