UN adopted resolutions: on World Bicycle Day and Cooperation between the United Nations Organization and International Fund for Saving of Aral Sea

The adoption of another two Resolutions, which were initiated by President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, by the United Nations General Assembly highlighted the growing role of our country in international arena in the assertion of humanistic principles, its creative and peace-making potential. 

By the Resolution on declaration of June 3 as the World Bicycle Day, the United Nations welcomed and support the work carried out in Turkmenistan for the development of sport and physical training and health-improving movement, for the formation of ecological culture of the society and for cooperation in this sphere between the states and the nations. 

This large-scale activity is always under the patronage of the Head of the State, who not only makes the proposals on its organization but personally gives start to mas sport events, tree planting campaigns and other activities aimed at the popularization of healthy life style, making of the conditions for the improvement of the wealth of the nation and every citizen. 

President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov initiated such wonderful traditions as regular cycling races that gather thousands of Turkmenistan citizens of all ages, Days without vehicles, which calls the public on the understanding of ecological responsibility, community workdays allowing every citizen of the country making his personal input to the improvement of the native land. 

These are just few moments out of comprehensive colossal work that is carried out on systematic base according to specific objectives outlined in National programmes and strategies and legally and financially supported. In other words, the Government made solid legal and organizational platform for ecological improvement of all spheres from social to industrial. 

Special attitude of the Head of the State to the sports as to the best support of the health of the individual is always reflected in steadfast social policy of Turkmenistan, which is aimed at the improvement of quality level of the population and upbringing of healthy and morally strong generations. 

In modern Turkmenistan, the sports gains more and more followers, higher importance and significance on the society becoming the main trends of the time. President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov shows personal example in this. The cycling, which was re-born again in our country, receives active development and special popularity among Turkmen youth. 

The first cycling association was founded in Ashgabat 124 years ago in 1894. The first cycling competitions were held one year after its foundation, which put the beginning of the development of the cycling in Turkmenistan. Therefore, this sport has old traditions in our country and today, after adoption of the UN Resolution, it enters new level. 

Track cycling was also included in the programme of 2017 Asian Games. These exciting competitions were held in one of the arena of the Olympic village - excellent Indoor track. This track meets high international standards and modern requirements for such facilities by all parameters. 

The conditions of the facility allow holding international competitions and tournaments including the World Championships. The stands of the track are designed for 6 thousand visitors. The facility has all necessary infrastructure that makes the best conditions for the sportsmen and coaches, technical and service personnel and for the spectators – the lovers of the cycling.

New page in the history of national cycling movement was started after the opening of indoor race track in the Olympic village of Ashgabat as it was the first facility of the kind in Turkmenistan. The quality of the facility has been already appreciated not only by the participants of the competitions but also by the specialists of International Cycling Union who expressed their interest in conduction of the World Championships there. 

While being the most environmentally friendly transport, the bicycle is an excellent means for travelling around the native land. Head of the State Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov always highlights the necessity of careful treatment of the environment, support of favourable ecological situation. Green zones around Ashgabat, inside the city and in all settlements of the country are growing – three million seedlings are added annually to existing plantations. 

Large cycling competitions including international one can be held on country roads around Ashgabat. The cycling is not only popular type of tourism but also the training for support of physical fitness and good health condition. 

Finally, the cycling also gives big emotional pleasure and excellent opportunity to learn the world, visit wonderful natural sanctuaries without harming the ecology. It is not surprise that the bicycle won social polling on the most outstanding invention of the mankind, having taken over such inventions as the telephone and Internet together by the number of voices! 

The fact that 56 countries representing almost all regions of the planet were the co-authors of the UN Document on the World Bicycle Day says of the relevance and importance of this initiative proposed by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and of its need in the modern world. 

The Head of the State notes that regular sport exercises help not only to support the health and high spirit but also improve self-discipline and increase the workability. The Head of the State gives visual example to all countrymen both in the commitment to healthy life style as well as in restless activity for the sake of the country and the nations. 

The Resolution on the World Bicycle Day was followed by another Resolution on Cooperation between the United Nations Organization and International Fund for Saving of Aral Sea that is directly related to the formation of full-scale international mechanism of cooperation in the ecology, particularly to the joint activity for prevention of the consequences of the Aral crisis. 

Under its chairing in International Fund for Saving of Aral Sea in 2017 – 2019, Turkmenistan has already started implementing number of proposals on activation of the cooperation between the countries of the region for the improvement of ecological, social and economic situation in Aral Sea basin. 

President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov pays special importance to ecological and water diplomacy in this context. “The State strategy realized by our country in ecological sphere is targeted to the harmonization of the development of the society and nature”, - the Head of the State highlights. 

Turkmenistan puts maximum efforts for the improvement of international authority of the IFAS, its importance in combating of global natural disasters, partnership for the achievement of the Goals of Sustainable development. During its chairing of the IFAS, our country owing to political will of the leader, reached the progress in many directions of the activity of this organization, particularly in the restoration of ecological balance and improvement of social and economic situation in the Aral zone and Central Asia in general. 

The Aral crisis is recognized by the world community as the biggest ecological catastrophe of XXI century that went beyond the borders of certain region, having become a global problem. Therefore, there is many joint work ahead and the cooperation with the UN will allow developing and taking large-scale measures for the solution of interrelated objectives – water, energy, ecological and social. 

This subject was discussed during the meeting of Turkmen leader with the United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres in Ashgabat in June 2017. In this context, the initiative of head of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov on the UN Special Programme on Aral Sea, which would set our specific measures for stabilization and improvement of ecological situation in the region, is worth mentioning. 

International Fund for Saving of Aral Sea is a unique organization by its structure and mission, which supported the establishment of new interstate relations between the member states, constructive peaceful solution of complex water management issues. This practice might be required in the UN practice and in other spheres where similar problems occur. 

Therefore, the chairing of Turkmenistan in the IFAS gave new impulse to further development of the cooperation between both the states that founded the Fund and also under the UN taking into account the Goals of Sustainable development adopted by the world community and the Paris Climate Treaty. 

In addition, there are several directions of the activity including renewable sources of energy, transport and trade where regional cooperation can make considerable contribution to successful fulfilment of the objectives set out by the global development agenda until 2030 adopted in September 2015. 

Today, joint responsible natural management is the only way of sustainable development of countries and nations. This is what the President of Turkmenistan calls up the world community. It is also worth mentioning the initiative of Turkmen leader on the foundation of the UN Office for the partnership in sustainable development in Ashgabat. Joint activity in ecological sphere is to an important component of the work of this structure. 

In general, the neutral status of Turkmenistan, efficient peace-making policy of our country are the core factor of the expansion of constructive dialog between the states under the UN formats. The adoption of new Resolutions of the United Nations is another success of the diplomacy of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and another recognition of the merits of Turkmen leader in humanization of international relations, their development in constructive and creative manner for the sale of the nations on the planet.