Address to the participants of the Turkic World Week dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the First Turkological Congress

Dear participants!

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.

I am pleased that the initiative I put forward last October at the 12th Summit of the Council of the Heads of State of the Organization of Turkic States in Gabala regarding the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the First Turkological Congress is being realized today.

The fact that the Turkic World Week, dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the First Turkological Congress, coincides with Azerbaijan’s chairmanship of the Organization of Turkic States carries special symbolic meaning.

The First Turkological Congress, which brought together prominent figures in world Turkology and renowned scholars at the magnificent Ismailiyya Palace, one of the architectural gems of our capital, holds exceptional importance as the ideological foundation for the cultural integration of Turkic peoples, who share a rich history and ancient heritage.

The fact that this unique international scientific and cultural forum, which focused on key issues related to the development and future of the common spiritual values of the Turkic world – language, history, ethnography, literature, and culture – particularly the transition to a unified Turkic alphabet, was held in Azerbaijan at that time was no coincidence. Beginning in the 19th century, profound socio-political and cultural transformations in Azerbaijan paved the way for national self-awareness through the creation of a new type of theater, school, and the first national press publication, ultimately culminating in the establishment of the first democratic state in the Muslim and Turkic world. Even in the early 20th century, the capital of Baku was recognized as one of the prestigious centers of world Turkology thanks to its high-level intellectual environment consisting of a generation of nationally minded intellectuals.

Unfortunately, shortly after the Congress, the implementation of the main ideas and principles voiced there was artificially obstructed by the Soviet totalitarian regime. The majority of the Congress delegates were deliberately subjected to brutal repression in the 1930s. We honor their memory with respect today.

The fateful decisions of the Congress, which stemmed from objective necessity and aimed at the progress of the entire Turkic world, served as an important platform for preserving our scientific and cultural solidarity. Having withstood severe trials, these decisions once again illuminated the paths of cultural and spiritual revival for the Turkic peoples who gained national independence after the collapse of the 70-year Communist regime.

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 to create a common humanitarian space.

The family of the Turkic world is on the path to becoming one of the influential geopolitical power centers of the century, in a manner worthy of our great ancestors who created a great civilization. We will continue to spare no effort to strengthen the unity and resilience of this family.

I am confident that the Turkic World Week, through a series of events in various formats, will contribute to the preservation, study, and promotion of our rich historical and spiritual heritage. It will rightfully take its place among the remarkable events of our cultural life and leave an indelible mark on our memory.

Respectfully,

Ilham Aliyev

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Baku, 29 June 2026