Baku hosts Turkic World Week honouring landmark 1926 Turkological Congress

The opening ceremony of Turkic World Week, dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the First Turkological Congress, was held at the Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku on June 29, bringing together scholars, officials and representatives of Turkic international organizations from across the region and beyond.

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

The week-long program, which includes a series of scientific and cultural events, is being held in accordance with President Ilham Aliyev’s decree of October 22, 2025, on marking the centenary of the First Turkological Congress. The original congress took place in Baku in 1926 and is regarded as one of the most important intellectual milestones in the modern history of the Turkic world.

The idea of holding the anniversary events in Baku 100 years later was put forward by President Ilham Aliyev at the 12th Summit of the Council of Heads of State of the Organization of Turkic States, held in Gabala on October 6-7, 2025.

Messages from the presidents of Türkiye, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan were also read out during the ceremony.

Addressing the event, Azerbaijani Minister of Culture Adil Karimli said Azerbaijan has always treated the legacy of the First Turkological Congress with deep respect. He noted that the centenary is being celebrated at the state level on President Aliyev’s initiative, which reflects the importance Azerbaijan attaches to the common scientific and cultural heritage of the Turkic world.

Karimli added that events within Turkic World Week will also continue in Garabagh, including in Shusha, Khankendi and Aghdam.

Secretary General of the Organization of Turkic States Kubanychbek Omuraliev said the ideas of the First Turkological Congress remain highly relevant for the integration and cooperation of the Turkic world today. He noted that the anniversary events will contribute to a deeper understanding of the common legacy, its transmission to future generations and the further strengthening of integration among Turkic states.

Rafael Huseynov, Deputy Speaker of Azerbaijan’s Milli Majlis, described the First Turkological Congress as a turning point in the scientific, cultural and political history of the Turkic world.

The ceremony continued with an artistic program presenting the shared cultural heritage of Turkic peoples.

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

The opening ceremony brought together 80 prominent Turkologists and scholars from scientific institutions in 20 countries, including Turkic republics, as well as representatives of Turkic international organizations.