In honor of the World Bicycle Day, proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 2018 on the initiative of Turkmenistan, diplomatic missions of Turkmenistan around the world organized sports events and bike rides. These events were also dedicated to the 300th anniversary of the great thinker and poet of the East - Makhtumkuli Fragi.

Large-scale bike rides were held in London, Bucharest, Riyadh, Yerevan and Tbilisi, as well as in the capitals of the UAE, Russia, Germany, Kazakhstan, France, India, Pakistan and Dubai. The organizers were the embassies and consulates of Turkmenistan, with the support of local municipalities, sports federations and other partners.

The events were attended by employees of diplomatic missions and their families, representatives of the Turkmen diaspora, students and local residents. Bike rides took place along the central streets of cities and in parks, promoting a healthy lifestyle and environmentally friendly modes of transport, which contributes to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals.

These events have become a symbol of international cooperation and friendship, and have also highlighted the importance of cycling and its role in promoting health and preserving the environment.

On June 3, on the occasion of World Bicycle Day, a mass bike ride was held in Ashgabat with the participation of President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov.

In the early morning, thousands of participants of the current action on bicycles gathered at the intersection of Chandybil Avenue and Bekreve Street, where one of the sights of Ashgabat, the Bicycle monument, is located.

Accordingly, the country's leadership, students, athletes, and employees of various industries gathered here. Among the participants are heads of diplomatic missions and international organizations accredited in Turkmenistan.

President Serdar Berdimuhamedov launched a mass bike ride and led the column, which continued along Bitarap Turkmenistan Avenue, moving towards the center of the capital, freed from any transport except the most environmentally friendly – bicycles.

Along the route, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and the participants of the action were greeted with musical, dance and folklore performances by pop soloists and creative teams.

As we know, the adoption at the 82nd meeting of the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly of a Resolution on the celebration of World Bicycle Day annually on June 3 testifies to the high appreciation by the world community of Turkmenistan's proactive role in the development of sports and the physical culture movement, cooperation in this field between states and peoples, and the formation of an ecological culture of society.

World Bicycle Day is also celebrated in many countries of the world, where sports and entertainment themed events are held on June 3. The Embassies of Turkmenistan abroad initiated mass bicycle rides with the participation of Turkmen and foreign diplomats, heads of public and sports organizations, youth, including students from our country studying at foreign universities.

President Serdar Berdimuhamedov sent sincere congratulations and best wishes to President of the Italian Republic Sergio Mattarella and the friendly people of the country on the occasion of Italy's National Holiday – Republic Day.

Taking advantage of this pleasant opportunity, the Head of State expressed wishes of good health and happiness to President Sergio Mattarella, and peace, well–being and prosperity to the friendly people of the Italian Republic.

Turkmenistan's national football team won 5-0 against Greenland's team in a friendly match. The game took place in Antalya, Turkey, where Mergen Orazov's team is conducting a training camp as part of their preparation for the final qualifying matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup against Uzbekistan and Hong Kong.

Our team's double was scored by Elman Tagaev, who is celebrating his 35th birthday on June 2, and each scored once by Didar Durdyev, Shanazar Tirkishov and Alibek Abdyrahmanov.

This was the first match in the history of Turkmen football against Greenland's team, which is not ranked by FIFA due to the absence of its football association from the International Federation of Association Football. Currently, there are two obstacles to Greenlandic football joining the international arena: its autonomous status within the Kingdom of Denmark and the lack of suitable playing fields due to climate conditions, which meet FIFA's requirements.

Despite this, the leadership of Greenland's Football Association does not lose hope to join the global football family and submitted an official application to CONCACAF on May 28, 2024, one of the six continental confederations of FIFA responsible for developing football in North and Central America and the Caribbean.

We can only hope that the friendly match against Greenland's team will serve as a good test of strength for Turkmen footballers before the qualifying matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup against Uzbekistan on June 6 in Tashkent and Hong Kong on June 11 in Ashgabat.

On June 3, 2024, the Embassy of Turkmenistan in Georgia with the assistance of Georgian National Bicycle Federation held a bicycle ride along the route “Tbilisi-Mtskheta-Tbilisi” dedicated to World Bicycle Day, as well as to the 300th Anniversary of Magtymguly Fragi. The route covered the central streets of Tbilisi city and the ancient capital of Georgia, Mtskheta.

Before the start of the bicycle ride, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Turkmenistan in Georgia D.Seyitmammedov noted that this year marks the 300th Anniversary of the great poet and thinker of the East Magtymguly Fragi, whose creative heritage, being an invaluable national treasure, has become an integral part of the treasury of world culture. The slogan of 2024 in Turkmenistan “The Fount of Wisdom Magtymguly Fragi” is associated with his name. Numerous events are being held in Turkmenistan and abroad in connection with this significant date. The Ambassador added that today's World Bicycle Day event is also dedicated to this anniversary.

The Ambassador stressed that World Bicycle Day was established in April 2018 at the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly on the initiative of Turkmenistan, which shows the world community's appreciation of Turkmenistan's role in the development of sports and mass health improving movement, cooperation in this field between states and nations, and the formation of environmental culture of society.

The participants of the rally also noted that World Cycling Day, which embodies universal values such as health, solidarity, friendliness and commitment to humanistic ideals, offers great opportunities to promote sport as a messenger of peace, strengthening fruitful cooperation between countries and peoples.

At the end of the event, on behalf of the Embassy, the participants of the bicycle ride were presented with commemorative gifts.

The International Children's Day is celebrated on the first of June. On this occasion, President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov addressed congratulations to the citizens of the country.

"I sincerely congratulate you on the International Children's Day! The significant date itself is a kind of celebration of friendship and peace, so I am sure that the celebrations timed to it in our independent neutral Homeland – the land of happy childhood, where the brightest dreams come true and grandiose goals are achieved, will leave pleasant memories for children – the charming flowers of our life!", the message says.

Every day of this year, the motto of which is "The Storehouse of the mind of Makhtumkuli Fraga", is full of bright events. Intense celebrations on the occasion of the International Children's Day are taking place, as before, throughout the country, including in the cities of Ashgabat and Arkadag.

"The festive events are imbued with national flavor, the spirit of unity and cohesion. The summer vacation season is also beginning solemnly in children's health centers located in the greenery-filled Gekder, the world-famous Avaza National Tourist Zone and in the regions of our country," the President noted.

The Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov Charitable Foundation for Assistance to Children in Need of Care is also doing a lot of work for the harmonious spiritual and physical development and upbringing of children and adolescents left without parents or care of persons replacing them. And such activities of the Foundation are a clear evidence of the triumph of the ideals of humanism inherent in our society. With the assistance of the Foundation, a Children's tennis festival will be held in Ashgabat.

Special attention is also paid to the construction of modern kindergartens, secondary schools, sports, recreation and entertainment complexes, thereby creating a favorable environment for the upbringing of happy children with a broad outlook and high moral standards, the message emphasizes.

"And may the merry laughter of beloved children – the charming flowers of our life - not cease in the era of the Rebirth of a new era of a powerful state!" the head of state concluded, wishing the country's children good health, longevity and a happy life, TDH reports.

The gold and bronze awards were won by Turkmen tennis player Ilima Huseynova at the Asian 14&U Grade A international tournament.

The competition was held from May 25 to June 1 in Hyderabad, India.

Athletes from the USA, Singapore, Thailand, Chinese Taipei and the host country of India competed in the tournament together with Elena Huseynova.

In singles, Mirali Hasanova's ward won the bronze medal, beating Indian tennis player Karthika Harsha Oruganti with a score of 6:2, 6:2 in the match for third place.

Huseynova achieved equally impressive results in doubles, where she competed in pairs with Indian athlete Karthika Padmakumar. In the final match, the Huseynov duo/Padmakumar defeated the Indian pair Kiran/Balaji 6-3, 6-3 to win the gold medal.

According to the established good tradition, the International Children's Day was widely celebrated in Turkmenistan on the first of June. In honor of the significant date, the opening of the children's tennis festival took place, as well as the presentation of the Certificate of the Asian Tennis Federation (ATF) declaring the Olympic town of Ashgabat the "Educational and Training center of the Asian region".

The venue for the celebrations was a tennis complex, part of the infrastructure of the capital's Olympic Town, built on the initiative of the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Khalk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov for the V Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games. And now this largest sports facility in the Central Asian region serves for holding major sports competitions, as well as for training athletes and anyone who wants to improve their health.

The festive event was attended by the Chairman of the State Committee for Physical Culture and Sports of Turkmenistan, the rector of the Turkmen State Institute of Physical Culture and Sports, representatives of the International and Asian Tennis Federation, National Olympic and Paralympic Committees and National sports federations of Turkmenistan, the media, numerous young athletes and children.

Turkmenistan attaches great importance to the development of sports and mass physical culture movement, as well as the organization of comprehensive measures to popularize the principles of a healthy lifestyle in society.

On May 30, 2024, consultations between the heads of structural divisions of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan and the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka took place in the format of a videoconference. This is reported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan.

During the consultations, the parties discussed the current state of bilateral relations in the political, trade, economic, investment, cultural, humanitarian, and agricultural spheres, and also identified priorities for further bilateral cooperation. In particular, it was noted that there is potential for cooperation in the oil and gas and chemical industries, the transport and logistics sector, the textile industry, tourism and education.

The interlocutors discussed the prospects for exchanging visits at various levels and expanding ties between the parliaments of Turkmenistan and Sri Lanka.

The importance of improving the contractual and legal framework of the bilateral partnership was emphasized.

The diplomats noted the importance of continuing inter-ministerial political consultations, enhancing economic ties by establishing close relations between the Chambers of Commerce and Industry of the two countries, as well as holding business forums with the participation of the business circles of Turkmenistan and Sri Lanka.

The Turkmenistan team won 7 medals at once, including 3 gold, 1 silver and 3 bronze medals at the World Youth Weightlifting Championships, held in the capital of Peru.

About 280 young athletes from 50 countries came to the tournament.

The main star of the Turkmen team was Suleyman Jafarov, who competed in the weight category up to 102 kg. He surpassed all his opponents, winning gold medals in the snatch (143 kg) and combined combined (313 kg), as well as a bronze medal in the clean and jerk (170 kg).

No less Impressive results were achieved by 16-year-old Ogulshat Amanova in a weight of up to 49 kg. Her result of 77 kg in the snatch brought her a gold medal. In the clean and jerk, Ogulshat won bronze, holding a barbell weighing 91 kg over her head. And the double event total of 168 kg allowed her to become a silver medalist.

Didarbek Jumabayev won the bronze medal in the clean and jerk discipline in the weight category up to 67 kg, pushing a barbell weighing 155 kg. His final result of 272 kg in the double event allowed him to enter the top four young weightlifters in the world.

The Grand Prix of Combat Sambo, which was held according to the new rules of the Combat Sambo League, ended in Ulan-Ude (Republic of Buryatia, Russia). In the weight category up to 88 kg, Turkmenistan's Suvkhan Ovezgeldiev won, defeating Russian Ivan Intyukhov in the final.

The Combat Sambo League was established in February 2020 with the aim of popularizing this sport and supporting professional sambo wrestlers. The key feature of the Grand Prix in Ulan-Ude was the holding of the tournament without preliminary meetings - athletes immediately went to the final matches in their weight categories.

Wrestlers from Russia, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Belarus, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan took part in the competition. The winners were awarded cash prizes in the amount of 100,000 rubles and championship belts.

The Turkmenistan Track Cycling Championship in Ashgabat kicked off the festive events dedicated to the World Bicycle Day celebrated on June 3 around the planet.

The venue of the competition, organized by the State Committee for Physical Culture and Sports of Turkmenistan and the Cycling Federation of the country, was the cycle track located in the Olympic Village.

More than 50 athletes born in 2006-2010 from Ashgabat, velayats, the School for Training Young Olympians, and other sports organizations of the country competed in the flying 200 m time trial, individual time trial, individual pursuit and team sprint 500 and 750 meters. The winners and prize-winners of the Turkmenistan championship were awarded valuable prizes.

As previously reported, within the framework of the celebration of World Bicycle Day, a 335-km bicycle marathon is also planned with the participation of the national team along a special route on the Mary-Tejen-Ashgabat high-speed highway section from May 31 to June 3. On June 3, a mass bicycle race is envisaged to be organized in the capital.

It is worth recalling that the World Bicycle Day was established on the initiative of Turkmenistan in April 2018 at the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly.