The Association of Turkmens of the World (also Humanitarian Association of Turkmen of the World, or HATW) is the organization meant to bring together Turkmen people in Turkmenistan and other parts of the world. It was founded by President Saparmurat Niyazov in May 1991 at a council meeting. Niyazov, the self-proclaimed "Father of All Turkmen," led Turkmenistan for 15 years after independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Niyazov undertook several initiatives to promote Turkmen culture including new Turkmen-oriented holidays as well as the introduction of a new Latin-based Turkmen alphabet to replace the Cyrillic alphabet in use at the time.
Intentions
The main goal of the new organization was to "create a never-ending bond between Turkmen peoples scattered throughout the world and their native lands".