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New Year's event for children held in Ashgabat
31.12.2025A festive event for children was held in Ashgabat at the ‘Maslahat köşgi’ Palace ahead of the New Year. The celebration was organised by the Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov Charitable Foundation for Assistance to Children in Need of Guardianship, according to AsmanNews. The participants of the celebration were children from the ‘Jahan’ creative centre and other children. New Year characters Ayaz Baba and Garpamyk took part in the programme. R. Bazarov, Chief of Staff of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan, delivered a congratulatory message to the children on behalf of the National Leader of the Turkmen people and President of Turkmenistan. He noted the state's attention to the development of the creative abilities of the younger generation and wished the children success in their studies. The celebration continued with a concert programme featuring songs and musical performances by children from the ‘Jahan’ creative centre. At the end of the event, the children were presented with New Year gifts on behalf of the Charitable Foundation. The organisers emphasised that the foundation continues to work to support children in need of care and to provide assistance with medical treatment.
Hero Arkadag and Valentina Matvienko discussed Turkmen-Russian relations
31.12.2025On 30 December, a telephone conversation washeld between the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and Chairman of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Valentina Matvienko. This was reported by the state news agency TDH. The parties discussed the current state and prospects of Turkmen-Russian relations. At the beginning of the conversation, they exchanged congratulations on the occasion of the coming 2026. Hero Arkadag noted that contacts between Turkmenistan and Russia in 2025 were intense and productive. He emphasised the importance of the President of Turkmenistan's visits to Russia to participate in events marking the 80th anniversary of Victory Day and the meeting of Heads of State of the CIS. The participation of a Turkmen delegation of schoolchildren in the international ‘Train of Remembrance’ campaign was also noted. The National Leader of the Turkmen people pointed to Russia's support for Turkmenistan's neutral foreign policy. In this context, the visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to Ashgabat for the International Forum dedicated to the International Year of Peace and Trust and the events dedicated to the 30th anniversary of Turkmenistan's Permanent Neutrality were noted. Special attention was paid to inter-parliamentary cooperation. The significance of the visit of the Turkmen delegation headed by the Chairman of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan to Moscow in October 2025 and the meeting with the Chairman of the Federation Council was emphasised. Hero Arkadag also noted the development of humanitarian ties, including the participation of a Turkmen delegation headed by Oguljahan Atabayeva, Vice-President of the Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov Charitable Foundation, in the IV International Forum ‘Commonwealth of Fashion’ in St. Petersburg. During the conversation, Turkmenistan's readiness to continue its strategic partnership with Russia in bilateral and multilateral formats was confirmed. It was announced that on 9 October 2026, the CIS Summit will be held in the ‘Awaza’ National Tourist Zone. The importance of preparing events within the framework of Turkmenistan's chairmanship of the CIS, including the Women's Dialogue, the meeting of the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly and the Conference on Demography, was also noted. Hero Arkadag highlighted Valentina Matvienko's contribution to the development of Turkmen-Russian relations and expressed his gratitude on his own behalf and on behalf of the President of Turkmenistan. Valentina Matvienko thanked him for his high assessment and confirmed Russia's commitment to further strengthening cooperation. In conclusion, the parties once again exchanged New Year's greetings and best wishes.
The Turkmenistan Tennis Federation has summarised the results of 2025
30.12.2025The final conference of the Turkmenistan Tennis Federation was held in Ashgabat, dedicated to the results of 2025 and plans for the next season. Participants summarised the sporting and organisational results of the federation's work, according to IIC. During the year, Turkmen tennis players achieved a number of significant results on the international arena. Suleyman Hudayberdiyev won a tournament in Saudi Arabia, and 11-year-old Sulgun Ishankuliyeva won a competition in Dubai. The U14 women's team was among the five strongest teams in the region, and the U16 team made its debut in the Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers. The 30+ team reached the quarter-finals of the world championship, defeating the Canadian team. The conference also noted the launch of the ‘Wheelchair Tennis’ programme in Turkmenistan. The project is being implemented on the basis of a memorandum between the Tennis Federation of Turkmenistan and UNICEF and is aimed at developing inclusive sport. In 2025, the federation trained 15 certified coaches, bringing their total number to 60. In the summer, the U12 girls' team defeated the Uzbekistan national team and reached the final of the Asian competition, while the U14 juniors took first place in the team standings at an international tournament in Thailand. In the autumn, an ITF Level 2 training seminar was held in Ashgabat with the participation of coaches from five countries. The season ended with the Turkmenistan men's team defeating Guam in the Davis Cup zonal tournament in Bahrain. The team earned the right to compete in Group IV of the Asia-Oceania zone in 2026. At the end of the conference, athletes and coaches were awarded honorary diplomas.
Turkmenistan condemns attack on Russian President's residence
30.12.2025Turkmenistan has expressed concern over the attack on the Russian President's residence. The authorities condemn such actions, considering them a threat to international security and stability, especially against the backdrop of diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict, according to the press service of the Turkmenistan Foreign Affairs Ministry. The country, which has permanent neutrality status recognised by the UN, emphasises the need to resolve international issues exclusively through peaceful and diplomatic means.
FC ‘Arkadag’ will play against ‘Al Nassr’ in the AFC Champions League Round of 16
30.12.2025Turkmen football club ‘Arkadag’ will face Saudi Arabia's ‘Al Nassr’ in the round of 16 of the 2025/26 AFC Champions League. The opponent was determined by the results of the playoff draw, which took place in Kuala Lumpur, according to IIC. ‘Arkadag’ advanced to the playoff stage from second place in the group and was placed in the second pot. ‘Al Nassr’ was among the seeded teams as the winner of its quartet. The return matches of the 1/8 finals of the western region are scheduled for 10–11 and 17–18 February 2026. One of the matches is expected to take place in Ashgabat. ‘Arkadag’ secured their place in the play-offs on 20 December, beating Bahrain's ‘Al Khaldiya’ 1-0 in the final round of the group stage. The quarter-finals of the tournament will take place in March, and the semi-finals in April. The AFC Champions League 2 final, in which the winners of the western and eastern groups will meet, is scheduled for 16 May 2026.
Semicenk concluded the pre-New Year concert series in Ashgabat
30.12.2025A series of pre-New Year concerts by foreign artists in Ashgabat ended with a performance by Turkish singer Semicenk. This was reported by Turkmenportal with reference to the newspaper ‘Neutral Turkmenistan’. The concert took place at the Winter Sports Complex and was the artist's first solo performance in Turkmenistan. The musical evenings attracted thousands of spectators. Semicenk presented a programme of well-known hits and new compositions. The repertoire also included works by other Turkish performers. During the concert, the singer communicated with the audience, thanked them for their welcome and noted the cultural proximity of Turkmenistan and Turkey. The artist expressed his willingness to continue creative cooperation. At the end of the performance, Cenk Bash congratulated the audience on the coming New Year, wishing them peace, health and prosperity.
‘Turkmenistan Airlines’ increases frequency of flights to Abu Dhabi
30.12.2025‘Turkmenistan Airlines’ is expanding its flight schedule on the Ashgabat–Abu Dhabi–Ashgabat route, introducing an additional flight and increasing the frequency of air traffic with the United Arab Emirates. This was reported by the online publication ‘Business Turkmenistan’, citing the carrier's official website. The additional flight will begin operating on Sundays from 4 January 2026. According to the schedule, flight T5-827 will depart from Ashgabat at 04:25 and arrive in Abu Dhabi at 05:55. The return flight T5-828 will depart from Abu Dhabi at 07:25 and land in Ashgabat at 09:55. Flights on this route will also continue to operate on Fridays. On this day, flight T5-825 departs from Ashgabat at 17:45 and arrives in Abu Dhabi at 19:15, while the return flight T5-826 departs at 21:00 and arrives in Ashgabat at 00:30 the following day. The expansion of the flight programme is aimed at improving transport accessibility and developing passenger air traffic between the two countries. Earlier, in July this year, ‘Turkmenistan Airlines’ operated its first direct flight on the Ashgabat-Seoul route.
A telephone conversation between Hero Arkadag and the President of Uzbekistan was held
30.12.2025On 29 December, a telephone conversation was held between the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev. This was reported by the state news agency TDH. The parties exchanged congratulations on the upcoming New Year 2026 and addressed wishes of prosperity to the peoples of both countries. The President of Uzbekistan also conveyed warm greetings to the President of Turkmenistan, Serdar Berdimuhamedov. Hero Arkadag thanked him for the initiative to hold the conversation and noted it as confirmation of the friendly nature of bilateral relations. Special mention was made of the initiative to declare 2026 the ‘Year of Development of Mahalla and Social Prosperity’ in Uzbekistan, announced by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on 26 December in his address to the parliament and people of the country. It was emphasised that the decision is in line with the objectives of socio-economic development. During the conversation, the macroeconomic indicators of Uzbekistan for 2025 were cited. The country's GDP exceeded US$145 billion, and the projected economic growth in 2026 will be 6.6 per cent. Achievements in the fields of education, science, healthcare, sports and ecology were noted. The National Leader of the Turkmen people also announced that 2026 has been declared the year of ‘Independent Neutral Turkmenistan − the Homeland of Purposeful Winged Horses’ in Turkmenistan. The President of Uzbekistan, in turn, highly appreciated the development of Turkmenistan under the leadership of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and confirmed his commitment to expanding the strategic partnership. The parties discussed bilateral political and diplomatic contacts, noting the intensification of mutual visits. The importance of the participation of the Uzbek delegation headed by the Head of the Presidential Administration, Saida Mirziyoyeva, in the International Conference on the Role of Women in Society, held in Turkmenistan, was emphasised. The role of foreign ministries and diplomatic missions in the development of cooperation was noted. In this regard, the awarding of the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Republic of Uzbekistan to Turkmenistan Ravshanbek Alimov with the jubilee medal ‘Türkmenistanyň Bitaraplygynyň 30 ýyllygyna’ was recalled. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev also noted the successful holding of a number of international events in Turkmenistan in 2025, including forums and summits in Awaza and Ashgabat. During the conversation, they discussed preparations for international events planned for 2026, including the Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia and Azerbaijan, as well as the meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the CIS. Special attention was paid to water issues and possible coordination of actions in the Central Asian, Aral and Caspian regions. At the end of the conversation, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and Shavkat Mirziyoyev once again exchanged New Year's greetings and wished each other health and success in their state activities.
Turkmen student wins international competitions
29.12.2025Gadyr Orazberdiyev, a fourth-year student at the Faculty of Biotechnology and Ecology of the Oguz Han University of Engineering and Technology of Turkmenistan, demonstrated high results at international competitions, confirming the competitiveness of Turkmen student youth. This was reported by IIC. In the 2025–2026 academic year, he took part in the international competition ‘Leader of the 21st Century’, organised by the Innovative Research Centre ‘Bilim-orkenieti’. Based on the results of the assessment of academic achievements and leadership skills, Gadyr Orazberdiyev became the winner, receiving a first-degree diploma, an honorary badge and a cup. His potential was further confirmed by his participation in the international competition ‘Best Student of the CIS’, held by the ‘Bilim-orkenieti’ National Innovative Research Centre in conjunction with the ‘Žana Kazakhstan’ Republican Innovative Centre. The student was awarded a first-class diploma for his active public stance and contribution to the development of youth policy. As part of his achievements, the work of his academic supervisor, Dovletmyrat Porrykov, was also recognised, and he was presented with a letter of appreciation for his high level of mentorship and training of the winner of international intellectual competitions.
Visa procedures in China will become easier for residents of Turkmenistan
29.12.2025The Chinese Embassy in Turkmenistan has announced the extension of a measure exempting applicants from providing fingerprints when applying for visas to the country. The new practice, aimed at simplifying visa procedures, comes into force immediately and will remain in effect until 31 December 2026, according to the Orient news agency. According to the diplomatic mission, the exemption from the biometric procedure applies to all applicants for short-term visas for up to 180 days. However, for visas of categories D, J1, Q1, S1, X1 and Z, which involve the subsequent obtaining of a residence permit in China, fingerprinting remains mandatory and will be carried out in the usual manner. The embassy noted that the innovation is aimed at increasing the convenience and accessibility of obtaining a Chinese visa.
Turkmen student receives diplomas for ‘Best Student of the CIS’ and ‘Leader of the 21st Century’
29.12.2025Rovach Annaseyidov, a fourth-year student at the International University for the Humanities and Development, won an international competition in Astana. He received diplomas for ‘Best Student of the CIS’ and ‘Leader of the 21st Century’, according to the news website Turkmenportal. The competition was organized by the ‘Bilim-orkenieti’ National Innovative Research Centre and the ‘Žana Kazakhstan’ Republican Innovative Centre. Students from CIS countries participated in the competition with projects in the fields of science, art and social initiatives. R. Annaseyidov was also awarded commemorative medals and cups, and information about the winners will be included in the international compilations ‘Best Student of the CIS’ and ‘Leader of the 21st Century’.
Semicenk will perform in Ashgabat for the first time as part of the pre-New Year concerts
29.12.2025Turkish singer Semicenk has arrived in Ashgabat and will perform at the Winter Sports Complex arena, continuing the series of pre-New Year's holiday concerts. This was reported by the news website Turkmenportal. The artist's real name is Cenk Bash. He became famous after participating in the show ‘O Ses Türkiye’ in 2019, and his popularity was cemented by the hits ‘Düşer Aklıma’, ‘Al Sevgilim’ and ‘Yana Yana’. In 2023, Semicenk became the most listened to Turkish artist on Spotify and won the ‘Golden Butterfly Awards’. The singer expressed his joy at his first visit to Turkmenistan and invited everyone to the concert. The New Year's Eve celebrations in Ashgabat include performances by artists from different countries: on 27 December, Iranian-Swedish singer Arash gave a concert, and on 28 December, Russian performer Mot performed.
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