The opening ceremony of the National Days of Friendly States took place in the ‘Avaza’ National Tourist Zone on 5 August. The event was held within the framework of the Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries. The ceremony was attended by the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and Heads of foreign delegations. This was reported by the news agency ‘Turkmenistan: Golden age’.

The event featured a theatrical literary and musical show dedicated to the significance of the Caspian Sea as a symbol of cooperation and friendship between peoples. During the event, the distinguished guests were welcomed in accordance with the ancient traditions of Turkmen hospitality.

Exhibition pavilions were organised in a theatrical complex of sea fountains. Visitors were shown environmentally friendly products grown in Turkmenistan, as well as decorative and applied arts, from carpets and jewellery to wood carvings and traditional ornaments.

Special attention was paid to national cuisine: dishes prepared by chefs from friendly countries were offered at special venues. Participants learned about culinary traditions that reflect the richness and diversity of cultures. The connection between cuisine and national holidays, customs and hospitality was emphasised.

The exhibition brought together works of painting, textiles, ceramics, jewellery and handicrafts. The exhibits demonstrated both ancient techniques and modern creative approaches. White yurts decorated in national style were set up at the stands of the participating countries.

Special attention was paid to Turkmen traditions. The Turkmenistan pavilion featured national costumes, musical instruments and folk crafts. Guests learned about cooking techniques from the book ‘Bereketli Türkmen Saçagy’ by Hero Arkadag, which contains recipes and descriptions of the national dastarkhan.

Carpet weaving and embroidery, recognised by UNESCO as part of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity, took centre stage at the exhibition. A collection of national musical instruments was also on display, including the dutar, gopuz, ghijak and gargy tuydyuk.

In the evening, a gala concert was held in honour of the conference participants. Artists from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and other countries performed at the event. Songs were sung in many languages, and the performances were accompanied by video projections telling about the culture and traditions of the peoples.

A special moment was the performance of a song based on the poems of Hero Arkadag, as well as performances by folk artists Polat Bulbul oglu (Azerbaijan) and Ozodbek Nazarbekov (Uzbekistan). The programme concluded with the traditional kushtdepdi dance, also included in the UNESCO list, a light and music fountain show and fireworks.