The festivities on occasion of the Caspian Sea Day were organized by the State Committee for the Protection of Environment and Land Resources, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the State Enterprise on the Caspian Sea under the President of Turkmenistan and Balkan Velayat Hyakimlik.
The rich programme of the celebrations included the scientific and practical conference, sports and cultural events as well as children’s creative contests.The festivities brought together environmental scientists and specialists of nature protection state and public structures of the country, workers of culture and arts and journalists.
Among the guests to the celebrations were the representatives of diplomatic missions, as well as major international organizations - the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the United Nations Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA) and the German Society for International Cooperation.
Those speaking during the scientific and practical conference held at the Hasyl Hotel underlined that our country had taken the efficient steps to address the global environmental challenges, including the preservation of the unique ecosystem of the Caspian Sea.
In this context, the forum participants emphasized the importance of the international initiatives put forward by the Turkmen leader at the sessions of the UN General Assembly, the UN Conference on Sustainable Development "Rio + 20" and others.
Among them were proposals for opening of the Regional Center for Climate Technology for Central Asia in Ashgabat, as well as establishing the effective multilateral mechanisms for partnerships to ensure the environmental and technogenic safety on the Caspian Sea, the unique natural complex of which stands as the heritage of humanity.
The important international documents, including the Agreement on the Conservation and Efficient Use of Aquatic Biological Resources of the Caspian Sea and the Agreement on Cooperation on the Prevention and Elimination of Emergencies in the Caspian Sea have been developed on the initiative of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.
The Turkmen side actively facilitated the adoption of the Agreement on Cooperation in Hydrometeorology of the Caspian Sea, the work on which was completed during Turkmenistan's presidency over the Coordinating Committee on Hydrometeorology and Pollution Monitoring of the Caspian Sea.
The conference participants noted that Turkmenistan paid particular importance to training specialists and raising their qualifications.The seminar “Caspian Sea - Sustainable Development and Management” was held in the Avaza National Tourism Zone in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperation between the State Enterprise on the Caspian Sea under the President of Turkmenistan and the International Ocean Institute in March this year.
The festive programme also included the sports and cultural activities with the participation of the younger generation, held in the Dayanch health-improving center.The valuable gifts were awarded to the winners.
The concert performed by children's artistic groups finished the festive celebrations.