Day of Caspian Sea was solemnly celebrated in Turkmenistan. The national tourist zone “Avaza” on the Turkmen coast of the Caspian Sea was the main venue of celebrations that included a scientific and practical conference, an exhibition, sports competitions, art competitions, as well as performances by pop artists and folklore groups of the region.
The scientific and practical conference “Caspian – the Sea of Peace and Friendship” held in a hybrid format was the main event of Day of Caspian Sea. The forum was attended by the leaders and representatives of the Mejlis (parliament), government, diplomatic missions accredited in Turkmenistan, foreign and Turkmen journalists.
An exhibition arranged in the foyer of the hotel complex demonstrating the country’s achievements in the field of environmental protection aroused great interest among the conference participants. They viewed the exhibits from the funds of the Museum of Nature of the Khazar Reserve, the museum of the city of Turkmenbashi, representing the amazingly beautiful and fragile world of marine animals and birds.
It was emphasized at the forum that Turkmenistan remains an active participant in important processes in the Caspian region and demonstrates commitment to the ideas of strengthening peace, harmony and development of mutually beneficial cooperation in the Caspian Sea. The speakers also noted that Ashgabat consistently puts forward important initiatives and ideas aimed at developing a systematic and effective political dialogue on the Caspian issue.
President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov sent his welcoming message to the participants of the scientific-practical conference “Caspian – the Sea of Peace and Friendship”. In his address, the head of state noted that Turkmenistan, being an active participant in the most important processes in the Caspian region, demonstrates in practice its commitment to the ideas of peace, harmony and constructive cooperation.
“Remaining committed to the internationally recognized legal status of permanent neutrality, Turkmenistan will continue efforts to ensure that the Caspian remains a sea of peace, harmony and cooperation. In this regard, our country regularly puts forward initiatives aimed at strengthening and expanding relations between the Caspian states, demonstrating its readiness for close partnership in priority sectors of the economy – energy, transport and logistics, industry, trade,” Serdar Berdimuhamedov noted.
The conference participants were unanimous in their opinion that a reliable international legal foundation has been created in the Caspian Sea in recent years for large-scale mutually beneficial partnership and utilization of the enormous, combined potential of the Caspian littoral states. In this context, there was noted the constructive policy pursued under the leadership of the President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov for the implementation of international cooperation in the field of ecology and environmental protection, including in the Caspian Sea basin.
The statement by Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov on the foreign policy aspects of the Caspian problem aroused keen interest among the forum participants.
“Turkmenistan puts a very specific meaning into the well-known and indisputable formula – “Caspian is a space of peace, good neighborliness and cooperation,” he noted. Our country stands for a comprehensive approach to the issues of the Caspian agenda, inclusive of all the main areas – security, economic development, ecology, shipping, rational use of biological reserves, emergency prevention and other equally important topics.” In this context, the First Caspian Economic Forum in the city of Turkmenbashi in August 2019 was a breakthrough event that was held at the initiative of Turkmenistan. It created the platform for a long-term partnership between public and private business structures of the Caspian countries, international financial institutions, investment funds and for the opening of huge transport, energy, industrial, trade and logistics resources and opportunities in the Caspian Sea.
Speaking about the energy sector, the Turkmen Foreign Minister noted that Turkmenistan, being committed to the strategy of diversifying energy flows, is ready to continue cooperation with European partners on the implementation of the Trans-Caspian pipeline project. The idea of its construction, initiated by Turkmenistan, was initially regarded by our country not only as an economically and commercially viable project but also as a key condition for ensuring global energy security and sustainability based on equal consideration of the interests and benefits of energy producers, consumers and transit countries.
Summing up the results of the forum, the participants confirmed the unity of positions of all interested parties on the importance of maintaining cooperation, peace and trust in the Caspian Sea region, speaking in favor of further strengthening international partnership in ensuring reliable environmental protection in the Caspian Sea and developing its potential in the interest of common prosperity and progress.
The participants of the scientific-practical conference “Caspian – the Sea of Peace and Friendship” adopted an address to President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, in which they expressed their sincere gratitude for the excellent conditions created for the work of the forum, attention to environmental measures, implementation of environmentally significant projects in order to ensure rational nature management, effective environmental protection of the Caspian Sea.
In the afternoon, a ceremony was held to award prizes to the authors of the best children’s works in applied art and decorative works made from marine materials that vividly reflect the beauty of nature, the expanses of the Caspian Sea and the unique world of its inhabitants in need of human protection.
A festive concert was the final chord of the celebrations. It featured the performance by the State Drama Theater of Balkan province, children’s art groups of the sea region, dances and songs of the peoples of the Caspian countries.