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There is no formalScouting organization yet inTurkmenistan, due to thepolitical situation and because Turkmenistan refuses to join any organization because of its "status ofpermanent neutrality," which was accepted by theUnited Nations General Assembly on December 12, 1995.[1] The only widespreadoutreach activities for Turkmen children between ages 8-14 are 10 to 14 daycamps that do not provide anyeducational components but organize somecultural events likeconcerts,poems anddance competitions.
With the death ofSaparmurat Niyazov on December 21, 2006, the situation may change, possibly opening for the expansion of Scouting.
There are, however, twoScout troops active in the vicinity of the capital,Aşgabat and one recent attempt inDaşoguz.[citation needed]
As far as is known, Scouting was not introduced to the region during thekhanate period of the pre-Soviet era.
The concept of Scouting is at least marginally understood in Turkmenistan, as Turkmenistan issuedpostage stamps for the October 7, 1997 90th anniversary of theBoy Scouts; as well as other Turkmen postage stamps with Scout motifs and showing a heavy, darkish coloredfleur-de-lis. This does not necessarily mean complete understanding, and the stamps may well simply have been produced for the sake of marketability, but it shows that the concept of Scouting exists at some level in Turkmenistan.
With the 1991breakup of theSoviet Union, it was suggested that theTürkiye İzcilik Federasyonu assist in the creation of Scouting movements in the TurkicCentral Asian republics ofKazakhstan,Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan andUzbekistan, but it is uncertain if this plan ever materialized. InIraq there is the Turkmen Federation of Scouts (Türkmen Izcilik Federasyonu) founded in 2010 and based inKirkuk.
TheScout Motto isDaima Häzir, meaningBe Prepared in Turkmen, similar toAzeri andTurkish mottoes. The Turkmen noun for a single Scout isSkaut orİzci. Givenrecent flux in theTurkmen language, an entirely different name may be decided upon.
 Scouting and Guiding in Asia | ||
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