ASHGABAT (TCA) — Public Diplomacy Officer J.R. deLara will bike across Turkmenistan March 31 – April 12 to demonstrate support for regional connectivity, promote U.S. educational and exchange programs, and learn more about life in Turkmenistan outside the capital, the U.S. Embassy in Ashgabat said. J.R. will depart from Farap on March 31 and expects to reach the Caspian resort of Awaza on April 12, covering approximately 1,200 kilometers (750 miles) total and approximately 100 kilometers (62 miles) each day. Along the way, he will give public presentations at the American Center in Ashgabat and the American Corner in Turkmenabat.
The Government of Turkmenistan proclaimed 2018 the Year of Turkmenistan at the Heart of the Great Silk Road and renamed the main east-west highway the Great Silk Road. The United States supports efforts to promote connectivity along the historical Silk Road within Turkmenistan and across Central Asia, and the bike trip will symbolically highlight the importance of free movement across internal borders for tourism, trade, and cultural exchange.
J.R. will be accompanied by a few personal friends who are also cycling enthusiasts. In 2013 he biked across the United States, from Washington, DC, to San Francisco, and looks forward to comparing and contrasting the two trips during future presentations at the American Center.
Follow J.R.’s progress on the embassy’s Instagram account (instagram.com/usembassyashgabat), on Facebook (facebook.com/usembassy.turkmenistan), and on LINE (@usembassy-ashgabat).
