President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan sent a message to the opening ceremony of Turkic World Week, held in Baku to mark the 100th anniversary of the First Turkology Congress. President Erdoğan's message was read by Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Gökhan Yazgı.
In his message, President Erdoğan wished the event every success and expressed his hope that it would bring auspicious outcomes for the Turkic world. He noted that, a century ago, intellectuals from different parts of the Turkic world had gathered in Baku with the aim of strengthening a shared consciousness of history and civilisation based on positive sciences.
Pointing out that the scholars who attended the First Turkology Congress demonstrated remarkable vision and resolve through their deliberations and decisions, as well as through academic studies that continue to shed light on the present day, President Erdoğan stated:
"Keeping alive, strengthening and passing on to future generations this ideal bequeathed to us by the Baku Congress is our shared responsibility across every corner of our kindred geography. Indeed, inspired also by the motto of the great thinker İsmail Gaspıralı, 'Unity in language, thought and action,' we continue to deepen and diversify our activities within the framework of Turkic cooperation organisations, which stand as manifestations of our institutional cooperation across the Turkic world.
Emphasising that they continue to regard the vision set forth by the Baku Congress as a guiding beacon throughout this process, President Erdoğan said, "Türkiye's most sincere aspiration is for the Turkic world to embrace our shared history, language and culture and to build the Century of Türkiye with the strength we draw from our ancient past. In this context, we are working with full determination to make the Summit of the Organisation of Turkic States, which we will host in Ankara this autumn after taking over the rotating chairmanship from Azerbaijan, a turning point that will shape our goal of further integrating the Turkic world."
Underscoring that it was no coincidence that this event, like the First Turkology Congress, was held in Baku, President Erdoğan stated:
"As one of the strongest advocates of unity and solidarity in the Turkic world, Azerbaijan continues today to contribute to the common goals of the Turkic states. With these thoughts, I congratulate all the institutions and organisations of dear Azerbaijan that contributed to the organisation of this event. On the occasion of this congress, I commemorate with mercy our forebears who participated in the First Turkology Congress, and I pray that Almighty Allah may preserve our unity, solidarity, and brotherhood forever.
Turkic World Week events
Events have commenced in Azerbaijan to mark Turkic World Week, which commemorates the 100th anniversary of the First Congress of Turkology.
The opening ceremony, organised by the Azerbaijani Ministry of Culture, was attended by Azerbaijan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jeyhun Bayramov; Minister of Science and Education, Emin Amrullayev; Minister of Culture, Adil Kerimli; Secretary General of the Organisation of Turkic States, Kubanychbek Omuraliev; Secretary General of the International Organisation of Turkic Culture, Sultan Raev; President of the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation, Aktoty Raimkulova; President of the Turkic Academy, Shahin Mustafayev; Uzbekistan’s Minister of Culture, Ozodbek Nazarbekov; Kyrgyzstan’s Minister of Culture, Information and Youth Policy, Mirbek Mambetaliyev; as well as numerous government officials, academics and invited guests.
Representing Türkiye at the opening ceremony were Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Gökhan Yazgı; President of the Turkish Language Association Prof. Osman Mert; President of the Atatürk Supreme Council for Culture, Language and History Prof. Derya Örs; and President of the Yunus Emre Institute Prof. Abdurrahman Aliy.
During the programme, messages from President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov were read.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Azerbaijan’s Minister of Culture Adil Kerimli said that the 100th anniversary of the First Congress of Turkology symbolised both respect for the past and confidence in the future, adding, "The idea of unity that was established in Baku a century ago continues to bring the Turkic world together today."
Recalling President Ilham Aliyev’s words, “We have no other family; our family is the Turkic world,” Kerimli said those words had found tangible expression at the event. “Although we have come from different countries and cities, we are united by our shared history, memory and values,” he added.
Turkic World Week will continue until July 3
As part of Turkic World Week, 126 scholars, researchers and cultural representatives from 20 countries have gathered in Baku. The programme, which will continue until 3 July, includes conferences, symposiums and an open-air concert on Baku Boulevard.
As part of the events, participants will visit the cities of Aghdam, Shusha and Khankendi in Karabakh, where the region’s historical and cultural heritage will be showcased.
The programme will also feature an exhibition at the Azerbaijan National Museum of History dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the First Congress of Turkology, the Conference of the Union of National Libraries of the Turkic World at the Azerbaijan National Library, and presentations of new publications.
On the final day of Turkic World Week, the Azerbaijan National Museum of Fine Arts will host a scientific seminar and exhibition entitled “Ali Bey Hüseyinzade: Great Thinker and Painter". The programme will conclude with the screening of a docudrama dedicated to the First Congress of Turkology at the Nizami Cinema Centre.