Today, the Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosted a solemn conference dedicated to awarding Ashgabat an International Certificate for assistance and contribution to the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Trees in Cities Challenge through landscaping actions. The forum was attended by representatives of international organizations working in Turkmenistan, teachers and students of higher educational institutions of the country, as well as employees of domestic mass media.

As already reported, last week this good news came from the Permanent Mission of Turkmenistan to the UN Office in Geneva. The awarding of this Certificate to Ashgabat was another foreign policy achievement of the neutral Motherland, testifying to the international recognition of our country’s achievements in the field of ecology and environmental protection.

As noted in the speeches of the current forum participants, including the Permanent Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Narine Sahakyan, the Representative of the World Health Organization (WHO) in our country, Egor Zaitsev, in the state policy of Turkmenistan, special attention is paid to the issues of respect for nature, preservation and enhancement of its riches, the introduction of the principles and technologies of the green economy. Every year, large-scale landscaping campaigns are held in our country, intended to turn the Motherland into a blooming garden.

A clear confirmation of this was the nationwide tree planting campaign held in March this year, timed to coincide with the International Day of Novruz – the National Holiday of Spring, which was launched in the capital by President Serdar Berdimuhamedov.

At the same time, it should be noted that on the initiative of the Hero-Arkadag Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, more than 145 million tree seedlings have been planted in our country for many years. Contributing to the formation of special climatic zones, it also serves as a positive environmental and climatic factor in the region.

Based on its metropolitan status, Ashgabat sets the pace and rhythm of progressive transformations deployed in the Motherland in the era of the Revival of a New Epoch of a Powerful State. The most important component of the concept of development of the main city of the country is the ecological aspect, which determines the systematic measures taken in the capital to ensure the necessary conditions for a prosperous life of people.

As a result of this large-scale work, picturesque green and forest zones have been created in and around Ashgabat, the territories of which are increasing every year. The true decoration of the white marble Turkmen capital, rightfully recognized as a garden city, are wonderful parks and squares, delighting to the eye with a variety of trees and ornamental shrubs, emerald lawns and bright ornaments of flower beds.

Similar work, in particular within the framework of the National Forest Program, is being carried out in all regions of Turkmenistan. In different parts of the country, man-made forests and forest park zones have already spread over vast territories. By transforming the natural landscapes of the Motherland, they promote the preservation and enrichment of local flora and fauna. In addition, green belts reliably protect settlements from summer heat, dust and strong winds, facilitate the prevention of land degradation, and, most importantly, form a microclimate favorable to human health.

Putting environmental diplomacy among the priority vectors of its foreign policy course, neutral Turkmenistan invariably takes an active and responsible position on issues of cooperation in this area in a bilateral and multilateral format, within the framework of reputable international organizations, including the UN and its specialized structures.

In this context, the official recognition of the contribution of the Turkmen capital, Ashgabat, to the implementation of the above-mentioned UNECE initiative is an eloquent testimony to the long-term fruitful partnership of our Motherland with the Community of Nations, which is regularly filled with new concrete content.