On July 17–18, 2026, the Embassy of Turkmenistan in the United States, together with the Permanent Mission of Turkmenistan to the United Nations, organized a series of cultural and sporting events in the Washington, D.C. area dedicated to the 35th anniversary of the Independence of Turkmenistan and the 250th anniversary of the Independence of the United States of America. TABCA’s board and members were honored to take part in the celebrations.
Roundtable: A Partnership Celebrating Independence, Friendship, and a Shared Future
The central event was a roundtable entitled “Turkmenistan – United States Partnership: Celebrating Independence, Friendship, and a Shared Future,” held on July 17. The discussion focused on the current state and future prospects of Turkmenistan–U.S. political, economic, educational, cultural, and humanitarian cooperation.
Ambassador of Turkmenistan to the United States H.E. Esen Aydogdyyev and Permanent Representative of Turkmenistan to the United Nations H.E. Vepa Hajyyev delivered presentations on the development of bilateral relations and cooperation between the two countries in international and multilateral formats.
Addressing the roundtable from the U.S. side, Mark Cameron, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Central Asia in the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, and Ambassador Matthew S. Klimow, former U.S. Ambassador to Turkmenistan, positively assessed the current momentum of Turkmenistan–U.S. relations and emphasized the considerable potential for further expanding bilateral cooperation.
The event brought together representatives of the U.S. Department of State, the diplomatic and academic communities, analytical institutions, business circles — including Turkmen diaspora businesses operating in the United States — members of the Turkmen diaspora, and friends of Turkmenistan in Washington, D.C.
Culture, Chess, and Football
A cultural exhibition featuring Turkmen decorative and applied arts, traditional attire, books, publications, and other materials remained open throughout the event.
The program also featured a friendly chess tournament, which brought together representatives of the diplomatic and academic communities, members of the Turkmen diaspora, and friends of Turkmenistan. Winners were awarded medals, certificates, and commemorative gifts.
On July 18, the series of events concluded with a friendly football match, after which participants were presented with commemorative souvenirs.
TABCA: Strengthening Ties Between Business Communities
For TABCA, the Days of Independence and Friendship offered a valuable opportunity to connect with the diplomatic community, U.S. institutions, friends of Turkmenistan in Washington, D.C., and Turkmen diaspora entrepreneurs building businesses in the United States. As a platform for Turkmen-American business cooperation, TABCA sees the diaspora business community as an important bridge between the two countries’ markets and looks forward to engaging it in the Association’s upcoming initiatives.
TABCA extends its gratitude to Ambassador Aydogdyyev, Permanent Representative Hajyyev, and the teams of the Embassy of Turkmenistan and the Permanent Mission to the United Nations for organizing a memorable celebration of the two nations’ shared milestones — 35 years of Turkmenistan’s independence and 250 years of American independence.
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