At the 17th session of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Protection of Intangible Cultural Heritage, held in Rabat (Kingdom of Morocco), it was unanimously decided to include the nomination Turkmen embroidery proposed by our country in the Representative List of the Intangible Heritage of UNESCO.

In the course of many years at the initiative of Hero Arkadag in Turkmenistan a great deal of work is carried out to preserve, to enrich and to popularize widely the cultural and spiritual heritage of our people, who made a great contribution to the treasure of universal values in the world. The given area that further enrichment of cultural values of Turkmen people acts as one of the priority areas of the state policy of the fatherland. At that, the special attention is attached to development of constructive cooperation with foreign partners both at the intergovernmental level and in the format of important international institutions such as United Nations.

In the given context, one should note the fruitful character of the dialogue with specialized UN agencies such as United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to which the successful experience of long years in joint work and plans testify. The National Commission for UNESCO of Turkmenistan operates on a permanent basis and the relevant internet resource was created.

For past years, the UNESCO List, which includes historical and cultural monuments of world significance, also included unique monuments located in the territory of our country, various forms of art of Turkmen people and its literary legacy.

In 2011, Turkmenistan joined the UNESCO Convention for the Protection of the Intangible Heritage and since then, takes an active part in international efforts to realize its regulations.

Returning to the topic of inclusion of the Turkmen embroidery in the UNESCO List of the Intangible Heritage of Humanity, it should be pointed out that without doubt it is an inseparable part of the treasure of national cultural values. Following age-old traditions, today our masters create wonderful original designs and ornaments serving elements of clothing, household items, and decorative articles. This poplar form of applied art is one of the unique visiting cards of Turkmenistan.

By the way, Türkmen women, who are keepers and successors of creative traditions of our glorious ancestors, were famous for their fine needlework. Having reached a high perfection in this form of art, they were always ready to share their rich experience with others.

At present, the relevant work is carried out to include Ashgabat in a number of cities of UNESCO under the design category that will not only be the next fact of recognition of the service of Turkmen capital in development of international cultural dialogue as a strategic element of sustainable social and economic development, but also will enable to expands its interaction with world cities.

Today, white marble-coated Ashgabat by right is called a pearl of Asia. As a large business, cultural and sports centre of the region, today our capital has embodied in itself a unique model of a dynamically developing mega polis –the city of future where beauty and comfort harmoniously combine, advanced achievements of architecture and engineering and technical solutions and age-old traditions of national architecture find their reflection.

In addition to them, issues connected with inclusion of Akhalteke horse breeding heritage, propagation of the Turkmen alabai and others are also considered and studied and due work is carried out to prepare their nominations, including transnational ones as well.

Thus, the scope of partnership between Turkmenistan and UNESCO expands constantly and new prospects open for intensification of traditional fruitful relations, including such areas as ecology, physical culture and sports.

Thus, the creative foreign policy strategy of independent neutral Turkmenistan pursued steadily under the leadership of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, one of the priority areas of which is cultural diplomacy, yields obvious fruits and serves expansion of multilateral relations with states of the region and the planet enriching the humanitarian dialogue as the most important factor of international cooperation meeting interests of universal peace, prosperity and progress.