The Education, Science, Sports and Tourism in the Epoch of Great Revival International Exhibition opened in the Turkmen capital. The forum is organized by Education, the Supreme Council for Science and Technology under President of Turkmenistan and the State Committee for Tourism and Sports.

The exposition arranged at the Exhibition Centre vividly evidences the profound, steadily increasing interest of the international community in Turkmenistan resolutely advancing along the path of fundamental progressive reforms. That is vividly proved by respectable participation of over 60 well-known firms and companies from 30 countries worldwide representing the world’s manufacturers of computer and interactive equipment and hardware, the foreign travel and sports companies and the leading distributors and providers. The long-term as well as possible partners interested in establishing the business long-term contacts present their potential and offers for co-operation.

The cabinet ministers, the high-ranking officials and deputies of the Mejlis, the ministries and departments, the members of the public organisations, the chancellors of the higher educational establishments, the scientists, the cultural and educational workers, the heads of the diplomatic missions accredited to Ashgabat and numerous guests took part in the ceremony of opening the International Exhibition.

It is not exaggeration to say that implementation of the large-scale education reform initiated by the President of Turkmenistan is the number one theme in the life of the Turkmen society. Education is a key factor determining the future of the country. The economic, political and spiritual upsurge of the society is secured particularly by the professional efforts of each generation, and therefore the ultimate goal of the new educational policy is to create the new system of training of specialists, whose qualification should comply with the best international standards.

The success and timeliness of the President’s education reform implemented in Turkmenistan is evidenced by the representative exposition of the organisations affiliated with the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan. It includes the displays of the institutions of higher education, the secondary schools and the preschool establishments and the children’s and youth palaces from five regions of Turkmenistan.

The exposition on computer, multimedia and interactive technologies and advanced teaching techniques widely introduced to the educational process throughout the country are of particular interest. As is known, this aspect underlies the new education policy.

Construction of new schools and preschool establishments supplied with advanced technologies and comfortable children’s health-improving and recreation centres is a characteristic feature of the new time. In this regard it should be noted that 30 secondary schools and 22 preschool establishments will be opened throughout Turkmenistan in 2008-2009.

The boarding schools for children residing in the remote rural areas are to play the special role in improving the national standards of education. At present, the network of the specialized educational establishments, which will increase in number in the following years, is established in the country.

Thus, the precise and well-grounded programme of reforms of the national educational system put forward by the Turkmen leader has given the good results. Paramount importance is attached to improvement of the standards of higher education and enhancement of its resource and technical basis. Thus, the projects on construction of the building of the Turkmen State Medical Institute and the Turkmen State Institute of Economy and Management in Ashgabat, the Agricultural Institute in Dashoguz were launched. In the following years the Turkmen Polytechnic Institute, the Turkmen State Institute of Transport and Communication, the Turkmen State Institute of Culture in Ashgabat and the Turkmen State Energy Institute in Mary will move to the new buildings.

The old buildings are reconstructed and the new facilities are under construction in the campus of the Magtymguly Turkmen state University and the Military Academy of Turkmenistan. In the following years the new faculties and specialties will be opened at the institutions of higher education. The number of the higher educational establishments will be increased. Thus, the Institute of International Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs established in accordance with he Resolution of the President of Turkmenistan will admit the first students this September.

The Exhibition includes over two hundred of the thematic expositions on the natural sciences and the humanities included in the curricula and the methodological literature, teaching aids and equipment.

The information on the scholarships and student visas to the young people willing to study abroad is of keen interest to the visitors. The well-experienced teachers and programme coordinators provided the information on the contest regulations and teaching system in Europe and the United States. Collaboration in various projects within the framework of the international educational programme such as TEMPUS TACIS and DAAT vividly testifies to the fruitful contacts established between the institutions of higher education in Turkmenistan and the world’ research and educational centres. The effective results of co-operation include the active exchange of specialists, study tours and student conferences, regular seminars and consultations on the modern intensive language teaching methods, the language centres and computer rooms opened at the higher educational establishments throughout the country.

Within the framework of the exchange programmes for high school students – FLEX and RAT hundreds of the young citizens of Turkmenistan visited the United States and Germany. Co-operation within the exchange programmes was considerably expanded in recent years promoting establishing and enhancing long-term partnership in a variety of fields.

Attaching paramount importance to introduction of the international standards in to the national educational system Turkmenistan intensifies humanitarian co-operation with the EU member countries that was a focus the talks between Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and the EU High-ranking officials during he Turkmen leader’s visit to Brussels. These talks centred on further partnership within he framework of the TEMPUS-TACIS Programme and the prospects of the new project within the framework of the Erasmus MUNDUS Programme.

At present, over a thousand of the citizens of Turkmenistan study at the prestigious by assignment of the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan the sectoral ministries and departments. Last year 260 Turkmen students entered the educational establishments in the Republic of Turkey, the Russian Federation, the People’s Republic of China and Malaysia. The envoys of Turkmenistan acquire the skills in various professions. For example, in Turkey our students study 71 specialities. Preference is given to training specialists in the priority fields of development of Turkmen economy. Thus, oil and gas industry specialists are trained at the leading educational establishments in the Russian Federation, the Turkmen students study the secrets of silk production and eastern medicine in China, advanced information and engineering technologies in Malaysia and Romania. Next year about 1,500 citizens of Turkmenistan will be sent to study at the prestigious higher educational establishments in different countries.

This academic year the foreign languages have been introduced to the course of study at the schools and institutions of higher education in the country. With assistance of the embassies of Japan, PRC, France and Russia the libraries of the educational establishments in Turkmenistan are replenished with textbooks, dictionaries, special handouts and aids, audio and video materials. Paramount importance is attached to broad exchange of experience with foreign counterparts. Thus, 175 Turkmen school teachers, professors and students, specialists of the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan attended the extension courses and went on study tours to 165 countries worldwide including Japan, the United States, Russia, Great Britain, France, Finland, Malaysia, Israel, PRC, FRG, Sweden and Spain. In late February the professors of the Turkmen institutions of higher education went on the short business trips to Germany, France and Spain.

The open door policy and the progress in development of the national educational system make Turkmenistan attractive for foreign teachers and students. At present, over 200 foreign citizens study at the educational establishments in Turkmenistan. In particular, on the instructions of the President of Turkmenistan 30 young citizens of Afghanistan study the Turkmen language in Turkmenistan and will join the ranks of the foreign students receiving education in Turkmenistan. On the instructions of the President of Turkmenistan, the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan negotiates on opening the branches of the I. M. Gubkin State University of Oil and Gas (Russia) and the Columbia University (the United States) in the country.

Providing the educational establishments of Turkmenistan with an access to the global information network – the internet plays the particular role in establishing the close international scientific and educational contacts. At present, the institutions of higher education and over 20 secondary schools in Turkmenistan are connected to the ‘global net’; the national research and educational network was established. In collaboration with the UNDP Infotuk Programme the active work is carried on to expand the access of the higher schools and research institutions. The Ministry of Education is planning to equip secondary schools with computers connected to the wireless local area network and to launch the Nesil Project aimed at establishing the educational network connecting the ministry with schools and higher educational establishments.

The Turkmen scientists’ achievements in various fields and the prospects of development of Turkmen science are presented in the exposition arranged by the Supreme Council for Science and Technology under President of Turkmenistan, the research institutions, the national ministries and departments including the Sun research-and-production association, the Turkmengeologiya Research Institute, the departments of Turkmenistan’s fuel and energy sector, the Ministry of Water Industry, the Ministry of Nature Protection, the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry, the Ministry of Textile Industry, the Ministry of Agriculture, etc.

The goals of the reform of national science implemented under the leadership of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov include establishing the effective system of training local specialists – scientists of the new formation tasked to ensure the fulfillment of the grandiose tasks set to the Turkmen nation in the third millennium. Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov says, “Science plays the leading role in the strong state, and therefore we should keep pace with its latest achievements.” The important documents issued by the Turkmen leader including the Resolution “On the Activity of the Academy of Sciences of Turkmenistan” and the Resolution “On Improvement of the Scientific System in Turkmenistan” vividly illustrate these words.

The special resolution on training highly qualified specialists and research workers and the state support of research activity in the country considerably promote achieving these goals. The resolution includes some important provisions regulating scientific training and education and the procedure of competitive financing of research activity. Basing on the modern world tendencies and the national priorities of development of science the resolution approves the register of the academic degrees and specialities.

Establishing the broad contacts with the authoritative research and educational centres worldwide is of particular concern to the Turkmen leader. The opportunities of intensifying and educational research collaboration were a focus of the intergovernmental talks and meetings and have been realized in the concrete projects. For example, the academic exchange programmes implemented in collaboration with the EU member countries, the agreement on co-operation with the Harriman Institute of the Columbic University, expansion of the contacts with the leading institutions of higher education and research centres of Russia, the Republic of Turkey, etc.

Dozens of the well-known companies – Lenovo (PRC), HP (United States), Hitachi (Japan), Kwazar-micro, Krok, Informnauka OJSC (RF), Promethean (Great Britain), El Holding research-and-production association (Uzbekistan) and the Turkish firms – TEA, Gonja, Surat, Kainak, etc present their achievements and know-how in the spheres of computer, multimedia and information technologies and telecommunications, printing industry and manufacture and export of school, laboratory and sports equipment, in particular.

An objective of the international exhibition is to demonstrate the achievements, potential and prospects of the sports movement in Turkmenistan. Numerous cups, prizes, medals won by the Turkmen sportsmen in various international competitions are the result of the profound state support and concern for development of sports and physical culture in the country.

President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov emphasizes that the health of the people is regarded as a priority of the national policy. Each year on first Saturday of November Turkmenistan celebrates Health Day. Through successfully implementing the large-scale Health National Programme two stadiums – the largest ones in Central Asia, the Ice Palace, the aerial tramway, the Olympic Aquatic Sports Centre were constructed in recent years. In the nearest future the stadiums, sports facilities and tennis courts meeting the international standards will be presented to athletes and sportsmen in all the regions of Turkmenistan. The paths of health – the symbols of the healthy lifestyle in the Turkmen capital and the regions are very popular among the people and guests of Turkmenistan. Physical training is included in the curricula of the secondary schools throughout the country. The housing construction projects stipulate for construction the gymnasiums, sports grounds and swimming pools in the territories adjacent to apartment houses.

Development of sports and physical culture is an integral aspect of the President’s National Programme on Improvement of the Social and Living Conditions in Rural Areas that stipulates for construction of the sports schools and centres throughout the country, even in the most remote regions.

Proclaiming wide propagation of the healthy lifestyle in the country a priority aspect of the national policy Turkmenistan was among the first countries to prohibit smoking in public places. The Law “On Physical Culture and Sports” guaranteeing the vast opportunities for practicing sports and physical training adopted by the Mejlis of Turkmenistan testifies to the Government’s concern for the health of citizens of Turkmenistan. The contests in various kinds of sports involving thousands of workers engaged in various sectors of national economy vividly evidences that.

The honorary exhibit of the international exposition, the surprise for the visitors is the Olympic torch – the attribute of the XXIX Olympic Games in Beijing.

Tourism is one of the youngest and very promising sectors of national economy. The centuries-old cultural traditions of the Turkmen peoples, the diversity of the natural landscapes, the historical and archeological landmarks that the Turkmen land is rich in – all that arouse intense interest worldwide and create the unique requisites for development of spa and resort industry, ecological, archeological, ethnographical and sports tourism.

It is not exaggeration to say that Turkmenistan located on the caravan routes of the Great Silk Road connecting East and West, Europe and Asia over the centuries can be called an open-air museum. Anau, Altyn-depe, Gurganj, Mashat-Misrian, Serahs, Gonur-depe and Ancient Merv, Kunya Urgench and Nisa inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List and hundreds of the other ancient monuments testify to a profound contribution that the Turkmen people made to the treasury of world civilization and amaze the historians and archeologists from all over the world.

The nature of Turkmenistan is unique. The natural ecosystems of the Karakum Desert, which have no analogues in Eurasia – Badkhyz, Repetek, the Kugitang caves of remarkable beauty, the dinosaurs’ plateau, the picturesque gorges of the Kopetdag Mountains, the subtropical oases of Sumbar – all that make our country extremely attractive for those fond of traveling and exploring the world.

The Turkmen sector of the Caspian Sea coast has the vast opportunities for developing sap and resort industry and ecological tourism. The nature favoured this part of the Turkmen land endowing it with the mild climate, golden sand beaches of many kilometres, the lovely seascapes, the noisy bird bazaars in the unique wet lands of universal value in the Khazar State Reserve.

Nowadays, on the initiative of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov the Avaza national tourism zone is being created on the Caspian Sea coast. Closely interrelated with the short-term plans of Turkmenistan’s development the Avaza National Project is of paramount importance not only for the Caspian region as well as the whole country as it became the reference point of a new approach to realization of the country’s profound natural and economic potential through attracting heavy foreign investment in recreation industry and tourism, national social and economic development. Providing the new opportunities for wide international co-operation the Avaza Project will enable to rum the Turkmen coast of the Caspian Sea into Mecca for tourists form all over the world.

In general, the exposition presents the diverse and broad panorama of the achievements, prospects and plans of development of Turkmen education, science, sports and tourism in the new historical epoch as well as the opportunities for establishing close mutually advantageous international co-operation in these fields.

The Ashgabat Fashion House of the Ministry of Textile Industry of Turkmenistan presented the fashion show within the framework of the opening ceremony.

The organizers prepared the programme of various cultural for the forum participants. Most of the participants are visiting Turkmenistan for the first time. On these days our guests will get acquainted with the traditions and customs of the Turkmen people, national art, the historical and cultural monuments and landmarks of Ashgabat.