THE PLENARY SESSION OF THE UNESCO INTERNATIONAL MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE WAS HELD

On December 6, 2018, at the “Yyldyz” Hotel of the capital there was held the opening ceremony of an international conference at the ministerial level on the theme: “Importance of the Great Silk Road: Present and Future Development”, organized by UNESCO in cooperation with the Government of Turkmenistan.

At the opening ceremony of the conference, the Minister of Culture of Turkmenistan A. Shamyradov made an opening speech. Then he gave the floor to the Deputy Chairwoman of the Cabinet of Ministers B. Abdyeva to read the Berdimuhamedov sent to the participants of the event.

President of Turkmenistan noted in his letter the great significance of the Great Silk Road with a legendary thousand-year history for humanity, its assistance in developing friendly relations among the nations of the world, strengthening mutually beneficial trade and commercial cooperation in ancient times, its interweaving of many nations among themselves, as well as complementing in itself the majestic pages of this friendly path which included ancient fortresses, farmsteads and historical-cultural monuments that are on Turkmen land, which is the heart of the Great Silk Road.

Having read a congratulatory letter, B. Abdyeva warmly congratulated the participants of the international conference on behalf of the President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov with the opening ceremony of this event, and then continued the work of the conference.

In addition, in the first half of the conference, Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA) Natalia Gherman, the UN Resident Coordinator in Turkmenistan, Ms. Elena Panova, and the Officer-in-Charge of UNESCO Cluster Office in Tehran, Mr. Alexander Leicht made their speeches.