In the Mukams Palace of the State Cultural Center, it was held a solemn opening ceremony of the Culture Days of the Republic of Belarus in Turkmenistan. Large-scale campaign is dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations and held in accordance with the Cooperation Programme for the 2017-2020 period between the relevant ministries of the two states.

Vice-premier A. Garadjayev, who supervises the sphere of culture, informed about the preparation for the creative action at the government session. As it was mentioned, Days of Belarusian Culture are held in accordance with the Program of Cooperation for 2017-2020 between the Ministries of Culture of the two countries and timed to the 25th anniversary of the Turkmen-Belarusian diplomatic relations.

Conference hall of the Ministry of Culture held the award ceremony of the title of Honoured Elder of the Nation to famous sculptor, People’s Artist of Turkmenistan, teacher of the art school under the State Arts Academy Saragt Babayev who celebrated his 70th anniversary.

Three American conductors, Derek Beckvold, Avery Waite, Peter Thoresen, famous violist Kim Mai Nguyen, and students and teachers of the National Conservatory presented a musical Christmas gift to the people and visitors of Ashgabat.

During the Government session on December 22, Vice-premier A. Garajayev reported on the Programme of events and activities related with the slogan of the next year “Turkmenistan - the Herat of the Great Silk Road” as well as with the symbol of 2018.

Metropolitan Congress Palace hosted a final of the Youth Music Contest “Ýylyň parlak ýyldyzy-2017” (“Star of the year-2017”), which was attended by talented artists from all corners of Turkmenistan. Winners of the creative competition were determined due to the numerous TV audience and radio listeners who voted for their favorite artist, as well as the competent jury, which includes national music masters and cultural figures.

Festive shows will continue the New Year’s events that started in the Turkmen capital. Among them is the traditional tour of the circus artists from the Russian Federation, organized with the assistance of the Ministry of Culture of Turkmenistan, which started on December 17.

Turkmenistan actively prepares to the celebration of New Year 2018. The concerts and other creative events will take place on the central squares and in the cultural centres of the capital and velayats in the days remained until New Year.

At the session of the Government of December 15, Vie-premier S. Toyliyev presented the State programme of archaeological excavations of historical and cultural monuments located in our country along the Great Silk Road for the review by the Head of the State.

XII Forum of Arts and Science Intellectuals of the Commonwealth of Independent States with the participation of Turkmenistan delegation together with the representatives from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Russia has started in Russian capital.