Awards were presented in Ashgabat to participants in a creative competition dedicated to the preservation of biodiversity in the country's specially protected natural areas. The competition was organised as part of the international project ‘Conservation and Sustainable Management of Land Resources and High Nature Value Ecosystems in The Aral Sea Basin for Multiple Benefits’, which is being implemented by the Ministry of Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan in cooperation with the United Nations Development Programme and the Global Environment Facility. The event was timed to coincide with World Environment Day on 5 June. This was reported by the online publication ‘Turkmenistan: Golden age’.

First place went to Dilnaza Sapaeva from Dashoguz velayat with her artwork ‘Beautiful Nature’. Second place went to Rahmet Toymuradov, a student at the Oguz Khan University of Engineering and Technology, with his composition ‘Animal Tracks,’ and Maria Bekzhanova from Dashoguz velayat with her drawing ‘Life is Nature.’ Third place went to Bibipatma Mammedova from Dashoguz for her work ‘Nature is Life’ and Iskander Annamuhammedov for his drawing ‘The Importance of Biodiversity Conservation.’

The organisers plan to use the best entries to decorate information stands in the Amudarya and Kaplankyr state nature reserves. This project contributes to environmental education and raises awareness of issues related to the protection of Turkmenistan's unique nature.