Turkmenistan Celebrates International Children’s Day with Inclusive Festival

The event brought together government partners, United Nations agencies, diplomatic community, civil society organizations, parents, and children to celebrate children’s rights and promote their well-being through interactive learning, creativity, and play.

Designed as a dynamic festival, the event featured themed activity stations led by United Nations agencies, including UNICEF, UNDP, WHO, UNFPA, UNODC, and OHCHR, offering children opportunities to learn about their rights, healthy lifestyles, environmental protection, and inclusion.

Speaking at the opening, Dmitry Shlapachenko, UN Resident Coordinator in Turkmenistan, emphasized that the day is both a celebration and a call to action, highlighting that every child has the right to health, education, safety, and a dignified future.

“Today’s festival in Ashgabat Park is a clear example of how, through play, creativity, and interaction, we can engage children on important topics such as their rights, healthy lifestyles, environmental protection, and mutual respect.”

In her remarks, Jalpa Ratna, UNICEF Representative in Turkmenistan, reaffirmed the importance of partnerships in advancing children’s well-being: “Every child deserves an opportunity to grow up healthy, safe, supported, and able to reach their full potential. Achieving this requires strong partnerships.”

The festival also demonstrated a strong commitment to inclusion, providing a space where children of all abilities could participate and express themselves.

Participants engaged in a wide range of interactive activities, including educational games on children’s rights, climate awareness sessions, health education activities, arts and crafts, and sports — all aimed at supporting children’s development, inclusion and encouraging their active participation in society.

The United Nations system in Turkmenistan reaffirmed its continued commitment to supporting national efforts to ensure that every child can thrive, grow, and reach their full potential. As part of ongoing efforts, the partners will continue organizing activities throughout the summer, including child rights camps and awareness campaigns, to further promote children’s development and well-being.