On 29 March, celebrations were held in Turkmenistan to mark the fifth anniversary of the establishment of the Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov Charitable Foundation for Assistance to Children in Need of Guardianship. The events took place in the festival square in the city of Arkadag, according to AsmanNews.

At the start of the celebrations, a congratulatory address from the President of Turkmenistan, Serdar Berdimuhamedov, was read out. It noted that supporting children and safeguarding the health of mothers and children remain priorities of state policy.

During the event, a Decree by the Head of State was read out awarding state honours to a number of individuals for their contribution to the development of charitable activities. The ‘Arkadag’ medals were presented to Narine Sahakyan, Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme in Turkmenistan, and Jalpa Ratna, Head of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Office in Turkmenistan.

Congratulatory speeches were delivered by the Speaker of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan, D. Gulmanova, the Deputy Chairwoman of the Cabinet of Ministers, B. Seyidova, and other participants. They highlighted the importance of the Foundation’s work in supporting children.

Representatives of international organisations emphasised the development of cooperation with Turkmenistan in the humanitarian sphere. In particular, they highlighted the implementation of joint projects with UNICEF and the United Nations Development Programme.

O. Atabayeva, Vice-President for Medical Activities at the Charitable Foundation, reported that since its establishment in 2021, the Foundation has been providing medical and social assistance to children. According to her, programmes for treatment, rehabilitation and prevention are being implemented.

It was noted that the Foundation is expanding its international cooperation. Memoranda of Cooperation have been signed with UNICEF, the Soong Ching Ling Foundation of China and the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. International conferences and meetings dedicated to child protection issues are being held.

Following the official proceedings, a festive concert took place featuring artists, creative groups and pupils from children’s art schools.

At the conclusion of the event, an Appeal to the President of Turkmenistan was adopted.