As part of an official visit to the French Republic, a Turkmen delegation on 17–18 November toured two landmark institutions in the French capital: the Musée de l’Homme and the Institut du monde arabe.
On 17 November, the delegation visited the Musée de l’Homme. The guests were accompanied by renowned French archaeologist Julio Bendezú-Sarmiento, head of the Franco-Turkmen Archaeological Expedition and researcher at the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS). He conducted a detailed tour of the museum’s main exhibitions dedicated to human evolution and the anthropological and cultural diversity of the world’s peoples.
During the visit, a meeting was held with the director of one of the CNRS research groups. The parties discussed prospects for joint scientific projects, specialist exchanges, and participation in international initiatives in the fields of archaeology, anthropology, and cultural heritage preservation.
On 18 November, the delegation visited the Institut du monde arabe – one of Europe’s largest centers for the study and promotion of Arab culture. The Turkmen guests were welcomed by the head of the Language and Culture Centre, the library director, the diplomatic adviser to the Institute’s president, and other administrative representatives.
The Turkmen side familiarized itself with the Institute’s educational and cultural programs, visited its unique library – which houses Europe’s largest collection of Arabic-language literature – and viewed one of the current exhibitions showcasing contemporary Arab art.
A particularly significant moment was the ceremonial presentation to the Institute of rare editions of works by the great Turkmen classical poet Magtymguly Fragi translated into Arabic. The gift was received with gratitude and recognized as an important contribution to cultural dialogue between Turkmenistan, France, and the Arab world.
Following the visits, preliminary agreements were reached on implementing joint cultural and educational projects, organizing mutual exhibitions and academic events, and further strengthening professional contacts between relevant institutions of the two countries.///nCa, 21 November 2025 (in cooperation with the Embassy of Turkmenistan in France)