President Aliyev says Turkic world emerging as major geopolitical power centre UPDATED

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has said that the Turkic world is evolving into one of the “influential geopolitical power centers of the century,” as he addressed participants of the Turkic World Week in Baku dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the First Turkological Congress.

In his message, the Azerbaijani president stressed the symbolic importance of launching the event in Azerbaijan, noting that it coincides with the country’s chairmanship of the Organisation of Turkic States, Caliber.Az reports, citing state media.

“I cordially greet you on the occasion of the launch of Turkic World Week in Azerbaijan, dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the First Turkological Congress,” Aliyev stated.

He recalled that the initiative to mark the centenary was put forward by him at the 12th Summit of the Council of Heads of State of the Organisation of Turkic States in Gabala, and said he was pleased that it is now being implemented.

“I am pleased that the initiative I put forward last October… is being realized today,” he said.

Aliyev underlined the historical significance of the 1926 congress held at the Ismailiyya Palace, describing it as a foundational event for Turkic cultural integration and scholarly cooperation.

He noted that the congress brought together leading figures in Turkology and focused on key issues such as language, history, ethnography, literature and culture, including discussions on a unified Turkic alphabet.

“The First Turkological Congress… holds exceptional importance as the ideological foundation for the cultural integration of Turkic peoples,” he said.

The president also highlighted the historical intellectual environment of Baku in the early 20th century, describing it as a major centre of Turkological thought shaped by national intellectual movements.

At the same time, Aliyev pointed to the repression that followed the congress under the Soviet regime, stating that “the majority of the Congress delegates were deliberately subjected to brutal repression in the 1930s,” adding that their memory is honoured.

He said the ideas of the congress continued to resonate across generations and now underpin modern cooperation among Turkic states.

“We can confidently say that the progressive ideas put forward by the First Turkological Congress form the foundation of the projects successfully being implemented by the Organization of Turkic States today,” he noted.

Concluding his address, Aliyev emphasised the strategic trajectory of Turkic cooperation, stating: “The family of the Turkic world is on the path to becoming one of the influential geopolitical power centres of the century.”

He added that Azerbaijan would continue to support efforts aimed at strengthening unity within the Turkic world and ensuring its long-term resilience and global relevance.