The U.S. Embassy in Turkmenistan in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture of Turkmenistan convened the “30 Years of Turkmenistan’s Independence, 20 Years of the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation” (AFCP) Virtual Conference. This international academic conference organized by the U.S. Embassy’s Public Affairs Section consisted of two sessions and facilitated discussions with presenters.
“For Turkmenistan, this month marks 30 years of independence. We are proud of the bonds of friendship and cooperation our two nations have built over those 30 years. For AFCP, this marks 20 years of one of the most fruitful and mutually beneficial relationships in the Central Asia region,” Ambassador Klimow noted in his opening remarks.
In addition to celebrating these landmark moments in Turkmenistan and AFCP’s history, the conference promoted ongoing as well as new partnerships between U.S. and Turkmen organizations and experts.
Specifically, the conference attracted representatives from the Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) Committee, the Library of Congress, the University of Texas at San Antonio, CyArk Foundation, Oriental Institute, and Caring for Textiles (CFT).
Turkmenistan was represented by the Ministry of Culture, the State Committee for TV/Radio Broadcasting and Cinematography, the National Department of Protection, Research, and Restoration of Historical and Cultural Sites, the Institute of History and Archaeology, and other participants of the AFCP projects in Turkmenistan.
The attendees also discussed the results achieved throughout 20 years of collaboration on a variety of cultural preservation projects across Turkmenistan while outlining a roadmap for future cooperation between the preservationists of these two countries.
The conference concluded with a keynote speech by special guest Dr. Martin Perschler, AFCP Program Director. Dr. Perschler ended his speech by thanking supporters of AFCP, both in Turkmenistan and the United States, for their “dedication to the preservation of Turkmenistan’s unique and rich cultural heritage” and “perseverance in ensuring that the heritage will continue to educate and inspire future generations of Turkmen and people from around the world.”
The Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation is a grant program established by the U.S. Department of State at the request of Congress. Across 20 years and across a record-setting 29 AFCP projects, $1,800,000 has been dedicated in the areas of historical and cultural preservation. Turkmenistan has the highest number of AFCP projects in the world.
The achievements of Turkmenistan in the independency years in the international relations