On 16 April 2025, the second meeting of the Central Asian Youth Dialogue, organized within the framework of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Youth Forum, was held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. The event, chaired by Turkmenistan, brought together youth representatives, representatives and heads of authorized executive authorities on youth issues, diplomatic missions and international organizations, emphasizing the relevance and importance of Turkmenistan’s initiative to integrate and consolidate youth processes in the region and beyond.
Hero of Turkmenistan, Permanent Representative of Turkmenistan to the United Nations Aksoltan Atayeva delivered a welcoming speech. In her address, Diplomat Atayeva stressed the importance of youth diplomacy as a powerful tool for strengthening peace, mutual understanding and trust in the region and beyond, while noting Turkmenistan’s role in promoting the most important UN resolutions on youth, peace and security.
Noting the special contribution of Turkmenistan’s neutral status to the integration of regional and international youth initiatives, Aksoltan Atayeva called on the youth of Central Asia to actively participate in global processes using unique platforms created with the support of Turkmenistan, which is the Dialogue of Youth in Central Asian countries.
Following this, participants watched a video detailing the origins and development of the Central Asian Youth Dialogue initiative, originally proposed by Turkmenistan in the city of Arkadag in October 2023. The video also showcased Turkmenistan’s achievements in youth policy, highlighting the establishment of national platforms to support youth initiatives, the promotion of intergenerational dialogue, and the adoption of international resolutions aimed at fostering a culture of peace and trust. Additionally, it emphasized the country’s active role in shaping a sustainable regional youth agenda centered on cooperation, mutual understanding, and development.
Deputy Minister of Education of Turkmenistan Azat Atayev presented a strategic model for the development of the country’s youth. He stressed that under the leadership of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, the slogan “Youth is the backbone of the Motherland” has become not only a symbol of state policy, but also the basis for creating an inclusive model that takes into account the individual interests, skills and aspirations of young people.
It was noted that the adopted existing legislation and strategies, such as the new version of the Law “On State Youth Policy”, the State Program on Youth Policy for 2021-2025 and the Strategy for International Youth Cooperation of Turkmenistan for 2023-2030, ensure the implementation of youth policy aimed at the comprehensive development of youth and their active participation in public life of the country.
Special attention was given to the demographic dynamics of Central Asia, where more than half of the population is under the age of 30. In this context, emphasis was placed on Turkmenistan’s implementation of effective mechanisms that channel the energy and knowledge of young people toward achieving strategic objectives, including advancing the digital economy and fostering innovation.
This demographic advantage presents a unique opportunity for accelerated economic growth and technological progress. To harness this potential, several targeted mechanisms were proposed within the framework of the Youth Dialogue in Central Asia, aimed at strengthening regional cooperation.
These initiatives are aimed at institutionalizing youth policy and ensuring the sustainable development of the region through the active involvement of the younger generation.
Representatives of international platforms and UN agencies such as UNICEF, UNFPA and the International Organization for Migration confirmed the keen interest and relevance of the Central Asian Youth Dialogue. They expressed their willingness to support and expand this cooperation, noting its importance for regional and global sustainable development.
Durdona Rakhimova, Deputy mayor of Tashkent for Youth Policy, Social Development and spiritual and educational work, noted the importance of institutionalizing youth interaction and stressed the need to create sustainable mechanisms for the implementation of joint initiatives. Representatives of the youth departments of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan expressed their support for the proposed initiatives, emphasizing the importance of interstate cooperation for the development of youth policy.
UN Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs, Dr. Felipe Paulier, emphasized the importance of youth participation in decision-making processes and noted the contribution of the Central Asian Dialogue to advancing the Youth, Peace and Security agenda. Miroslav Jancea, UN Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs, noted that the initiative helps to strengthen trust and mutual understanding in the region.
Representatives of France, the Philippines, Liberia, Jordan and other countries stressed the importance of sharing experiences in the field of youth policy and expressed their willingness to cooperate with the Central Asian region. The representative of the Russian Federation noted the importance of the initiative for strengthening regional stability and expressed support for further development of the Dialogue.
Representatives of Turkmenistan’s youth made a presentation that reflected the country’s key values and priorities in the field of youth policy, peace and sustainable development. Their speeches highlighted the desire of the Turkmen youth to actively engage in international initiatives aimed at strengthening peace and trust.
During the event, a video message from the young SDG ambassadors of Turkmenistan was shown, in which they expressed their commitment to promoting the SDGs and actively participating in the implementation of relevant programs.
Based on the proposals and initiatives voiced by the youth representatives, the meeting participants adopted the Address of the Second Meeting of the Youth Dialogue of Central Asian Countries, and also approved the Regulations on holding the Dialogue on a rotating basis. The next meeting will take place in Kazakhstan.
The wide participation of high-ranking representatives of international organizations and UN member states testifies to the recognition of Turkmenistan’s efforts in promoting the values of peace, security and youth policy in the international arena. High-ranking representatives of international organizations and UN member states expressed gratitude to Turkmenistan for its active role in promoting the values of peace, security and youth policy in the international arena.
Thus, the second meeting of the Central Asian Youth Dialogue at the UN confirmed the strategic importance of youth diplomacy and the role of Turkmenistan as a neutral state actively promoting the values of peace and mutual understanding through the involvement of youth. ///Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan, 18 April 2025