Azernews.Az

Laman Ismayilova

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Turkic World Week, held on the initiative of the President of Azerbaijan to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the First Turkological Congress (1926–2026), has successfully concluded, AzerNEWS reports.

Organised during Azerbaijan's chairmanship of the Organisation of Turkic States (OTS), the week-long program brought together representatives of governments, international organisations, academia, and the cultural sector to celebrate the enduring legacy of the historic congress held in Baku in 1926. The events focused on promoting the shared cultural heritage of Turkic peoples, strengthening humanitarian cooperation, and encouraging new academic initiatives across the Turkic world.

In his message to participants, President Ilham Aliyev emphasised that the principles established at the First Turkological Congress continue to serve as one of the key intellectual and spiritual foundations for building a common humanitarian space among Turkic nations. He noted that Turkic World Week would make an important contribution to preserving, studying, and passing on the region's rich historical and cultural heritage to future generations.

The celebrations featured broad international participation. Alongside the President's address, official messages from the leaders of five Turkic states were presented, reflecting strong political support for the anniversary and recognition of the congress's historical significance. Leading Turkic institutions—including the Organisation of Turkic States, TURKSOY, the International Turkic Academy, and the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation actively contributed to the organisation and content of the program.

Throughout the week, participants attended international scientific conferences, expert panel discussions, cultural presentations, concerts, and five thematic exhibitions dedicated to the history of the First Turkological Congress and the common cultural heritage of Turkic peoples. New documentary productions marking the anniversary were also unveiled, including a film created using artificial intelligence technologies, which attracted considerable interest from attendees.

Publishing projects formed another important part of the program. Around ten new scientific publications and books were introduced, many presenting recent research on the First Turkological Congress and the field of Turkology. Among the most significant releases was a new edition of the congress's stenographic records published by the National Library of Azerbaijan, incorporating previously unpublished speeches from the Soviet period and providing valuable material for future researchers.

Discussions held during the events addressed a wide range of issues, including the preservation of shared linguistic and cultural heritage, expansion of scientific cooperation, strengthening the collective historical memory of Turkic peoples, and the future development of humanitarian integration across the Turkic world.

One of the key outcomes of the week was the adoption of the Khankandi Declaration. The document outlines future priorities for cooperation among Turkic states in science, education, language, culture, and the protection of common historical heritage, while reaffirming commitment to the principles established by the First Turkological Congress.

The declaration also praised President Ilham Aliyev's initiative to commemorate the congress's centenary at the state level and expressed appreciation for his efforts to promote closer integration within the Turkic world. It further conveyed gratitude to the heads of state, international organisations, and partner institutions that supported the anniversary events.

As part of the program, participants visited historical sites in Baku associated with the 1926 congress before travelling to Karabakh to attend the closing events in Khankandi. The itinerary symbolically linked the shared historical legacy of the Turkic world with Azerbaijan's contemporary development.