Ashgabat, 11 July 2009 – The United Nations System in Turkmenistan, represented by the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator, the World Bank and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), has organized today a ceremony to award the finalists of the nation-wide Essay Competition for Youth. The Essay Competition, which was open to all young people aged between 15 and 24, provided an opportunity for youths to express their vision of the role that young people will play in Turkmenistan in the long-term perspective.   

Inclusion of young people’s views and experiences into national development programmes and policy decisions not only bolsters their self-confidence, but also helps prepare them to exercise their rights and responsibilities of adulthood and citizenship. While developing the concept of the competition, the organizers aimed at encouraging young people’s active participation in wide variety of activities within their communities in order to develop their full potential by ensuring that young people’s views are mainstreamed into policy and programme decisions.  

As a result of competition, four finalists have been identified: Tamerlan Orazov (15 years old, Mary city, first place winner), Ogulmerjen Annageldyeva (18 years old, Ruhabat etrap, second place winner), Ilham Muhammedov (17 years old, Lebap velayat, third place winner) and Shageldy Baimuradov (fourth place winner). Essays of the finalists and selected extracts from the essays of other young people who participated in the contest were published in a booklet titled “Future according to young people.”  

“I want to underscore the role of women in economic development of the countries. I dedicate my award to my mother, who teaches children in school,” said Shageldy Baimuradov, forth place winner. 

“Promoting youth development and their active participation in socio-economic and political processes around the globe, as well as maintaining active dialogue on these issues are among the top priorities of the entire development community” said Richard Young, UN Resident Coordinator in Turkmenistan. This initiative was broadly covered by the national mass media, including nation-wide “Neitral’ny Turkmenistan” Newspaper, as well as national TV as a part of the events organized on the occasion of the World Population Day, which is globally celebrated each year on 11 July.  

“Creative contests help learning more about youth involvement in the life of the country and the young people’s opinions about their role in the processes of social and economic development” emphasized Serdar Jepbarov, Operations Officer of World Bank Liaison Office in Turkmenistan.  

The organizers express their appreciation to all young people for their participation at the Essay Competition.