Today, the annual Caspian Sea Day was solemnly celebrated in the «Avaza» National Tourist Zone.

It should be noted that on the 12th of August, 2006, the Framework Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea, signed on the 4th of November, 2003 in Tehran by representatives of the five coastal countries and named in its honour, entered into force. The Tehran Convention is aimed not only at protecting the Caspian environment from possible sources of pollution, but also at preserving, restoring and protecting the marine environment. All these tasks are the basis of a number of recognised international environmental principles, in particular, on the sustainable and rational use of the biological resources of the Caspian Sea, environmental impact assessment and monitoring, scientific research and development. To achieve these goals, the Caspian states must independently or jointly take all necessary measures and cooperate with international organisations. 

In May 2007, at the First Conference of States Parties to the Tehran Convention in Baku, all Caspian countries (Russia, the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Republic of Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan) decided to celebrate this day annually.

As is known, one of the key aspects of the constructive foreign policy of Turkmenistan, initiated by the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and consistently implemented under the leadership of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, are issues related to the Caspian Sea. As an active participant in the pan-Caspian dialogue, our state advocates for deepening and expanding positive cooperation with all interested partners, primarily in the format of the United Nations, aimed at ensuring sustainable development and protection of the marine environment of the Caspian. 

A true natural relic, the world's largest inland water body of oceanic origin, the Caspian Sea has preserved the fascinating beauty and diversity of natural corners, the richest flora and fauna. This is a habitat for many rare and endemic species of flora and fauna, including those listed in the Red Book of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, which constitute an invaluable gene pool of biological diversity in the region. In this regard, it should be noted that the state environmental programs and projects of the Fatherland are based on goals aimed at the prosperity of both the peoples inhabiting the Caspian region and all living on the planet, namely, to preserve and increase the gifts of a unique reservoir, rationally use the countless mineral deposits and hydrocarbon reserves hidden in the depths of the seabed, and carefully maintain the well-being of the environment.

Today, the celebrations held in honour of the unique natural «pearl» of the planet have become a clear evidence of the success of the environmental policy pursued by Turkmenistan.

On the eve of the festive events, sports competitions in various sports were held at the «Hasyl» Recreation and Health Centre of the «Avaza» National Tourist Zone.

The central event of the holiday was the scientific and practical conference «The Caspian Sea - the Sea of Friendship and Peace», held at the Berkarar Hotel in «Avaza».

The forum, organised on behalf of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and the Caspian Sea Institute with the assistance of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, including via video link, was attended by members of the Government, heads and representatives of relevant ministries and departments, specialists from specialised structures and the scientific community of our country, heads of embassies of the Caspian states accredited in Turkmenistan, as well as authoritative international and regional organisations.

The conference was preceded by a thematic exhibition in the lobby of the hotel complex, dedicated to the beauty of the Caspian Sea nature and demonstrating our country's achievements in the field of environmental protection.

At the grand opening of the forum, those gathered listened with great enthusiasm to the Address of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov to the participants of the scientific and practical conference «The Caspian Sea - a sea of friendship and peace», which emphasised that Turkmenistan regularly puts forward constructive initiatives to build up trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian ties in the Caspian region, which find broad support among the coastal states.

In his message, the head of state noted significant steps towards expanding cooperation between these countries, in particular, the holding of the First Caspian Summit in Ashgabat (2002), which became a reliable foundation for the development of a comprehensive partnership and gave a significant impetus to the development of solutions on many issues of building mutually agreed actions in the region. Ashgabat went down in history as the city where the foundation was laid for a fundamentally new format of dialogue on Caspian issues.

On the 12th of August, 2018, in the city of Aktau, at the V Summit of the Heads of Caspian States, the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea was signed - a historical, basic document that enshrines the legal norms of interaction in the Caspian in various areas.

In order to discuss issues of further cooperation in the field of preserving the ecological well-being of the Caspian Sea, the Caspian Ecological Forum was held in the 12th of November in the «Avaza» National Tourist Zone at the initiative of Turkmenistan. In the name of the well-being of the current and future generations of the planet, the Fatherland is implementing a policy based on the principles of peacefulness and good neighbourliness, taking into account national and common interests, equal mutually beneficial partnership in the region, strengthening friendly relations between the peoples of the Caspian states united by centuries-old historical and cultural ties. The most important areas of interaction are the careful preservation and effective use of the rare natural resources of the Caspian Sea, informing the population about the unique ecology and biological diversity of the sea, considering issues of environmental protection in the Caspian region and developing relevant proposals.

The forum considered a wide range of topical issues in ensuring sustainable development based on solving a single set of economic, social and environmental problems. The speakers highlighted the multifaceted work being carried out in this area in the states of the region, including within the framework of the implementation of the regional Caspian Environmental Program (CEP). 

This program is aimed at solving environmental problems of the Caspian Sea, including its protection from pollution and depletion of biological resources: research of the sea to identify current problems and assess their scale; inventory of pollution sources; development of a convention to save the Caspian Sea and improve its environmental condition by reducing pollution and restoring biological resources.

As noted, the most important achievement of the CEP was the Framework Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea (Tehran Convention), ratified by the governments of the five Caspian states. The international legal basis laid down in this document is being developed in the development and adoption of new legal acts aimed at regulating various aspects of the Caspian issue. 

The conference participants emphasised that several more documents have been adopted on the protection of the nature of the Caspian coastal zone that are of international importance, including the UN Convention on Wetlands, Primarily as a Habitat for Waterfowl, adopted in the city of Ramsar (Iran). The Ramsar Convention is the first global international treaty entirely devoted to one type of ecosystem, or habitats - the natural habitats of a particular biological species or species (forests, underground caves, lakes, rivers, etc.). 

It is known that the constructive initiatives of our country, voiced from the rostrum of the General Assembly of the United Nations and other major forums and aimed at consolidated decision-making on environmental protection, rational use of water and energy resources and ensuring food security, the creation of a reliable system for protecting the ecology of the Caspian Sea, etc., find significant support from the international community.

In this regard, the speakers emphasised Turkmenistan's proposal to create a «Caspian Environmental Initiative» in September 2023 at the plenary session of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly in New York. It is intended to become an international platform for substantive and professional interaction at a high level on a wide range of issues related to the protection of the Caspian environment, the preservation of its biological resources, and the solution of a number of pressing environmental problems. 

Given the wide range of environmental issues in Central Asia and the Caspian Basin region, in order to maintain peace, security and good neighbourliness, Turkmenistan has put forward an initiative to create specialised structures jointly with the UN - the Regional Centre for Climate Change Technologies and the UN Regional Council on Water Issues in Central Asia with headquarters in Ashgabat. 

The conference noted that the favourable geographical location - at the crossroads of sea, air, and road routes of the international transport corridor Europe-Caucasus-Asia, the richest hydrocarbon, fish and other natural resources, and favourable climatic conditions have made the Caspian region a dynamically developing industrial, transport and resort centre, which plays a significant role in the global economy. 

At the same time, industrialisation entails man-made environmental problems associated with human economic activity and having a transboundary nature. Along with natural factors, this makes the ecological system of the Caspian Sea and its coastal areas extremely vulnerable. 

The common task of the Caspian states is to combine objective economic interests with the need to preserve the natural and aquatic environment, the biological diversity of the Caspian, and to prevent the disruption of the fragile ecological balance. It is very important to continue to maintain and deepen friendly, good-neighbourly relations between the coastal states in many areas, and to take systemic measures to develop new formats for an effective political dialogue in the Caspian. In this regard, the mechanism of regular consultations at the level of specially authorized representatives of the Caspian states, functioning under the patronage of the ministries of foreign affairs, formed at the suggestion of our country, is of great importance.

In the speeches of the representatives of the embassies of the Caspian states in Turkmenistan, it was emphasised that by now a solid contractual and legal framework for cooperation in the region has been formed, covering a wide range of issues in the areas of security, economy, ecology and nature management, there are a number of projects of five-sided sectoral documents touching upon current issues of interaction at sea. Work continues on documents on partnership in the field of ensuring safety of navigation, search and rescue, combating poaching, in the area of science and culture.

The forum participants noted that the Caspian Sea is an important unifying factor that contributes to an even greater deepening of relations between the coastal countries. Therefore, the gradual restoration of natural ecosystems to a level that guarantees environmental stability can only be achieved through the joint efforts of all Caspian states, demonstrating a willingness to jointly resolve, coordinate, and adopt legal documents in various areas related to the Caspian.

Representatives of UN structural organisations in their speeches emphasised the great importance of the adopted Tehran Convention, which laid the legal basis for the development of cooperation between coastal states in preventing the deterioration of the marine environment of the Caspian Sea. The Convention serves as a comprehensive management tool, establishing general requirements and an institutional mechanism for environmental protection and sustainable development in the Caspian Sea region.

The UN is ready to participate and provide technical support in the implementation of Turkmenistan's initiative to create a new Caspian environmental program as a set of environmental measures to ensure the rational use of the Caspian's rich natural resources and minerals, improve the condition of soils and ecosystems, and enhance capacity building systems through various trainings and seminars. Such measures will create a solid foundation for sustainable development in the country, the conference participants noted. 

In addition, the UN supports the initiative of the Turkmen side to develop an Agreement on scientific research in the Caspian. The determining factor in interaction is the common desire to make the Caspian Sea a zone of friendship and peace, an important component of international strategic stability and security, an example of resolving all issues based on respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states.

Work on environmental monitoring of the state of biological resources and the marine environment of the Caspian Sea, and conducting a wide range of scientific analysis in this area are also relevant. 

Nature itself has taken care of this corner, creating mild climatic conditions, mineral mud springs and golden sandy beaches stretching for many kilometres, unique in their beauty, as well as the biodiversity of the Hazar State Nature Reserve, including the diversity of wetland birds.

The Hazar State Nature Reserve plays a crucial role in preserving and studying the flora and fauna of the Caspian Sea. The reserve ensures the protection of rare and endangered species of plants and animals living in the Caspian region, including the Caspian seal, various fish species (sturgeon, roach), birds (pink flamingo, shelduck, coot, Dalmatian pelican, great white egret) and other animals. Scientific research is also conducted here to study the flora and fauna of the Caspian, monitor the state of ecosystems, and develop measures for their conservation.

A separate topic of discussion at the Conference was compliance with environmental standards in the activities of the International Sea Port of Turkmenbashy, which was awarded the EcoPorts Certificate, which provides for the creation of a digital platform to facilitate the exchange of information between the ports of Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan. In turn, this system will be connected to large and modern ports in Europe.

In this context, the speakers covered in detail the issues of interaction with the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, which supports Turkmenistan's initiatives to strengthen environmental and economic security and expand regional partnership. Particularly highlighted was the large-scale project «Promoting Green Ports and Connectivity in the Caspian Sea Region», implemented by the OSCE at the regional level, aimed at solving a number of differentiated tasks, including the promotion of environmentally friendly «green» energy.

Thus, it is possible to note the events organized in the established order by the International Sea Port of Turkmenbashy to reduce the impact of waste on the state of the natural environment, maintaining constant records of their collection, transportation, processing, disposal, neutralisation and placement. Every year at a certain time, work is carried out to protect aquatic biological resources related to maintaining the navigation depths of the water areas and channels of the seaport.

The speeches emphasised the role of the Caspian Sea in strengthening friendly relations. It is known that the main priority of the coastal states is to create favourable conditions for the development of mutually beneficial economic cooperation, improve the investment climate, ensure reliable and safe communications, and attract high-yield and environmentally friendly technologies. In this regard, the Caspian Sea is a significant component of many international projects aimed at improving the well-being of the peoples of the region.

The conference participants also highly praised the unprecedented project of creating a world-class resort on the Caspian coast, which serves as a model of a comprehensive and rational approach to the use of the mineral, raw material, biological and health resort potential of the region. The «Avaza» national tourist zone has enormous potential for the development of health and wellness and ecological tourism. Currently, tourism is one of the most important sectors of the economy of Turkmenistan, making a worthy contribution to the socio-economic development of the country. Modern health resorts and hotels being built on the Caspian coast meet international environmental safety standards.

As the head of state noted, the «Avaza» National Tourist Zone, located on the Turkmen coast of the ancient Caspian Sea, is an example of consistent, environmentally sustainable development. Today, it has become a venue for holidays and other celebrations, international forums and official meetings aimed at strengthening and expanding the ties of friendship, good neighbourliness and positive partnership between all states. A clear example of this is the Third UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries, which was recently successfully held at the initiative of Turkmenistan. Organised in the International Year of Peace and Trust, marked by the 30th anniversary of our Fatherland's acquisition of neutrality, the event is very significant in the context of consolidating efforts to continuously maintain peace, trust and friendship in the Caspian Sea.

Summing up the results of the forum, the conference participants were unanimous in the opinion that the holiday held in the Caspian states – Caspian Sea Day – is an opportunity to once again demonstrate the unity of positions of all interested parties in maintaining cooperation, peace and trust in the Caspian Sea region, as well as to speak out in favor of further strengthening the international partnership in the field of ensuring reliable environmental protection of the Caspian and developing its potential, which meets the interests of common well-being and progress.

The participants adopted a thankful address to President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, in which they expressed heartfelt gratitude for the hospitality provided, the high level of organization and the excellent conditions created for the work of the forum, for the attention paid to environmental measures and the implementation of environmentally significant projects in order to ensure rational use of natural resources and effective protection of the Caspian environment.

The Caspian Sea Day program also included cultural events – familiarisation tours of the «Avaza» National Tourist Zone were organised for guests.

In this way, the celebrations in honour of the Caspian Sea gave participants and guests new unforgettable impressions and became another stage on the path to strengthening partnership in the name of preserving this unique natural «pearl» of our planet.