The International Children’s Art Festival has taken a running start brightening up the atmosphere in the capital welcoming the envoys from different countries with the energy of buoyant holiday. Children are children, and from whatever remote country our little but very honorary guests came they immediately began to feel at home in the Turkmen land among their peers from different countries, that is the need so peculiar to their age to make friends and communicate. All the more, the hosts of the Festival are not short on cordiality and hospitality...

The prologue to official opening of the Festival was the traditional ceremony of laying flowers to the Monument to Independence, where the magnificent sculptures of the heroes of the national history ‘greeted’ the envoys from 22 countries that was the participants’ first bright impression. The itinerary of the Festival marathon lay to the Park of Friendship at the foothills of the Gindivar Mountain, where the Path of Health starts. The participants marked the opening of the Festival with the colourful parade representing their countries. The life was in full swing there. The children met each other and took photos, without any difficulty speaking the language of friendship – the language of smiles, greeting gestures and handshakes removed all borders and children understood each other perfectly well. They looked keenly other participants’ costumes and musical instruments all over, caught up the melodies, and at once the musicians from different countries created musical improvisations. That vividly illustrated the active, sincere and mutually interesting dialogue among different cultures and peoples.

The first joyful beating of the drum announced the beginning of the parade. During the first moments it resembles the fairy-tale regal procession and the rulers of this kingdom of Joy and Childhood were all young participants of the parade. The flags and national costumes of the participating countries followed one another. The young stars’ performances presenting the national colours were greeted with the storm of applause. There was hardly enough room for all in the square but it did not hinder children from the final dance of friendship. One could see as if the rainbow appeared above Gindivar – so inspiringly, brightly and joyfully the children danced in the ring. Of course, it is only half the story though to convey the atmosphere of the festivities is impossible – one should be there.

Thus, the International Children’s Art Festival started. On the first day of the participants will make the interesting tours to the museums. In the afternoon the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan will organize the activities at Nebitchi children’s health-improving centre in Geokdere. In the evening the musical and folklore groups from Kazakhstan, the UAE, China and the hosts of the Festival will invited to the concert.