The opening ceremony of Turkic World Week dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the First Turkological Congress was held at the Heydar Aliyev Center on June 29.
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 week, consisting of a series of scientific and cultural events, was organized 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."
The First Turkological Congress was originally held in Baku in 1926. The initiative to hold the congress again 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.
As part of Turkic World Week, the addresses of the Presidents of Türkiye, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan were read out to the participants.
Addressing the event, 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 that 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 of great importance 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 will contribute to a deeper understanding of the common legacy, its transmission to future generations, and the further strengthening of the integration process in the Turkic world.
Rafael Huseynov, Deputy Speaker of Azerbaijan’s Milli Majlis, underscored that the First Turkological Congress was a pivotal turning point in the scientific, cultural, and political history of the Turkic world.
The event then continued with an artistic program showcasing the common cultural legacy of the Turkic world.
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.
The official opening 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 organizations.
