A ceremony organised by the Embassy of the Republic of Belarus in Turkmenistan to mark the Independence Day of the Republic of Belarus was held at the ‘Ýyldyz’ Hotel in Ashgabat. This was reported by the news agency Orient.

The event was attended by representatives of the diplomatic corps, the Government of Turkmenistan, the business community, civil society organisations and the creative intelligentsia.

Stanislav Chepurnoi, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus to Turkmenistan, delivered a welcoming address. The diplomat noted the historical significance of 3 July — the day Minsk was liberated from the Nazi invaders in 1944 — emphasising the contribution of the Turkmen people to the Victory and the post-war reconstruction of Belarus.

The Ambassador also spoke about the development of Belarusian-Turkmen cooperation. According to him, Turkmenistan will hold the chairmanship of the CIS in 2026, and in the autumn Ashgabat will host a meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Commonwealth, which Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is expected to attend. Cooperation continues in the fields of trade, science, technology and education.

On behalf of the President of Turkmenistan, Serdar Berdimuhamedov, and the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, the participants were welcomed by Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Batyr Annayev. In his address, the Deputy Prime Minister highlighted the prospects for further cooperation between the two countries, including in the fields of transport and logistics, digital technologies and innovation.

Following the official proceedings, a concert programme took place featuring Turkmen artists and an orchestra conducted by Resul Klychev. The musicians performed Turkmen and Belarusian pieces, including well-known songs from the repertoires of the ensembles ‘Pesnyary’, ‘Syabry’ and ‘Verasy’. The event concluded with a celebratory reception.