February 18 is the Day of Diplomatic Workers of Turkmenistan, established by decree of the President of the Republic in February 2009.
The emergence of a new professional holiday in the list of celebrated holidays of the country was associated with the need to emphasize the contribution of representatives of the diplomatic department to building productive, mutually beneficial with the economic, political and cultural points of view of state relations with other countries.
The legal and organizational basis for the work of the diplomatic service of Turkmenistan is built in accordance with the Constitution of the state, the Law « On the diplomatic service » and other regulatory legal acts, international legal norms and Treaties to which Turkmenistan is a party.
Being a public service, the diplomatic service of Turkmenistan performs a wide range of tasks related to the implementation of the country's foreign policy, as well as the representation of its interests abroad, protection of the rights and interests of citizens of the state and legal entities in other countries.
The direct result of the activities of the diplomatic department of Turkmenistan is its establishment of diplomatic relations with more than 140 countries of the world, as well as participation in international organizations, including the UN and the OSCE. A separate merit of the country's diplomatic workers can be called the fulfillment of their tasks, taking into account the proclaimed neutrality of Turkmenistan.
Thanks to the tasks carried out by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the country, Turkmenistan is developing trade, economic, cultural, scientific and technical cooperation with other countries, takes part in solving global problems of the modern world, as well as humanitarian tasks. Turkmenistan has repeatedly become the venue for major international forums at which topical issues and problems of the modern world were discussed.
The appeal of the President of the country with congratulations to the employees of the diplomatic corps, in which he expresses appreciation for their work for the benefit of the state, has become traditional. Also, international conferences, ceremonies of presenting state awards and diplomas to employees of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, students and diploma winners of competitions of the Institute of International Relations, exhibitions and festive concerts are often timed to the Day of the Diplomatic Worker.