Ashgabat, December 14, 2025 – The Europe Today: On December 13, 2025, a meeting was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan between Turkmenistan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Rashid Meredov and Xing Qiu, Deputy Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), who arrived in Ashgabat to take part in events marking the International Year of Peace and Trust, the International Day of Neutrality, and the 30th anniversary of Turkmenistan’s permanent neutrality.
Extending congratulations on the 30th anniversary of the country’s neutral status, the UNESCO Deputy Director-General underscored the importance of the high-level representative forum, noting its significant contribution to advancing shared goals of peace, stability and sustainable development.
During the meeting, the two sides highlighted the high level of cooperation between Turkmenistan and UNESCO. Particular attention was paid to the inclusion of the national nomination “The Art of Breeding the Turkmen Alabai” in UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The decision was adopted on December 11, 2025, at the session of UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, held in New Delhi, India.
The sides also exchanged views on specific areas of the forthcoming cooperation agenda and reviewed practical aspects of implementing joint projects.
At the conclusion of the meeting, both parties reaffirmed their mutual commitment to further expanding cooperation in the fields of education, science and culture, as well as in the preservation and safeguarding of tangible and intangible heritage.
