Baku hosts opening of Turkic World Week to mark centenary of First Turkological Congress PHOTO

29 June 2026 20:42

The opening ceremony of Turkic World Week, dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the First Turkological Congress, was held at the Heydar Aliyev Centre on June 29.

The ceremony brought together 80 renowned Turkologists and scholars from scientific institutions in 20 countries, including the Turkic republics, as well as representatives of Turkic international organisations.Az reports per local media.

The week, comprising a series of scientific and cultural events, was organised in accordance with the Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, dated October 22, 2025, "On Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the First Turkological Congress."

Farah Aliyeva, Head of the Department of Humanitarian Policy, Diaspora, Multiculturalism and Religious Issues of the Presidential Administration, read out President Ilham Aliyev’s address to the event participants.

The participants also heard messages from the presidents of Türkiye, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan.

In his remarks, Adil Karimli, Azerbaijan’s Minister of Culture, noted that Azerbaijan has always treated the legacy of the First Turkological Congress with great respect. He added that the anniversary is being celebrated at the state level on the initiative of President Ilham Aliyev under the relevant decree.

This, he said, demonstrates the high value the Azerbaijani state attaches to the common scientific and cultural legacy of the Turkic world.

Adil Karimli also emphasized that the events of Turkic World Week dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the First Turkological Congress will continue in Garabagh, in the cities of Shusha, Khankendi, and Aghdam.

Kubanychbek Omuraliev, Secretary General of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), underlined that the ideas of the First Turkological Congress remain highly relevant to the integration and cooperation of the Turkic world today.

The Secretary General added that the events dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the First Turkological Congress would contribute to a deeper understanding of the common legacy, its transmission to future generations, and the further strengthening of integration within the Turkic world.

Rafael Huseynov, Deputy Speaker of Azerbaijan’s Milli Majlis, underscored that the First Turkological Congress was a pivotal milestone in the scientific, cultural, and political history of the Turkic world.

Following the opening remarks, the event featured an artistic program highlighting the common cultural legacy of the Turkic world.

The ceremony then continued with panel discussions.

Turkic World Week, which will run until July 3, is co-organized by the Ministry of Culture of Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS), and the Ministry of Science and Education, in partnership with the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), TURKSOY, Baku State University, the Turkic Academy, and the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation.