President Ilham Aliyev has addressed the participants of the “Turkic World Week” dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the First Turcological Congress.
elchi reports that the address states:
“I sincerely greet you on the occasion of the commencement of the Turkic World Week in Azerbaijan, dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the First Turcological Congress.
It is gratifying that the initiative I put forward during the 12th Summit of the Organization of Turkic States in Gabala last October regarding the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the First Turcological Congress is being realized today.
There is a special symbolic meaning in the fact that the Turkic World Week, held in connection with the 100th anniversary of the First Turcological Congress, coincides with Azerbaijan’s chairmanship of the Organization of Turkic States.
The First Turcological Congress, which brought together prominent figures of world Turkology and famous researchers a hundred years ago in the majestic Ismailiyya Palace, one of the architectural pearls of our capital, is of exceptional importance in terms of the formation of cultural integration of Turkic peoples with a rich past and ancient heritage as an ideology under the existing conditions.
It was no coincidence that this unique international scientific-cultural forum, which focused on important issues related to the development and future of the common moral values of the Turkic world – language, history, ethnography, literature, and culture, especially the transition to a unified common Turkic alphabet – was held in Azerbaijan at that time. As a result of deep socio-political and cultural changes since the 19th century, Azerbaijan had laid the foundation for the realization of national self-awareness by creating a new type of theater, schools, and the first national press organ, and had already established the first democratic state in the Muslim and Turkic world. The capital city of Baku was also known as one of the reputable centers of world Turkology, distinguished by the high level of its intellectual environment consisting of a generation of national-spirited intellectuals since the beginning of the last century.
Unfortunately, the implementation of the main ideas and provisions voiced at the First Turcological Congress was soon blocked by the Soviet totalitarian regime through deliberate artificial obstacles. The majority of the congress delegates were purposefully subjected to brutal repressions in the 1930s. We remember their memory with respect today.
The fateful decisions of the Congress, which stemmed from objective necessity and envisioned the progress of the entire Turkic world, played the role of an important platform in preserving our scientific-cultural solidarity, and having withstood severe trials, they re-illuminated the paths of cultural and spiritual revival of the Turkic peoples who gained national independence after the collapse of the 70-year communist regime.
We can say with confidence that the progressive ideas once put forward by the First Turcological Congress lie at the foundation of the projects that the Organization of Turkic States is successfully implementing at the current stage to form a common humanitarian space.
The Turkic world family is on its way to becoming one of the influential geopolitical power centers of the century in a manner worthy of the glory of our ancestors who created a great civilization. We will continue to spare no effort for the strength and invincibility of this family.
I believe that the Turkic World Week, with its series of events in various formats, will contribute to the preservation, study, and promotion of our brilliant historical and spiritual heritage, will take its rightful place among the landmark events of our cultural life, and will leave an indelible mark in our memories.”
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President Ilham Aliyev has addressed the participants of the “Turkic World Week” dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the First Turcological Congress.
The address was read by Fərəh Əliyeva, Head of the Department of Humanitarian Policy, Diaspora, Multiculturalism and Religious Affairs of the Presidential Administration.