Yesterday, according to the established good tradition, the World Bicycle Day has been celebrated in our country. President Serdar Berdimuhamedov took part in a mass bike ride held in the capital on the occasion of this international holiday, which has taken its rightful place in the calendar of the United Nations.
As you know, on April 12, 2018, at the 82nd plenary session of the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly, an appropriate Resolution initiated by Hero-Arkadag was adopted, sponsored by 56 states. The establishment of this date, which embodies such universal values as health, solidarity, friendliness and commitment to humanistic ideals, opens up wide opportunities for popularizing sports as a messenger of peace, strengthening fruitful cooperation between countries and peoples.
It should also be recalled that on March 15 of the current year, at the 61st plenary session of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly, on the proposal of Turkmenistan, the Resolution “Integration of mass cycling into public transport systems to achieve sustainable development” was adopted by full consensus. Its co-sponsors became 62 states of the planet.
One of the sights of Ashgabat is the Bicycle Monument, located at the intersection of Chandybil Avenue and Bekreve Street, where the route of the festive bike ride begins. The original sculptural composition reflects the rich history and modern achievements of the Motherland, the high spiritual uplift of the Turkmen people, their commitment to the ideals of peacefulness and creativity, enduring universal values.
In the morning, members of the Government, heads of the Halk Maslakhaty and the Mejlis of the Milli Gengesh of Turkmenistan, military and law enforcement agencies, ministries and branch departments, the metropolitan administration, as well as mass media, public organizations, university rectors, students, employees of various sectors of the national economy gathered here. Among the participants of the sports action are the heads of diplomatic missions and international organizations accredited in our country.
On the occasion of the World Bicycle Day, masters of the arts of the country perform with an inspired musical and dance composition glorifying their beloved prosperous Homeland and domestic sports.
Having launched the mass bike marathon, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov led the column of its participants. Following the head of state, the participants of the action began a systematic movement along the route that runs along the spacious avenues of the capital – Chandybil and Bitarap Turkmenistan.
Along the route of the bike ride, performances of creative teams unfolded, which brought a colorful flavor to the palette of the holiday.
During the cyclo-cross, the President of Turkmenistan demonstrated excellent physical and athletic training, confirming the advantages of a healthy lifestyle by his personal example. Continuing the family traditions laid down by the Hero-Arkadag, the head of state, being an honored coach of Turkmenistan, invariably devotes time to sports, which, along with a beneficial effect on the physical and emotional state of a person, promote the development of such character qualities as diligence, willpower, determination, discipline.
... Meanwhile, the column of participants of the bike ride, led by Arkadagly Serdar, continued its movement along the capital’s highways, along which beautiful white marble buildings, complexes of high-rise residential buildings surrounded by landscaped adjacent territories rose.
On the way, at the intersection of Bitarap Turkmenistan and Archabil Avenues, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, addressing the Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Ch.Purchekov, who oversees the capital, he asked about the progress of the implementation of previously given instructions on the design of road infrastructure facilities, including underpasses and territories adjacent to road interchanges, using elements of national decor, and in particular, original mosaic panels.
Having assigned the Deputy Prime Minister to continue comprehensive work in this direction, the head of Turkmenistan noted the need to pay unflagging attention to the further landscaping and greening of Ashgabat, maintaining exemplary cleanliness in it, and ensuring environmental well-being.
... Temporarily, in the capital, as always, life had already been in full swing from the very morning. The townspeople were heading to work, the kids, accompanied by their parents, were rushing to kindergartens. Many older residents of Ashgabat went out for an early walk to get some fresh air. The invigorating coolness of a cloudless summer morning created an atmosphere of inspiration everywhere, giving everyone a burst of energy for the whole day.
Nowadays, more and more children and young people are being involved in cycling. The younger generation masters this sport with great pleasure. This is confirmed by the participation in the current bike ride of the pupils of the Döwletliler köşgi Palace. Demonstrating the skill of riding bicycles presented by the Hero-Arkadag, the guys set a good illustrative example to their peers. Young athletes from Döwletliler köşgi are always enthusiastically involved in such sports and recreational events.
In our country, all conditions have been created for the younger generation to receive modern education, realize their abilities and talents, engage in creativity and sports, and strengthen health. At the same time, close attention is paid to young citizens in need of special care. A lot of work in this direction is being carried out by the Charitable Foundation named after Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov established in March last year to help children in need of guardianship.
...Following the route, the column of the bike ride participants continued their path along Bitarap Turkmenistan Avenue in the direction of the center of Ashgabat.
When riding a bicycle, a person’s gaze focuses on objects located at different distances. Thanks to this, the eye muscles are strengthened, which fosters the prevention of ophthalmic diseases. In addition, cycling allows you to relieve stress, get rid of extra calories. Among the benefits of cycling, scientists also highlight the improvement of sleep and the digestive process, even increase of longevity.
The role of the bicycle as an environmentally friendly vehicle is obvious. It is an indisputable fact that a full-fledged life and human health directly depend on the state of the environment. In this context, the above-mentioned Resolutions adopted on the initiative of Turkmenistan, the large-scale work being carried out to popularize bicycle and cycling, the national environmental strategy being implemented are a concrete contribution of our country to solving urgent environmental issues of global importance. After all, health and sport, environmental well-being and sustainable development are inseparable concepts.
Having overcome the distance of the bike ride, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov finished at the final destination – the capital’s Rukhyet Palace.
Here the head of state said goodbye to the participants of the mass sports and environmental action dedicated to the World Bicycle Day, and wishing everyone health and success, left the venue.
Thus, the festive bike ride that took place became another symbolic expression of the cohesion of our society, and the commitment of Turkmen people to enduring humanistic values.
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Today, bike rides on the occasion of World Bicycle Day were also held in all velayats of the country. Thanks to the optimal conditions created in the Motherland for physical culture and sports, a healthy and active lifestyle has become a conscious choice of Turkmen citizens, uniting the younger and older generations in this aspiration.
In the events of this festive day, the creative, peaceful and progressive nature of the state policy pursued by Turkmenistan, which determined the comprehensive dynamic development of the Motherland and its high international authority, found visible embodiment.