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Laman Ismayilova

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On January 28, 2026, a conference titled "The Turkic Language Family: From the First Written Texts to the Modern Era" was held at the Yunus Emre Institute Turkish Cultural Center in Mexico City to mark World Turkic Language Family Day, Azernews reports. The event was jointly organized by the embassies of Azerbaijan, Türkiye, and Kazakhstan in Mexico, together with the Yunus Emre Institute.

Azerbaijan's Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Mexico, Seymur Fataliyev, highlighted in his address the importance of the shared language factor as an integral part of culture that unites Turkic peoples. He described as a landmark decision the proclamation of December 15 as World Turkic Language Family Day during the 43rd session of UNESCO's General Conference, held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, in 2025. The ambassador noted that this step represents significant international recognition of the Turkic language as an essential component of universal cultural diversity.

Fataliyev emphasized that Azerbaijan has supported this initiative from its earliest days, as it serves the preservation, development, and international promotion of the Turkic language family. Referring to President Ilham Aliyev's statement, "our family is the Turkic world," the ambassador said this idea reflects both a sense of belonging and responsibility, underscoring unity based on shared history, collective cultural memory, and common values. He concluded by stressing that promoting the richness of the Turkic language family requires more than the declaration of a single commemorative day, calling instead for sustained, practical efforts and a systematic approach to language diplomacy.

Speeches were also delivered by Türkiye’s Ambassador Murat Selim Esenli and Kazakhstan's Ambassador Almurat Turganbekov, who noted that the establishment of World Turkic Language Family Day opens new opportunities for strengthening ties among Turkic states. They emphasized that the richness and diversity of the Turkic world, united by history and culture, paves the way for a bright shared future. The speakers also highlighted the importance of cooperation within the framework of the Organization of Turkic States for the preservation and promotion of the Turkic language.

Later, Professor Mehmet Necati Kutlu, who lectures on Turkic language and culture at the Yunus Emre Institute, spoke about the Orkhon-Yenisey inscriptions as the earliest written sources of the Turks, their decipherment in 1893 by Danish scholar Vilhelm Thomsen, the development of Turkic alphabets, the geography of Turkic-speaking peoples, and shared vocabulary across Turkic languages.

The event continued with a question-and-answer session and was attended by representatives of Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Parliament, the diplomatic corps in Mexico, and the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM).