Today, the International Scientific and Practical Conference “Foreign Policy and Diplomacy of Turkmenistan: Cooperation for the Sake of Peace, Safety and Sustainable Development” commenced at the Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the country.

The forum, held in a hybrid format, was attended by scholars, faculty members from several higher education institutions, and representatives of scientific centers from the USA, Belgium, Germany, Qatar, China, Iran, Turkey, Belarus, Armenia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Pakistan, as well as student youth.

In the era of the Revival of the new epoch of the powerful state, our Homeland, under the leadership of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, is successfully implementing a foreign policy course based on the principles of permanent neutrality, peacefulness, good neighborliness, mutual respect, and equal and fruitful cooperation.

Demonstrating a responsible approach to issues of regional and international partnership, Turkmenistan makes a significant contribution to consolidating the efforts of the world community to effectively solve the pressing challenges of modern times. In this regard, special importance is attached to multilateral interaction with the United Nations. Within the framework of steadily developing strategic cooperation with the UN, our country has put forward a number of constructive initiatives that have received broad support on the international stage.

In March 2025, proclaimed by the UN General Assembly at Turkmenistan’s proposal as the “International Year of Peace and Trust,” the legal status of our Homeland’s permanent neutrality was recognized for the third time by a special UN General Assembly Resolution. Moreover, the Final Document of the International Conference “The Year of Peace and Trust: Development of International Activities for the Sake of Children,” held on March 29 of this year on the occasion of the 4th anniversary of the establishment of the Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov Charitable Foundation for Assistance to Children in Need of Guardianship was translated into the official UN languages and distributed as an agenda document for the 79th session of the UN General Assembly.

As part of the celebration of the 30th anniversary of Turkmenistan’s permanent neutrality, various events are being held in our country and many states around the world. Particular attention is paid to revealing the creative potential of positive neutrality, which forms the foundation of our Homeland’s foreign policy.

One such event was the current conference held at the higher education institution that trains diplomatic personnel for the country. Ahead of the forum, its participants familiarized themselves with an exhibition organized in the foyer of the Institute, dedicated to the national art and rich cultural heritage of the Turkmen people.

As noted at the conference, comprehensive support for ensuring peace and stability, strengthening friendly, fraternal relations, and equal partnership with other states are integral components of Turkmenistan’s foreign policy strategy, initiated by the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty, Hero Arkadag, and successfully implemented under the leadership of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov. Our country advocates for more effective use of the United Nations’ potential and its political-diplomatic instruments to ensure global security as a vital condition for fulfilling all UN strategic tasks, including achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. The speeches emphasized Turkmenistan’s initiatives that have received wide international support.

In this context, the significant role of Turkmen neutrality and the demand for its potential in the modern era were highlighted. A vivid example is the creation, on our country’s initiative, of the UN-based Group of Friends of Neutrality for Peace, Security, and Sustainable Development, which has become an open platform for constructive exchange of views on various regional and global cooperation issues.

Ensuring stability in international relations, strengthening the culture of peace and trust are priority vectors of neutral Turkmenistan’s foreign policy course. Taking consistent steps in this direction, our country proposes actively using the tools and opportunities of neutrality to unite efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and effectively counter global challenges. Peacefulness and good neighborliness, mutual respect, friendship, and openness have always been and remain the foundation of our people’s mentality.

The peculiarity of Turkmenistan’s neutrality lies in the fact that it is a creative process enriched with new ideas and practical developments, adapting to changing conditions. At the same time, its constructive, humanistic character remains unchanged.

Today, the homeland’s policy of neutrality serves as an important factor in regional and global security and stability. An integral component of Turkmenistan’s neutrality is preventive diplomacy. A clear confirmation of this is the opening in Ashgabat in 2007 of the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia, established in accordance with a decision of the United Nations General Assembly, with the support of Central Asian countries and the UN Security Council member states. Since its inception, the Centre has become an effective platform linking the UN system with the countries of the region in addressing pressing contemporary issues.

Representatives of foreign countries speaking at the conference particularly emphasized that Turkmenistan’s permanent neutrality has become an effective instrument for strengthening peace and good neighborliness at both regional and global levels. The positive neutrality policy pursued by our country creates broad opportunities for advancing multilateral diplomacy, including economic, energy, transport, water, scientific-educational, cultural, humanitarian, parliamentary, medical, environmental, youth, and sports diplomacy. All of this contributes to strengthening friendly and trusting relations between countries and peoples, as well as developing mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields.

Participants of the plenary session expressed sincere gratitude to Hero Arkadag and the Arkadagly Hero Serdar for their tireless efforts aimed at ensuring universal peace and well-being.

In the reports presented during the sections “Peace Building Principles of the Policy of Neutrality: Turkmenistan’s National Experience,” “Economic Diplomacy as an Effective Tool for Sustainable Development Cooperation,” “Cultural Diplomacy: National and Universal Significance of the Principles of Humanitarian Relations,” and “International Experience in Training Specialists in International Relations: Scientific, Educational and Methodological Activities,” attention was focused on the scientific perspectives voiced by representatives of domestic and foreign scientific-educational centers in the relevant fields.

To further strengthen peaceful, friendly, and good-neighborly relations between countries, great importance is also attached to organizing various events that promote the development of multilateral youth dialogue. It should be noted that these days the Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is hosting the 2nd International Contest “International Relations: Culture of Peaceful Dialogue” among students and graduate students of higher education institutions of Turkmenistan and foreign countries. More than 170 young representatives from our country and seven other countries studying diplomacy are participating in this intellectual competition. The contest covers such areas as international relations, politics, exact and humanitarian sciences. Its goal is to promote youth contacts, deepen the knowledge of future specialists in diplomacy, and strengthen the culture of peace and trust through scientific-educational connections.

At the same time, participants of the international scientific-practical conference and contest have the opportunity during master classes to share their knowledge in the above-mentioned field. A cultural program including excursions to the sights of the Turkmen capital has been prepared for them. Such events contribute even more to strengthening the homeland’s position as a center of peacekeeping, friendship, and brotherhood, as well as to the effective utilization of the potential of scientific-educational and cultural diplomacy.

Tomorrow, May 14, the results of the International Scientific-Practical Conference “Foreign Policy and Diplomacy of Turkmenistan: Cooperation for the Sake of Peace, Safety and Sustainable Development” and the 2nd International Contest “International Relations: Culture of Peaceful Dialogue” will be summarized. The winners of the intellectual competition will be awarded medals and corresponding diplomas in a solemn ceremony.