Azernews.Az

Laman Ismayilova

Read more

Baku has become a gathering place for scholars, cultural figures and artists working to deepen ties across the Turkic world, with two major international events placing shared heritage, academic exchange and musical cooperation at the center of their programs.

The 14th International Altay Communities Symposium was held at the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS).

Themed "The Past, Present, and Future of Altay Studies", the international gathering brought together prominent researchers from different countries and representatives of leading scientific and cultural institutions of the Turkic world.

The symposium was dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the First Turkological Congress, giving the discussions in Baku a particular historical context. Scholars addressed a broad range of subjects related to Altaic Studies, including the ancient history and languages of Turkic peoples, cultural connections and the development of contemporary academic research.

The event was supported by the Azerbaijan National Academy of Science (ANAS), the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities, the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), the Turkish Historical Society, the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), the Turkic Academy and Al-Farabi Kazakh National University.

Among the speakers at the opening ceremony was Professor Aktoty Raimkulova, President of the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation, who highlighted the significance of holding the symposium in Baku in a year marking the centenary of the First Turkological Congress. She also spoke about international projects carried out by the Foundation as part of the centenary program.

The opening ceremony also featured remarks by ANAS President Academician Isa Habibbayli; Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Turkiye to Azerbaijan Professor Dr. Birol Akgün; President of the International Turkic Academy Academician Shahin Mustafayev; President of the Turkish Historical Society Professor Dr. Haluk Selvi; ANAS Vice President Academician Govhar Bakhsaliyeva; and Head of the Symposium of Altaic Communities Professor Dr. Ilhan Shahin.

While the symposium focused on the intellectual and historical ties linking the Turkic world, another major gathering in Baku turned attention to its musical future.

The First Congress (Kurultai) of Composers of the Turkic World, held within the framework of the 18th Uzeyir Hajibayli International Music Festival, resulted in the establishment of the Turkic Union of Composers (TUC). Representatives of leading music organizations from Turkic countries laid the foundation for the new union by signing the Baku Declaration.

The declaration provides a framework for long-term professional cooperation among composers, musicologists, performers, conservatories, music academies and creative unions across the Turkic world. The creation of the TUC marks the first time such cooperation has been placed within a unified institutional structure and international platform.

"We seek to create a vibrant musical space in which the rich heritage of the Turkic peoples becomes a source of new works, professional cooperation and international cultural dialogue. The First Congress (Kurultai) in Baku and the establishment of the Turkic Union of Composers (TUC) open a new chapter in the history of musical diplomacy of the Turkic world," Professor Aktoty Raimkulova said.

The new union is intended to connect the creative potential of composers from across the Turkic world, encourage contemporary composition schools, support the creation of new works and introduce Turkic music to wider international audiences.

Its establishment in Azerbaijan carries its own cultural significance. With a rich musical tradition and a prominent place in the history of world music, Azerbaijan has produced composers including Uzeyir Hajibayli, Gara Garayev and Fikrat Amirov, whose works have become an important part of the country's cultural legacy.

The Congress was organized by the Azerbaijan Culture Ministry and the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation, in cooperation with the ICESCO Regional Office in Baku, the Azerbaijan Composers' Union and the Azerbaijan National Conservatory.