07.04.2022. Turkmenistan celebrated World Health Day following the good tradition. President Serdar Berdimuhamedov took part in the mass bike ride, which was timed to this international date in the national calendar.
Large-scale work is being carried out in the country to establish the principles of a healthy lifestyle and popularize regular physical activity and sports, which an increasing number of citizens of Turkmenistan engage in every year. The Saglyk State Programme and other programmes and projects aimed at improving health care and sports infrastructure in urban and rural areas are implemented consistently.
A bicycle is recognized rightly as the most eco-friendly mode of transportation - an excellent means of transport, travel and outdoor activities, as well as a popular sport and leisure equipment. In the modern epoch, it has become a good tradition in our country to hold mass bike rides, days without cars and nationwide landscaping campaigns. These traditions, established by the Hero-Arkadag, aim to build a new ecological culture in Turkmen society and enjoy the unanimous support of the Turkmen people and recognition at the international level.
This is vividly evidenced by the Resolution of the UN General Assembly on the declaration of June 3 World Bicycle Day adopted at the initiative of Turkmenistan in 2018. The Bicycle Monument was built in Ashgabat to commemorate this event; the opening ceremony took place in 2020.
On March 15 this year, the Resolution “The integration of bicycling into public transport systems for sustainable development”, co-sponsored by 62 states, was unanimously adopted at the initiative of our country at the 61st plenary meeting of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly.
All this vividly testify to the high international prestige of neutral Turkmenistan that consistently pursues the constructive policy based on the principles of peacefulness, creativity, humanism and fruitful cooperation.
In the morning, the Deputy Chairmen of the Cabinet of Ministers, heads of Halk Maslakhaty and Mejlis Milli Gengesh of Turkmenistan, military and law enforcement agencies, ministries and departments, city administration, public organisations, mass media, university rectors and students gathered near the Bicycle Monument located at the intersection of Chandybil Avenue and Bekreve Street, where the bike ride started.
The President launched the cycling marathon and led the column of bicyclists on the route running along the spacious city avenues.
The artistic teams performed in bright shows at the start line and along the route of the bike ride. The music and dance performances and songs glorifying the independent neutral Motherland and its peaceful constructive policy and celebrating sports added bright colours to the festive atmosphere, inspiring the participants of the sports action to move on the route.
The President of Turkmenistan demonstrated excellent physical and sporting condition during the bike ride. Honoured Coach of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov participated in similar events in previous years, setting a personal example for the benefits of physical activity and healthy lifestyles.
Cycling has a long history in Turkmenistan, dating back to the establishment of the first cycling society in Ashgabat in 1894; the first cycling competitions were held a year later. In the modern epoch, this sport has got new development in our country, and its fans continue to grow in numbers.
An increasing number of children and young people engage in cycling. This is vividly illustrated by the participation of the young athletes from Döwletliler köşgi in the bike ride. They skilfully handled the bicycles donated by the Hero-Arkadag. By the way, the children from Döwletliler köşgi have participated in similar sporting and recreation events several times. Favourable conditions have been created in our country for the younger generation to receive a comprehensive education, use talents and abilities and engage in sports and creative activity.
The column of bicyclists, led by President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, moved on the most beautiful city highways that blend well with the urban landscape.
President Serdar Berdimuhamedov gave Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Ch. Purchekov, who is in charge of the capital, specific instructions to continue to beautify and plant trees in Ashgabat, keep the city clean and modernise urban infrastructure. The head of state emphasised the need to create the most comfortable living environment for people.
The column of bicyclists moved along Bitarap Turkmenistan Avenue toward the centre of Ashgabat that arouses admiration for its monumental beauty and original architectural ensemble.
A new spring day was gaining pace and rhythm in the capital. As always, life in Ashgabat is in full swing from the early morning. Citizens hurried to work, schoolchildren together with their parents and students to schools and universities and small children to kindergartens. The inspiring atmosphere reigning in the main city of the country filled everyone with cheerfulness and vigour.
The mass bike ride marking World Health Day finished near the Ruhyet Palace in the centre of the capital. Addressing the participants of the cycling marathon, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov emphasised the need to continue to work comprehensively towards promoting physical activity and sports in the population and strengthening the principles of healthy lifestyles in the society in the year, the motto of which is “The Era of the People with Arkadag”.
This will also contribute to promoting physical activity and sports in children and youth as an integral part of the efforts towards bringing up a physically strong and purposeful younger generation with a great intellectual potential, broad outlook and innovative technologies.
President Serdar Berdimuhamedov said goodbye to the participants of the sports and environmental action, wished good health and every success to those present and left the venue.
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On that day, numerous bike rides, health promotion and sporting events and sports skills demonstration contests of young athletes took place in all velayats of the country to mark World Health Day.
In Ashgabat, students from higher educational institutions ascended the Path of Health, which is a kind of symbol of the physical culture and sport policy of the Turkmen state. This unique hiking trail with the beneficial microclimate in the southern part of the city, running along the picturesque slopes of the Kopetdag Mountains, is a favourite place for outdoor activities of citizens and guests of the capital and a venue for sporting events.
The large-scale festive actions, which were held on that day, illustrated once again the commitment of the independent neutral Fatherland to the principles of healthy living and the ideals of the international sports and environmental movement as an important component of the culture of peace and health and the unity and solidarity of the Turkmen people, who are moving forward with confidence along the chosen path of development.
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