On 7 December, a ceremony was held in Ashgabat to present the capital with a certificate confirming its membership of UNESCO's Global Network of Learning Cities. This was reported by the state news agency ‘Turkmenistan: Golden age’.

Ashgabat was accepted into the network on 4 December 2025. The city was included in the list along with 72 new participants from 46 countries. UNESCO noted the contribution of the capital of Turkmenistan to the development of education, science and the creation of conditions for the education of people of all ages.

The Global Network of Learning Cities was established in 2013. It now includes 425 cities. They support the continuous education of nearly 500 million people in schools, workplaces, libraries, museums and public spaces.

Ashgabat's accession is international recognition of the country's work to develop human potential and create conditions for lifelong learning.