The delegation of Turkmenistan, led by Deputy Minister of Education Mr. A. Atayev, took part in the official opening ceremony of the international program “Marrakech – Youth Capital of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) for 2025,” held on 30 June 2025 in the Kingdom of Morocco, as reported Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan.
The program is being implemented under the auspices of the Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum (ICYF) and the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication of Morocco, with the support of the General Secretariat of the OIC. Representatives attended the ceremony from more than 50 countries, ministers responsible for youth policy, heads of international organizations, and over 200 young delegates.
During the visit, the Turkmen delegation held a series of bilateral meetings with representatives of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Türkiye, Malaysia, the Republic of Tatarstan (Russian Federation), as well as with the leadership of ICYF. Discussions focused on strengthening youth diplomacy, expanding cooperation in the fields of vocational and digital education, and promoting national youth initiatives of Turkmenistan on the international stage, including through the potential of the OIC youth platform.
Special emphasis was placed on the development of the Central Asian Youth Dialogue, initiated by Turkmenistan in 2023 in the city of Arkadag. The delegation presented the outcomes of the second meeting of the Dialogue, held in April 2025 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, during which a Joint Statement of the Youth of Central Asia was adopted. This document was officially circulated as an official UN document at the 79th session of the UN General Assembly. It was noted that representatives from more than 40 countries participated in the second Dialogue meeting, underlining the global significance of Turkmenistan’s initiative within the broader context of international youth cooperation.
In addition, delegates from OIC member states were informed about ongoing preparations for the Youth Forum, to be held as part of the Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDC-3) in Avaza. It was emphasized that this event, held once every ten years, is of global importance, and youth participation will serve as a meaningful contribution to shaping an inclusive sustainable development agenda. Representatives of ICYF and other organizations expressed strong interest in participating in and supporting this forum.
Participants in the meetings expressed strong interest and commitment to supporting and engaging in these initiatives.
Following the conclusion of the bilateral meetings, the Turkmen delegation participated in the official opening ceremony of the “Marrakech – OIC Youth Capital 2025” program, held at the Palais des Congrès of Marrakech.
Mr. Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid, Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication of the Kingdom of Morocco, who emphasized that the designation of Marrakech as the OIC Youth Capital is an international recognition of its global cultural status and of Morocco’s political contribution to the development of youth platforms within the Islamic world, opened the ceremony. He underlined that the program aims to promote peace, security, inclusivity, and leadership among youth.
Mr. Taha Ayhan, President of the Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum (ICYF), delivered welcoming remarks, highlighting Marrakech’s role as a center of intercultural dialogue, and emphasized that the yearlong program would create new opportunities for the youth of the Islamic world. He expressed special appreciation to Central Asian countries for their active youth policies and reaffirmed ICYF’s readiness to support all initiatives from the region.
Mr. Rasul Omarov, Director General of ICYF, presented the substantive content of the program: over the course of six months, Morocco will host a variety of forums, training sessions, competitions, dialogue platforms, and academic events covering themes such as democracy, innovation, sustainable development, and youth engagement in decision-making processes.
A vibrant cultural program, including musical performances, an exhibition of traditional crafts, and interactive panels organized by Moroccan youth associations, accompanied the official ceremony.
