UNESCO Certificate Award Ceremony held in Arkadag

On October 12, 2024, a conference was held at Aba Annaev International Horse Breeding Academy in Arkadag, during which a ceremony was held in a solemn atmosphere to award the Certificate on the inclusion of the nomination "Akhal-Teke Horse Breeding Art and Horse Decoration Traditions" in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The conference was preceded by an exhibition in the foyer of the main building of Aba Annaev International Horse Breeding Academy, where numerous photographs, works of fine, decorative and applied, carpet and jewelry art, and horse equipment were presented.

The ceremony of awarding the Certificate confirming the inclusion of the nomination "Akhal-Teke Horse Breeding Art and Horse Decoration Traditions" in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage has a profound meaning in the context of the celebration of the 300th anniversary of the birth of the poet and thinker Makhtumkuli Fragi. This is a clear indication that the Turkmen people live a happy life, and their holidays come one after another.

As the speakers noted, the decision to include the Akhal-Teke horse breeding art and the tradition of decorating "heavenly" horses in the UNESCO List of Outstanding Examples of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity was made during the 18th session of the Intergovernmental Committee, held in Kasane (Republic of Botswana) in December 2023. The proposal put forward by our country was unanimously supported by 24 member states of this group.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Chairperson of the UNESCO General Conference, Ms. S. Michelescu, congratulated the connoisseur of Akhal-Teke horses, Hero Arkadag, the President of Turkmenistan, as well as the entire Turkmen people on this significant event of great importance in the life of the country, and presented a Certificate on the inclusion of the national nomination "Akhal-Teke Horse Breeding Art and Horse Decoration Traditions"in the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The participants, on behalf of all horse breeders in the country, expressed their gratitude to Hero Arkadag and Arkadagly Hero Serdar for their constant attention and support in matters of preserving horse breeding traditions and increasing the glory of Akhal-Teke horses. The conference participants also visited the UNESCO club "Akhal-Teke Horses - Ambassadors of Peace", created on the basis of the International Academy of Horse Breeding named after Aba Annaev, where they got acquainted with the history of the development of Akhal-Teke horse breeding, the achievements of Turkmen equestrian athletes in international competitions.

The participants were greatly impressed by the performance of the national equestrian games group "Galkynyş" in the State Equestrian Circus named after Gorogly in the city of Arkadag, where riders on horses, striking with their plasticity, beauty and dexterity, performed acrobatic tricks.

The certificate on the inclusion of the nomination "Akhal-Teke Horse Breeding Art and Horse Decoration Traditions"in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of UNESCO will take a worthy place in the history of Turkmen horse breeding.