On 5 December 2025, International Volunteer Day, one of the warmest and most energetic holidays of the year took place in Ashgabat—the Volunteer Festival, organized by the public organization “Yenme” in collaboration with the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Turkmenistan and the Russian House.
Forty active volunteers from eight leading public organizations in the country gathered on one platform:
- “Agama”
- Union of Economists of Turkmenistan
- “Yash Tebigatchy”
- “Keyik Okara”
- Turkmenistan Red Crescent Society
- “Achievements of the Young”
- “Nature Protection”
- “Yenme”
The festival was opened by the First Secretary of the Russian Embassy, Head of the Russian House in Ashgabat Yulia Stanislavovna Zaitseva, and the Chair of the Public Organization “Yenme” Gulya Choreklieva. They emphasized: volunteering is not just help; it is a real force that changes society and makes the world kinder.
Participants were divided into four mixed teams of 10 people each, with each team representing one of the key areas of volunteering: ecology, animal protection, support for children, and assistance to the elderly. The teams came up with bright names for themselves and enthusiastically joined the competitive program.
Among the contests, the following stood out in particular:
- “Cultural Ambassador of Volunteering” – presentation of team missions and mottos
- “Volunteer Voiceover” – fun re-voicing of comedy clips on themes of kindness and unity
- A big quiz on the history and practices of the volunteer movement
The festive atmosphere was created by invited artists: a virtuoso violinist, a mesmerizing magician, and a vibrant dance group.
The performances were judged by an authoritative jury:
- Yulia Zaitseva (Russian Embassy)
- Honored Artist of Turkmenistan Gulshirin Annamuradova
- Actress of the A.S. Pushkin Russian Drama Theater, Artistic Director of the Inclusive Theater “Tatal” Tatiana Ovezmuradova
- Correspondent of the newspaper “Neutral Turkmenistan” Gozel Japarova
Based on the competition results, the organizers decided: on Volunteer Day, there are no losers—everyone who came to do good won. All participants received memorable prizes and thanks.
The final highlight of the holiday was a large unifying flash mob, in which all volunteers and guests took part.
The festival became a bright confirmation that the volunteer movement in Turkmenistan is gaining strength and uniting more and more caring hearts. ///nCa, 7 December 2025 (photo credit – Yenme)