Antalya: A panel session titled 'A Century of Language and Identity: From Baku Turkology Congress to Turkic Integration' was held on the sidelines of the 5th Antalya Diplomacy Forum. At the session dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Congress, participants including Secretary General of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) Kubanychbek Omuraliev, President of the International Turkic Academy Shahin Mustafayev, President of the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation Aktoty Raimkulova, Secretary General of T€š¬…¡¬¦‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬€š¬¦‚¬Å¡¬€¦‚¬Å“RKSOY Sultan Raev, Secretary General of T€š¬…¡¬¦‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬€š¬¦‚¬Å¡¬€¦‚¬Å“RKPA Ramil Hasan, and President of the Turkish Language Association Osman Mert shared their views on the topic.
According to Azerbaijan State News Agency, the Secretary General of the OTS described the Baku Turkology Congress as a historic and intellectual milestone that laid the foundation for the Turkic world integration observed today. He emphasized the congress as the first platform promoting unity both at scientific and practical levels, highlighting the enduring relevance of the principle of 'unity in language, thought, and action' proposed by Ismail bey Gaspirali.
Shahin Mustafayev noted the significance of the First Turkology Congress held in Baku in 1926, emphasizing the need to understand the historical-political context to evaluate the congress's historical significance. He stated that it was the first time representatives of Turkic peoples gathered to discuss common culture, language, history, and future, leading to important decisions regarding Turkism and the Turkic world.
Aktoty Raimkulova highlighted the resolutions of the First Turkology Congress, focusing on the study and protection of Turkic cultural monuments and heritage. She pointed out that many current initiatives are based on ideas from scholars of that period.
The Secretary General of T€š¬…¡¬¦‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬€š¬¦‚¬Å¡¬€¦‚¬Å“RKSOY highlighted UNESCO's designation of December 15 as World Turkic Language Family Day as a step towards strengthening the global recognition of Turkic heritage and languages. Sultan Raev emphasized the Turkic language as a symbol of unity and cultural values.
Ramil Hasan, Secretary General of TURKPA, reflected on the challenges faced by the 1926 congress participants and underscored the significance of unity among Turkic peoples, stating that the congress participants were predominantly Turks from within the Soviet Union, emphasizing a shared national identity.
Osman Mert of the Turkish Language Association discussed the commonality in vocabulary across Turkic dialects and the potential impact of alphabet unity on making cultural commonalities more visible and enhancing a shared identity.
The session was organized on the initiative of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and was regarded as a historic gathering and an example of Turkic world unity.