Turkmenbashi:President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev visited the CIS National Culinary Festival held in Turkmenbashi as part of Turkmenistan's chairmanship events in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) for 2026. The festival featured participation from eight countries, showcasing a variety of cultural and culinary traditions.

According to Azerbaijan State News Agency, a national pavilion was jointly organized by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the State Tourism Agency. This pavilion had two sections, one highlighting Azerbaijan's national cuisine and gastronomic heritage, featuring local produce and the country's tea culture, which is recognized by UNESCO as part of its Intangible Cultural Heritage List.

The second section of the pavilion presented Azerbaijan's artistic heritage, including carpet weaving, kelaghayi, and copper craftsmanship, alongside wood carving and ceramic art. It also recreated a 19th-century Garabagh house interior based on an exhibition from the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum. The pavilion additionally hosted performances of Azerbaijani music, including mugham.

An official reception and concert program were also held in Turkmenbashi, organized on behalf of President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov, which President Aliyev attended.