Raising a Generation of Climate Leaders: Gulshat and Selbi Empower Youth for Climate Action in Turkmenistan

Two young women from Turkmenistan — Gulshat Ayydova and Selbi Matveliyeva — are demonstrating how dedication and teamwork can make a real difference for the environment. Through their efforts, more young people across Turkmenistan are becoming involved in environmental initiatives and policy discussions at various levels.

From Eco Camp to a National Youth Movement

Their journey began with a simple but powerful idea: to create a space where young people could learn about and take action for the environment. This vision took shape in their very first project — the Eco Camp, a hands-on educational program that introduced participants to sustainability, biodiversity, and climate change adaptation.

The camp’s success inspired them to expand their efforts nationwide, organizing climate education trainings in the regions and building a growing network of motivated youth eager to make a difference. These early steps laid the foundation for what would become a long-term movement for youth climate empowerment in Turkmenistan.

Creating a Platform for Youth Voices

To unite and amplify these efforts, Gulshat and Selbi co-founded the Climate Action Network Turkmenistan, a platform promoting climate education, dialogue, and cooperation among young people, experts, and organizations. Their social media initiative, @climate_action.tm, now serves as one of the country’s leading channels for youth climate communication and awareness.

Bringing Global Climate Processes to Turkmenistan

As active members of YOUNGO, the official youth constituency of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Gulshat and Selbi successfully brought the global youth climate movement to Turkmenistan. They applied for and received endorsement to host the Local Conference of Youth (LCOY) Turkmenistan) — an official part of the UNFCCC youth process.

With the support from the United Nations in Turkmenistan, international partners and SDG Ambassadors they have supported the organization of LCOY Turkmenistan in 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025, each time engaging diverse groups of young people, experts, and policymakers. These conferences built young people’s skills in climate negotiation, leadership, and policy analysis.

The 2025 edition concluded with the adoption of the National Youth Statement for COP30, representing the collective vision and solutions of Turkmen youth for sustainable and climate-resilient development.

“It is important to develop the capacity of young people, especially young women, to engage meaningfully in climate decision-making and action,” says Gulshat. “No development can happen without including every segment of society at the table.”

Gulshat: A Global Advocate for Climate and Inclusion

From 2022 to 2024, Gulshat Ayydova served as the UN Young SDG Ambassador for Goal 13: Climate Action, representing Turkmenistan in the global network of youth leaders advancing the Sustainable Development Goals. In this role, she worked to strengthen youth participation in climate policymaking and raise awareness about environmental challenges nationwide.

In addition to organizing LCOYs, Gulshat led the UNICEF Youth Climate Summer School, a three-month nationwide capacity-building program for 35 young people, helping them develop community-based projects and policy recommendations.

Her international experience includes the Study of the U.S. Institutes (SUSI) for Leaders in Education, the John Smith Trust Fellowship, the OSCE Young Women for Peace Initiative, and the Central Asia Youth Leadership Academy (CAYLA).

Following LCOY 2025, Gulshat was invited to represent Turkmenistan at the 20th UN Conference of Youth (COY 20), taking place 6–8 November 2025 in Belém, Brazil, as both an LCOY delegate and a session facilitator on youth engagement in climate policy and action.

Selbi: Championing Water Diplomacy and Youth Cooperation

Selbi Matveliyeva, meanwhile, has become a prominent advocate for environmental peacebuilding and water cooperation. She has represented Turkmenistan in prestigious international programs, including the Open World Program, the OSCE Women Peace Leadership Program, the OSCE Peace and Security Scholarship, and the Youth Solution Days in Vienna and the International Energy and Climate Foru

Selbi also participated in the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) Intergenerational Dialogue, connecting water experts (“water veterans”) with young professionals from across Central Asia to promote regional cooperation and knowledge exchange.

In 2024, Selbi and Gulshat co-organized the Regional Conference of Youth (RCOY) for Central Asia and Afghanistan, officially endorsed by YOUNGO. The conference brought together youth delegates from across the region to discuss pressing environmental issues, with a strong focus on water — from glaciers to rivers.

“Water is life, the foundation of our society’s prosperity and resilience,” says Selbi. “We need to educate young people and raise awareness about water issues to ensure sustainable use and cooperation.”

This year, Selbi was invited to join the organizing team of the prestigious Monterey Summer Symposium, part of the Monterey Initiative in Russian Studies at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey. Funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the program brings together top graduate students and emerging experts from leading universities in the United States and Europe.

In this dynamic academic and policy environment, Selbi collaborated with young professionals in climate and water policy and engaged with international specialists on integrated water resource management, hydro-diplomacy, and environmental governance — further strengthening her expertise in the field.

A Shared Vision for the Future

Together, Gulshat and Selbi continue to drive forward a shared mission: empowering young people to take part in shaping Turkmenistan’s and Central Asia’s climate future. Their projects — from eco camps and hackathons to international conferences — have created a new generation of youth leaders who are informed, capable, and ready to act.

Their journey highlights how vision, teamwork, and supportive partnerships can empower young people to play a leading role in building a more sustainable future.