Paris Celebrates World Bicycle Day with Hometown Ride
The Embassy of Turkmenistan in France recently organized a mass bike ride to celebrate World Bicycle Day. The event brought together Embassy staff, their families, members of the Turkmen diaspora in Paris, and students from Turkmenistan and France studying at various universities in the city.
Starting from Champ de Mars Park near the Eiffel Tower, the bike ride took participants through some of the most picturesque places in Paris, including the Quai Branly Museum, the Alexander III Bridge, the Invalides Palace, UNESCO headquarters, the Grand Palais Éphémère, a military school, and other stunning locations.
At the conclusion of the event, Ambassador Maksat Charyev highlighted Turkmenistan’s accomplishments in physical culture and sports. He also spoke about the country’s commitment to promoting a healthy lifestyle, including the establishment of World Bicycle Day and the adoption of the resolution “Integration of mass cycling into public transport systems to achieve sustainable development” at the United Nations.
Sports diplomacy is a key component of Turkmenistan’s foreign policy strategy, focusing on peace, good-neighborliness, international cooperation in high-performance sports, and the promotion of a healthy lifestyle among the younger generation.
World Bicycle Day was initiated by Turkmenistan at the UN General Assembly in April 2018. The bike ride in Paris coincided with the 300th anniversary of the birth of the renowned Turkmen poet and thinker, Magtymguly Pyragy, emphasizing the country’s dedication to Pyragy’s principles of a healthy lifestyle and promoting physical culture and sports.
The event was a testament to Turkmenistan’s efforts to encourage a healthy lifestyle and the importance of sports in diplomacy. The support of the Turkmen community in Paris and the participation of students from both Turkmenistan and France made the bike ride a meaningful celebration of World Bicycle Day.
(Photos provided by the Embassy of Turkmenistan in France)
