On 20 April 2026, the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat organized a lecture entitled “The art of public speaking to promote the economic and environmental agenda” for 50 students from Turkmenistan’s institutions of higher education majoring in economics, finance, international relations and ecology.

The lecture was delivered by an international expert and facilitated by a national expert. Organized as a cross-dimensional event, the session aimed to strengthen the students’ public speaking and presentation skills, with a focus on effectively communicating economic and environmental priorities.

The event introduced students to the fundamentals of public speaking and key tools for effective communication. The expert provided practical guidance on how to capture and maintain the attention of audience, including through the use of digital technologies. He also shared recommendations how to adapt presentations to specific audiences, choose appropriate terminology and avoid common mistakes.

“This event marks another step in the Centre’s efforts to promote youth engagement and capacity-building in line with OSCE commitments and relevant national priorities,” said Rune Castberg, Programme Co-ordinator of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat.

“It is our belief that the master class contributed to enhancing students’ communication skills and abilities to actively engage in discussions and convincingly present their viewpoints on topical issues of economic and environmental sustainability.”

Students engaged in group work to prepare short speeches on economic and environmental topics, followed by presentations and interactive discussions. The session also included a question-and-answer segment, allowing participants to reflect on the applied aspects of public speaking.

The lecture took place at the premises of the Magtymguly Turkmen State University (TSU) and brought together students from TSU, the Turkmen State Institute of Finance, the Turkmen State Institute of Economics and Management, the Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, and the International University for Humanities and Development, including SDG Ambassadors.