Currently Turkmenistan is one of the most dynamically developing nations in the world. The high speed of development can be observed in a variety of economic sectors. Moreover, regionally, Turkmenistan is acquiring the status of a sports state, where health and lifestyle has become a priority of state politics. Due to state programs and policy, development of high performance sport has become a guide for each sports clubs even in the most remote cities of the country.
Our country is neutral, and this year we celebrate the anniversary of neutrality. This jubilee is significant for us, because our state offers all conditions necessary for life and development, first and foremost, for life in peace and harmony, citizens' health care, development of mass sports and recreation are the prior directions of state politics which aim to consolidate our nation's health and bring up a physically strong and spiritually wealthy new generation. In view of this fact, it is important to create conditions necessary for big sporting events, among which the Asian Indoor and Martial Art Games are significant. The Games contribute not only to increasing Turkmenistan's international sports prestige, but also to further training highly qualified sportsmen and popularizing different sports in our country.
The bilateral agreement about hosting the fifth Asian Indoor and Martial Art Games in Ashgabat in 2017 was signed between the Olympic Committee of Asia and National Olympic Committee of Turkmenistan and the city administration of Ashgabat on 19 December 2010. The news that Turkmenistan was the first city in Central Asian region to get the right to host 2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Art Games held great significance.
The 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Art Games will be held in the white-marbled city of Ashgabat, “the pearl of Asia," in 2017. For the first time, it will receive guests from a great number of countries (62 countries, including 45 Asian countries, 17 Pacific countries). By comparison, 42 countries in 9 sports took part in the games in Incheon in 2013. We also expect 5,000 athletes from 21 sports, 25,000 coaches, more than 10,000 foreign guests, more than 1,500 technical staff members and over 10,000 volunteers. Approximately 150 - 200,000 fans are expected in Ashgabat in September 2017. The Games' opening and closing ceremonies will be held at the open air stadium with the capacity of 45,000 spectators. For transportation convenience, a monorail will connect the Olympic Village for 12,000 “residents" with other venues of Olympic Park.
The sports venues, the first of their kind in Central Asia, will be built in our Olympic Park on 156 hectares. Our Olympic Park includes over 30 multipurpose venues, a Paralympic complex and a medical rehabilitation center. The venues will have high-quality sports equipment. All sportsmen and participants will be offered everything they need.
The Executive Committee of the 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Art Games is implementing complex and massive projects on Games preparation, temporal character of which demands high-level organizational activities and effective cooperation with various institutions, organizations and companies. It is especially important to share know-how with leading countries, which have great experience in keeping major international sports events. Such closest partners of Turkmenistan are Olympic Council of Asia, National Olympic Committees of different countries, Sports Federations.
On 3-5 April 2014, the international exhibition “Ashgabat - the capital of Asiada 2017" was held in the Exhibition Palace of Ashgabat City. Over 60 companies participated. Sports equipment, accessories and clothing were presented. Companies from Russia, Great Britain, Germany, France, Holland, Italy, Austria, Spain and others presented their achievements and services. This included companies seeking to establish mutually beneficial connections with our country.
On the 8-10 April 2014 the opening ceremony of Masterclass “Asiada Cuisine 2017" took place in the National tourist zone “Awaza." Expert chefs from over 20 countries came to Turkmenistan to participate in this event. The forum participants were introduced to the peculiarities of Turkmenistan's traditional cuisine. Agriculture and animal husbandry have developed since ancient times, and the products of these sectors contributed to development of the local cuisine. Currently, Turkmen culinary art has great potential for further development. Foreign delegation representatives pointed the significance of this event. It allowed us to present the culinary uniqueness of Asian and other countries, and was also important for strengthening relations among different countries.
Between April 30 and May 3, the 54th International Conference of the Sports Group of the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union took place in Ashgabat. During this conference foreign delegates were briefed on preparation for Asian Indoor and Martial Art Games and discussed issues relevant to broadcasting sports competitions in different parts of the world during AIMAG 2017.
On May 27, 2014 the President of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, held a meeting with the AIMAG 2017 Organizing Committee. To prepare for the Games, the President appointed the staff of the Organizing Committee and gave permission to sign an agreement with the British company “CSM Sport & Entertainment LLP trading as CSM Strategies" on the AIMAG general plan development.
The Belt Wrestling World Championship took place in Ashgabat at the end of November 2014. About 250 sportsmen from 25 countries took part. In our country, belt wrestling is not only a kind of sport, but also a tradition. Today, belt wrestling is one of the most dynamically developing sports; it is recognized in 70 countries. The aim is to popularize and develop belt wrestling in Turkmenistan and the world.
The next important event was the signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Participation of 17 Pacific countries in the Games between the Organizing Committee of the fifth Asian Indoor and Martial Art Games, Olympic Council of Asia and National Olympic Committees of the Pacific Countries on November 28 2014. Nineteen sports have been added to the 2017 Games. In his speech at the signing ceremony, the President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov offered to include two more sports - hurdle racing and Turkmen national “goresh" wrestling.
During the above-mentioned event, a Sports Media Forum also took place. Representatives of international mass media organizations accredited in Turkmenistan participated.
In April 2015 the International conference “Asiada 2017 and the Role of Turkmenistan in Development of Sport for Progress and Peace" was held in Ashgabat. Within this conference international and Turkmen Sports specialists, media experts, the representatives of field-specific departments, sport clubs and some international press agencies participated in the international Sports Media Forum. Among the guests there were delegates of both Asian and European countries - the United Arab Emirates, China, Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Qatar, Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Great Britain, Austria, France, etc. Ashgabat - 2017 will become an excellent opportunity to show the world the progress of our country, achieved under the leadership of Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, both in sports and economy, cultural and humanitarian area and other sectors of political and social life. Strict requirements will be specified to the organization of sports competitions and providing conditions for effective work of mass media.
Currently the main goal of Turkmenistan is to host innovative Asian Games. These Games are of great importance for Turkmenistan, and will contribute to increasing Turkmenistan's international prestige; they are an important step toward integration into international sports. The Games will be helpful to establish an atmosphere of trust and sympathy in the region and the world, and also will stimulate the national economy, cultural life and tourism industry.
Another important event of this year is the 43d meeting of the Olympic Council of Asia General Assembly, which took place on September 15 - 16. The delegates of National Olympic Committees of Asian and Pacific Region Countries, heads of IOC and OCA took part in the meeting, held in the Olympic Park. The head of the country expressed his confidence that this important event, taking place in Turkmenistan for the first time, plays a significant role in sports development in the whole Asian region and offers a wonderful opportunity to get acquainted with our country and our progress in sports.
Preparation work for a major event in Turkmenistan's sports life has been done by the 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Art Games Organizing Committee - agreements with leading international companies were signed, famous coaches were invited for training our sportsmen and so on.
In March 2015 the 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Art Games Executive Committee together with the Union of Entrepreneurs and Industrialists of Turkmenistan and the Central Council of Makhtumkuli Youth Organization announced a competition for a motto for the Asian Indoor and Martial Art Games 2017. This motto should reflect the inner feelings of the Turkmen people, their peacefulness, their devotion to sport and love of their independent neutral fatherland.
The motto of the Games has been chosen. Here it is in three languages: “Sagdynlyk. Ruhubelentlik. Dostluk." (tm) - “Health. Inspiration. Friendship." (eng) - “Здоровье. Воодушевление. Дружба."(гиз).
In September 2015, the 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Art Games Executive Committee announced a bid for international countries for operational planning in all activity directions, mentioned in Asiada - 2017 Master Plan. At the present time a tender winner is being determined.
The 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Art Games Executive Committee was established in December 2013. Considering the difficult tasks which the Committee has to fulfill, new departments were initiated in September 2015.
For coverage of Games events, an international bid to create an informational website was announced. “Asman oky" company won the bid. This company is working now on a website platform and its data protection. Work on the main platform of the website and the first phase of the Games' official website should be completed by the end of this year.
We are planning to start test competitions at the beginning of 2016. These test events will give an opportunity to estimate the readiness of the sports infrastructure and its reliability for the upcoming Games.
Volunteers are one of the most important parts of A1MAG 2017 team. The main part of volunteers will consist of students who will take part in various activities ranging from meeting delegates at the airport to helping in organizing opening and closing ceremonies. Currently, volunteers are being linguistically prepared and also trained in various tasks.
Turkmenistan is acquiring the status of a sports state, where health and lifestyle has become a priority of the state. Due to state programs and policy, development of high- performance sport has become a guide for each sports club even in the most remote cities of the country. Thanks to the policies of our honored President, Turkmenistan has been transformed economically and socially. Though our country has been commercialized, people stay socially secure. In the future, Turkmenistan aims to host the innovative Asian Games.
These Games are of great importance for Turkmenistan, which will contribute to increasing the country's international prestige; it is an important step to the integration into international sports. The Games will be helpful for establishing an atmosphere of trust and sympathy in the region and the world, and will also stimulate the national economy, cultural life and tourism industry.
The best example is the personal example. Our Head of state is a follower of a healthy lifestyle and he always finds time for physical training. The President points out that regular training strengthens a person not only physically, but also increases self-control, diligence and determination.
The 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Art Games, which take place in Turkmenistan for the first time and have become a world sports event, will bring unique knowledge, skills and experience, development of patriotic feeling, engaging young generations in sports, volunteer movement progress and so on.
