October 3 is celebrated annually as the “Turkic States Cooperation Day”. This date is celebrated since the signing of the Nakhchivan Agreement (October 3, 2009) on establishment of the Cooperation Council of Turkic-Speaking States.

The Organization of Turkic States constructed on four main pillars of common history, common language, common identity and common culture and is an important regional platform for the development of cooperation and solidarity between member states.

It is commendable that Azerbaijan hosted the 9th Summit of Turkish-speaking Heads of State on October 3, 2009 and the signing of important historical documents opened an important historical page in the social and political life of Turkish states and peoples. The realization of the strategically important event in Nakhchivan - rich in historical and cultural heritage, was of special importance.

The summit in Nakhchivan was remembered by a number of important decisions and was attended by President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, President of Turkey Abdullah Gul, President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev, President of Kyrgyzstan Kurmanbek Bakiyev and Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan Khidir Saparliyev.

Speaking at that meeting, President Ilham Aliyev recalled the first summit meeting of Turkic-speaking heads of state held in 1992 and said that fundamental changes have taken place in the strengthening of bilateral and multilateral relations and cooperation between Turkic-speaking countries over the past 17 years. He also mentioned that great progress has been made in terms of strengthening relations based on the principle of equality and accelerating economic and social development.

Proposals were made to further strengthen relations between the countries, and the agreement on the establishment of the Cooperation Council of Turkic-Speaking States and the signing of the Nakhchivan Declaration were an important historical event at the Summit. Therefore, every year, October 3 is celebrated as the Day of Cooperation of Turkic-Speaking States.

Based on the declaration, an important institution such as the Cooperation Council of Turkic-Speaking States (TCSC) was created, which in the following years contributed to further strengthening of relations between Turkic-speaking countries through the activities of the Council. The main activity goals and objectives of the organization are determined by the Nakhchivan Agreement and consist of:

• strengthening mutual trust between the parties;

• establishment of peace in the region and the world;

• promote a common approach to foreign policy issues;

• coordination of the fight against international terrorism, separatism, extremism and transnational crime;

• strengthening regional and bilateral cooperation in all areas of common interest;

• creating favorable conditions for trade relations and investment;

• striving for comprehensive and balanced economic growth, social and cultural development;

• expanding mutual relations in the fields of Science, Technology, Education and culture;

• promote communication between mess media as well as exchange of information on a large scale;

• expanding the exchange of loyal information, cooperation in the field of law.

Various structures of Organization of Turkic States was formed in order to fulfill its tasks and achieve the set goals: Council of Heads of State, Council of Foreign Ministers, Senior Officials Committee, Council of Elders, Secretariat, International Organization of Turkic Culture (TURKSOY), Parliamentary Assembly of the Turkic Speaking Countries (TURKPA), International Turkic Academy, Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation, Turkic Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Turkish Business Council, Nomadic Cultural Center, Representative Office of the Turkish Council in Budapest and others.

The member country hosting the meeting of the Council of Heads of State presides over the Organization of Turkic States until the next summit. Until now (2009-2023), 14 Summit meetings of the organization have been held.

The Nakhchivan Declaration emphasized that TURKSOY plays an important role in the identification, development, expansion and popularization of the common values of the Turkic world in international level, as well as appreciated its contribution to the deepening of cultural relations among Turkic Speaking States. The Nakhchivan Summit was also remembered for supporting President Ilham Aliyev’s initiative to establish the TURKSOY Foundation. The objectives of the Foundation are to protect, study and promote the Turkic culture and heritage through support and funding activities, projects and programs. Based on this decision, the International Turkish Culture and Heritage Foundation is successfully operating and the headquarters of the institution is located in Baku.

The Republic of Azerbaijan highly values its bilateral and multilateral partnership with the brotherly Member States of Turkic Council and remains strongly committed to the objectives of the Organization, such as strengthening mutual confidence among the Member States, maintaining peace in the region and beyond, promoting effective regional and bilateral  ooperation in all areas of common interest, creating favorable conditions for trade and investment.

Drawing strength from the common language, history and culture of the friendly and brotherly Turkic Republics, the OTS is moving forward to make important contributions to peace, stability and prosperity in the Eurasian geography. The 7th Summit held in Baku on October 15, 2019, Uzbekistan joined the Council as a full member. The decision was adopted on speed up the process with technical and economic justification regarding the establishment of the Joint Investment Fund among the member states of the OTS.

On April 10, 2020, at the initiative of the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, the Extraordinary Summit of the Turkic Council was held through videoconferencing with the participation of the heads of state and government of the member and observer countries of the Turkic Council in order to increase solidarity and coordination between countries in the fight against COVID-19.

Azerbaijan has always attached great importance to close relations and cooperation with Turkic countries, and has contributed to the further strengthening of both cultural and socio-political relations between the Turkic peoples and communities that share a common national-cultural history, language and values.

The 8th Summit held in Istanbul on November 11-13, 2021 was marked by important issues on changing the name of the Turkic Council to the “Organization of Turkic States”, greeting Turkmenistan as the new observer member to the Organization, approval of the Turkic World Vision-2040 and the opening ceremony of the new building of the secretariat.

Nowadays, the number of member states of the Organization of Turkic States is 5 (Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkey), and the number of observer states is 3 (Hungary, Turkmenistan and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus).

The Turkish President presented the “Supreme Order of Turkic World” to the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev in recognition of the historic victory that ensured the liberation of the territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the restoration of its territorial integrity, which significantly contributed to the Turkic unity at the 8th Summit of the Cooperation Council of Turkic-Speaking States held in Istanbul.

President Ilham Aliyev touched upon the issue related to the compatriots living outside the countries that are members of the Organization of Turkic States at the 9th Summit of the Organization of Turkic States in Samarkand. The head of state noted: “I believe that the time has come to permanently keep in mind, within the framework of the organization, issues such as preventing the assimilation and protecting the rights, security and national identity of our compatriots living beyond the countries that are members of the Organization of Turkic States.”

Today, the Organization of Turkic States is getting stronger and fulfilling the historic mission in front of it. The policy pursued by each of the member states further enhances the solidarity and cooperation relations of the Turkic world as a whole. Taking decisive steps towards the upcoming goals, including the opening of the Zangezur Corridor, will further strengthen the global positions of the Turkish world.

The staff of the Presidential Library prepared the digital library – “The book monuments of Turkic peoples”, based on the samples of the literary monuments which are included in the library stock, as a part of the cultural heritage of Turkic-speaking countries, and also on the basis of the electronic versions of internet space (https://turklib.preslib.az/). The main objective of this project - to submit for the Internet users of the disparate literary monuments of Turkic peoples into a single portal. In addition, the "Organization of Turkish States" section of the electronic project "Azerbaijan and the Islamic World" presented to readers contains information about the organization's structure, institutions, and cooperation between Azerbaijan and Turkic states.

Recommended literature:

1. İsmayılov, İsrafil Zakir oğlu. Türk dünyası XX əsrin 90-cı illərində / İ. Z. İsmayılov. - Bakı : Zaman, 2001. - 144 s.
2. Əliyev, Zaur Bilal oğlu. Türkdilli xalqların diasporları / Z. B. Əliyev ; elmi red. Ə. M. Tağıyev ; red. E. Miraləm. - Bakı : Adiloğlu, 2009. - 296 s.
3. Babayev, Adil Məhəmməd oğlu. Türksoyun birlik səsi / A. M. Babayev ; elmi red. A. Axundov. - Bakı : Təhsil, 2006. - 364 s.
4. Əhmədov, Ərrəhman. Azərbaycan beynəlxalq münasibətlərdə (Türkdilli dövlətlərlə əlaqələr. XX əsrin 90-cı illəri): [monoqrafiya] /Ə. Əhmədov ; elmi red. O. B. Sultanov. - Bakı: Elm və Təhsil, 2009. - 403 s.
5. Türksoyun kutlu yolu /edt. S. Şahtahtı. - Ankara: Türksoy, 2022. - 367 s.
6. Feyziyev, Cavanşir Əyyub oğlu. Türk Dövlətləri Birliyi: qlobal inteqrasiyanın Avrasiya modeli / C. Ə. Feyziyev ; elmi red. F. Q. İsmayılov. - Bakı : Şərq-Qərb, 2013. - 312 s.