On 18 June 2025, an international symposium dedicated to cooperation between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan was held in Baku. The event, timed to coincide with the International Year of Peace and Trust and the 30th anniversary of Turkmenistan's neutrality, brought together representatives of diplomatic agencies, the expert community and parliamentarians from both countries. This was reported by the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Turkmenistan. The forum participants, including Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister of Azerbaijan S.Sharifov and Ambassador of Turkmenistan G.Elyasov, discussed the contribution of Turkmen neutrality to ensuring regional stability. Particular attention was paid to the prospects for deepening bilateral cooperation in the context of modern geopolitical challenges. The symposium emphasised the strategic importance of the partnership between the two Caspian states and outlined new vectors for cooperation in the political, economic and humanitarian spheres.
From 22 to 27 June, the traditional Culture Week will be held in the Ahal velayat of Turkmenistan, timed to coincide with the Day of Workers of Culture and Art and dedicated to the legacy of the Turkmen poet Magtymguly Pyragy. This was reported by the IIC of Turkmenistan. The grand opening of the event will take place in the picturesque valley of ‘Nowruz ýaýlasy’, in the ‘White Yurt’ of the Turkmen. During the week, guests will enjoy an extensive programme of musical concerts, scientific conferences, art exhibitions, creative meetings, poetry evenings, film screenings and theatre performances. This format will allow the richness of national culture to be revealed from different angles. The highlight of the week will be the premiere of the opera ‘Shasenem-Garyp’, which will be staged at the Magtymguly National Music and Drama Theatre. This event promises to be one of the most memorable moments of the festival. In addition, participants will pay tribute to Magtymguly Pyragy by laying flowers at his monument in the Ashgabat cultural and park complex.
On 18 June 2025, a working meeting was held at the Embassy of Turkmenistan in Romania between the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Turkmenistan to Romania, Annamammet Annayev, and the Chairman of the Board of the Romanian company ‘Chimcomplex’, Stefan Vuza. This was reported by the IIC of Turkmenistan. The talks focused on discussing prospects for expanding bilateral cooperation in the industrial and investment spheres. S.Vuza expressed interest in participating in projects in Turkmenistan and presented a number of proposals for joint activities in the chemical industry. The parties also discussed opportunities for attracting investment, exchanging technologies and developing production cooperation. During the dialogue, mutual interest in creating a solid foundation for long-term and mutually beneficial partnership was confirmed.
Jemshit Hudaykulov, a student at the preparatory department of Astrakhan State Technical University from Turkmenistan, took third place in an inter-university mathematics competition. This was reported by the online publication ‘Big Asia’. The competition, which brought together foreign students from various universities in Astrakhan, was held as part of the events dedicated to the Days of Slavic Literature and Culture. In addition, the university hosted an Olympiad in Russian as a foreign language for first-year students. Participants demonstrated their command of vocabulary and grammar, as well as their ability to understand and analyse spoken and written language. J.Hudaykulov's success was the result of his perseverance and commitment to his studies. The Olympiad confirmed the high level of training of foreign students at Astrakhan universities.
On the night of 18 June, 20 South Korean citizens and their family members were evacuated from Iran to Turkmenistan by land. This was reported by the IIC of Turkmenistan. Among those evacuated were 18 citizens of the Republic of Korea and two Iranians who are members of their families. The group left Tehran on 17 June and, with the assistance of South Korean embassy staff, crossed the border into Turkmenistan, after which they were transported to Ashgabat in vehicles provided by the embassy. The South Korean Foreign Affairs Ministry sent a task force to Turkmenistan to coordinate assistance. The evacuees were provided with accommodation and consular support, and their return home is being organised.
On 17 June, the 176th session of the General Assembly of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) was held in Paris, attended by a delegation from Turkmenistan led by the country's Permanent Representative to the BIE, Maksat Charyev, and the Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mergen Gurdov. This was reported by the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Turkmenistan. During the session, Karen-Mae Hill, President of the BIE Administration and Budget Committee, highlighted the successful meeting of the committee in Ashgabat in March 2025, which was held outside Paris for the first time in the history of the Bureau. The Turkmen delegation held a series of working meetings with representatives of member countries and the BIE leadership, discussing preparations for upcoming international exhibitions. At the end of the session, the date of the next assembly was approved. Turkmenistan's participation in the work of the BIE confirms the country's growing role in the international exhibition movement and strengthens its position on the world stage.
The ceremony was held as part of the celebrations for Turkmenistan Science Day, World Environment Day, and the 30th anniversary of the country's neutrality. The event was jointly organised by the Turkmen Agricultural University, the Turkmenistan Ministry of Environmental Protection, and the Ministry of Education. This information was reported by the online publication ‘Turkmenistan: Golden age’. A total of 131 applications were submitted to the competition from universities in Turkmenistan, Russia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkey, Kazakhstan, and other countries. After the preliminary round, 36 projects advanced to the final, and the jury selected the 18 best ones. The Grand Prix was awarded to students from Iran and Turkmenistan, representing their countries' leading universities. The awards were distributed among participants from Belarus, Russia, and Turkmenistan. The projects were evaluated based on criteria such as relevance, innovation, scientific validity, and practical applicability. As part of the award ceremony, exhibitions dedicated to scientific achievements and environmental protection activities were held at the university's Cultural Centre. The event continued with a concert programme featuring the participation of the university's creative communities. This competition, held for the third time, promotes the development of international scientific cooperation, support for talented youth and the promotion of sustainable development ideas.
The Magtymguly Turkmen State University has been included in the authoritative global Impact Rankings 2025 compiled by Times Higher Education (THE). This was reported by the press service of the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan. This ranking reflects the contribution of universities from around the world to the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Turkmen university was assessed in four main areas: SDG 3 – Good Health and Well-Being, SDG 4 – Quality Education, SDG 5 – Gender Equality, and SDG 17 – Partnerships for Sustainable Development.
On 18 June 2025, a meeting was held at the Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan with a delegation from Kent State University (USA) led by Vice President Marcello Fantoni. The parties discussed the implementation of joint educational programmes within the framework of the previously signed Memorandum of Understanding, as well as the exchange of experience in developing curricula, according to the press service of the Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan. Kent State University has signed three Memoranda of Understanding with higher education institutions in Turkmenistan, including the International University for the Humanities and Development, the Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan and the Turkmen State Architectural and Construction Institute, with the aim of developing academic and scientific projects and strengthening cultural ties. The guests visited the institute's educational and cultural facilities, including the Museum of Diplomacy, the UNESCO Club, and the German and Turkish language libraries. The visit was an important step in strengthening the partnership and promoting Turkmenistan in the international educational arena.
As part of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum–2025 (SPIEF-2025), Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan Nokerguly Atagulyev met with the Head of the Republic of Tatarstan of the Russian Federation Rustam Minnikhanov. This was reported by the news agency Orient. During the meeting, ways to expand trade and economic cooperation between Turkmenistan and Tatarstan were discussed. R. Minnikhanov conveyed words of gratitude to the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov for his attention to the development of bilateral relations, noting the strong historical and friendly ties between the peoples. The parties highlighted the successful work in Turkmenistan of Tatarstan companies such as KAMAZ, KVZ, KER-Holding and others. Trade turnover between Turkmenistan and Tatarstan exceeded $39 million in 2024. R. Minnikhanov proposed to increase cooperation in the fields of oil exploration, gas logistics, machine building, aircraft and shipbuilding, as well as in the supply of chemical products.
Ambassador of Turkmenistan to the Republic of Belarus, Permanent Representative of Turkmenistan to the CIS Nazarguly Shagulyev took part in the regular meeting of the Council of Permanent Representatives of the CIS Member States to the statutory and other bodies of the Commonwealth, which was held on 17 June in the Dzyarzhynsk district of the Minsk region at the ‘EcoTechnoPark – Volma’ resource centre. This was reported by the news website Turkmenportal. During the meeting, the results of the CIS Heads of Government Council, which took place on June 5 in Dushanbe, were summed up and tasks for the implementation of the adopted documents and agreements reached were defined. The participants considered all items on the agenda and approved 18 documents. Among them are the Agreement on Cooperation of the CIS Member States in the Development of Heavy Machinery Manufacturing, the Concept for the Development of Cooperation among CIS Member States in the Light Industry and the Action Plan for its Implementation, the Concept for the Harmonisation of National Air Traffic Management Systems of the CIS Member States, the Concept for Cooperation among the Commonwealth States in the Field of Public Health, and other documents. In addition, at the meeting of the heads of government of the CIS, a decision was made to establish an annual Forum of Commonwealth Volunteers and a new award - the badge ‘For the Development of Tourism in the CIS’. The members of the Council of Permanent Representatives also discussed proposals for the draft agendas of the autumn meetings of the Council of Foreign Ministers, the Council of Heads of Government and the Council of Heads of State of the CIS.
During May, Turkmenistan held a series of significant international events that contributed to strengthening its neutral and peacemaking potential, as well as developing partnerships with various countries and organisations. This was reported by the state news agency TDH. Libyan Culture Days were held in Ashgabat, accompanied by exhibitions, concerts and a conference on the contribution of Turkmen scientists to Arab culture and Islamic education. On 5 May, the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Turkmenistan discussed cooperation with the EU and the international organisation 'Hedayah' in the field of security. At the same time, Turkmenistan Day was held at the WHO European Office in Copenhagen to mark the anniversary of the country's neutrality. On 6 May, talks were held with the Saudi Arabian ambassador and representatives of UN-Habitat on sustainable urban development. On 8 May, the Foreign Affairs Ministries of Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan discussed bilateral and regional issues. From 12 to 16 May, the Institute of International Relations of the Foreign Affairs Ministry hosted the first regional seminar for young diplomats in Central Asia, as well as a competition on the culture of peaceful dialogue among students. On 13 May, a meeting with UN coordinators from Central Asian countries was held in Ashgabat, during which the region's contribution to the implementation of UN initiatives in the areas of climate, gender equality, digitalisation and health was highlighted. On 13-14 May, a conference on climate change was held in Ashgabat, organised jointly with the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC). On 14 May, meetings were held between the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and representatives of ‘Petronas’, ministers of the UAE, and agreements were signed with the Malaysian and Emirati sides on cooperation in the oil and gas sector. On 15 May, prospects for cooperation with Lithuania were discussed. On 16 May, in Kazan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov held talks with the Head of the Republic of Tatarstan of the Russian Federation, Rustam Minnikhanov, emphasising the high level of relations between the countries. On 18–19 May, the Tehran Dialogue Forum was held in Tehran, where Turkmenistan presented its priorities in the field of transport diplomacy. From 19 to 20 May, the international music festival ‘Music of the World’ was held in Ashgabat, as well as a meeting of the Turkmen-Iranian intergovernmental commission, which ended with the signing of a protocol. The Turkmen delegation met with Iranian leaders to discuss economic and humanitarian issues. On 20 May, the first Central and South Asia Dialogue was held in Termez, where issues of sustainable development and regional integration were discussed. On 21 May, projects in the field of youth policy were discussed with a UN representative at the Foreign Affairs Ministry. From 21 to 23 May, a Turkmen delegation visited China, where negotiations were held with representatives of the NPC and the PRC, including on parliamentary cooperation and the implementation of initiatives within the framework of the UN. On 22 May, a video conference of the UN Country Team in Turkmenistan was held to discuss the country's priorities under the 2026-2030 Framework Programme for Cooperation, with a focus on sustainable development, energy, the environment and the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.