The Directorate of Communications held a panel titled "In the Footsteps of Gaspıralı: Language, Culture and Memory in the Turkic World" as part of the "Turkic World Dialogue Forum."
The panel, which opened with remarks by Secretary General of the International Organisation of Turkic Culture (TURKSOY), Sultan Raev, and was moderated by Chief Adviser to the Chairman of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and President of the Ismail Gaspıralı Foreign Policy Institute, Prof. Esma Özdaşlı, was held at a hotel in Ankara.
The panel featured Editor-in-Chief of the Azerbaijan-based Şark Newspaper, Akif Aşırlı; writer and journalist Ulugbek Orazbayuly Esdaulet; Dean of the Faculty of Philology at Samarkand State University and an expert on Turkic languages, Prof. Juliboy Eltazarov; Faculty Member at the International University named after Kantoro Sharipovich Toktomamatov, Prof. Elmira Huribayeva and the Representative of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) to the Council of Elders of the Organisation of Turkic States (OTS), Oktay Öksüzoğlu, as speakers.
Speaking at the panel, Raev said that the Tercüman newspaper, first printed by Ismail Gaspıralı in Bahçesaray in 1883, served not only as a publication but also as a significant instrument for cultivating cultural connections among Turkic communities across various regions, noting that Gaspıralı was convinced that a shared language and culture would unite nations.
Raev emphasised that Gaspıralı's ideas were passed down to subsequent generations and that the principle of "Unity in language, thought, and action" expresses this intellectual world, saying that the Turkic world cannot be defined by current political borders and that Turkic communities, which have existed across vast geographies throughout history, are heirs to a shared civilisation.
Raev stated that memory is more than just remembering what happened in the past; it is also about knowing who one is and the values with which one can move forward. He added that simply telling young people about the past is insufficient; they must gain the courage to build their future by drawing strength from their heritage.
Raev emphasised the importance of initiatives in developing a common alphabet, language teaching, terminological unity, and publishing, stating that the main goal is not simply to use the same letters but also to ensure Turkic societies become acquainted with one another's ideas, literature, and scholarly output.
Raev noted that culture and art are powerful methods for building mutual understanding across nations and that television series, films, and songs can sometimes reach larger audiences than official initiatives that take years.
Secretary General Raev said, "A piece of art can sometimes reach millions of people that years of government work cannot, and a young person in one country can learn words from a piece of art made in another Turkic country."
Raev emphasised that the issue is more than just technological progress, and that the place of the Turkic world and other civilisations in this new age is also important. He stated that civilisational memory, which includes language, literature, music, traditions, and thousands of years of intellectual accumulation, must be preserved.
Raev stated that preserving the legacy of Ismail Gaspıralı could not be achieved merely by repeating his words, noting that the courage, innovative thinking, and determination he demonstrated in his time needed to be carried forward in today's conditions.
The importance of common terminology
Aşırlı noted that Ismail Gaspıralı had championed the idea of a common Turkic language and alphabet, and had also campaigned for women's rights by publishing newspapers in which women could write as authors.
Referring to the importance of using a common form of Turkish in Gaspıralı's newspaper Tercüman, one that could be understood by Turkic communities across different geographical regions, Aşırlı emphasised that efforts to establish a common language in the Turkic World dated back to the 19th century and that work on a common alphabet and common terminology needed to be further advanced today.
Stating that the exchange of vocabulary among Turkic languages should be increased and that writers and journalists should contribute to the development of a common language, Aşırlı drew attention to the risk that, at a time when disinformation was becoming increasingly widespread, fake news could be used to undermine unity in the Turkic World.
Calling on media professionals to combat such content, Aşırlı said: "Unless we stand against attempts aimed at undermining the unity of the Turkic World, there is no point in claiming to fulfil our primary responsibility."
The importance of the concept of "Turkestan Literature"
Esdaulet stated that Kazakhstan and Türkiye have developed partnerships in many fields, highlighting a sincere, heartfelt relationship rooted in solidarity.
Speaking about the need not merely to preserve Ismail Gaspıralı's historical legacy in collective memory but also to turn it into a concrete objective, Esdaulet noted that the summits of the Organisation of Turkic States (OTS) were important in this regard.
Emphasising that the works of Ahmed Yasawi and Yunus Emre were the voice of a shared Turkic conscience, Esdaulet noted that the concept of "Turkestan Literature" had recently emerged in the field of literature.
Emphasising the need to broaden this concept, Esdaulet highlighted the significance of Turkic peoples' contributions to world history.
Highlighting that Turkic unity has been discussed for more than 150 years, Eltazarov said, "Over the past 35 years, writing and language reforms in the Turkic Republics of Central Asia, along with efforts to reclaim history and collective memory, have also served to advance this same idea."
Emphasising that societies lacking a national spirit could not make major advances in the economy or other fields, Eltazarov stated that countries across the Turkestan region had undertaken numerous reforms to foster national consciousness.
Speaking about preserving the identity of Turkic peoples, Huribayeva explained that a shared cultural identity brought people in society together and encouraged solidarity and mutual assistance.
Huribayeva stated that people who shared common traditions lived in harmony and received support, and shared examples of the common heritage of Turkic peoples.
Noting that Turkic dialects stemmed from a common linguistic root, Huribayeva also referred to the epics of Turkic peoples.
Öksüzoğlu, for his part, emphasised that attempts had been made to extinguish the hope of being Turkic, but that these efforts had failed.
Öksüzoğlu stated that the Turkish Cypriot people had never abandoned their language and recounted the suffering they had endured.