The International Organization of Turkic Culture or TURKSOY is an international cultural organization of countries with Turkic populations, speaking languages belonging to the Turkic language family. TURKSOY which carries out academic activities exploring the common history, language, literature, culture and art of Turkic peoples also declares commemorative years and organizes various events within this framework. Throughout the year, TURKSOY publishes many works written in various Turkic dialects and languages by illustrious personalities of the Turkic World to transmit their cultural heritage to future generations. In 1991, as a result of the collapse of the Soviet Union, Turkic-speaking Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, like the other states, gained independence. The organization has its roots going back to the 1992 meetings in Baku and Istanbul, where the ministers of culture from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkey, and Turkmenistan declared their commitment to cooperate in a joint cultural framework. In 2009, the organization adopted its current name, the International Organization of Turkic Culture (TURKSOY).

The main aim of TURKSOY is to realise the regional unity of Turkic-speaking countries in the field of culture and art, regardless of the internal and external policies of state structures.

The International Organization of Turkic Culture, TURKSOY was established in 1993 upon signature of its founding agreement by the Ministers of Culture of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Turkey. Later on, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and the autonomous republics of the Russian Federation; Tatarstan, Bashkortostan, Altai, Sakha, Tyva and Khakassia as well as the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia (Moldova) joined TURKSOY as member states with an observer status. However, all members in the organization have equal rights. In general, TURKSOY's activities are based on democratic principles.

The Ministers of Culture of the member countries are elected TURKSOY Coordinator for a term of 6 months in accordance with alphabetical order and preside over the Permanent Council of Ministers of Culture which normally convenes once in 6 months on rotating basis. The Permanent Council of Ministers of Culture is the highest body of the organization. In addition to the Secretary-General’s working group, the organization has one representative from each country. The official language of TÜRKSOY is Turkish and its headquarters is in Ankara. The organization is structurally divided into two committees: the Joint Cultural and Artistic Events Committee and the Committee on Administrative and Legal Representatives. The Secretary General is responsible for all the activities of TURKSOY, has the right to represent it at international events and sign contracts.

TURKSOY is an international organization of cultural cooperation between its member countries, which consistently does a great job on promoting Turkic cultural values, literature and art. Its main aims are to strengthen common bonds of heritage among Turkic peoples and its promotion in the world. A number of important documents were signed in order to popularize the rich common Turkic culture in the world since 1994. Our common culture in the vast geographical area from Siberia to the Balkans is represented and promoted in all its diversity. Thanks to this organization, over all this time, artists, writers, poets, sculptors, photographers, theatre and film makers, artists have had the opportunity for collaboration at TURKSOY events.

The Novruz holiday, which was celebrated with a large scale in Turkey on 21-23 March 1994, was met with great interest and now is held regularly, every March. The 500th anniversary of the genius Azerbaijani poet Fizuli, held under the auspices of UNESCO on the initiative of TURKSOY, was celebrated throughout the Turkic world. The anniversary of Muhammad Fuzuli was celebrated not only in Azerbaijan, but also in Turkey, Russia, Iraq, Iran, Dagestan, Paris – at the UNESCO headquarters. This brought Azerbaijan even greater fame in the world and did a worthy service to the cause of strengthening ties between Turkic peoples.

On June 29-30, 1995, the Council of Ministers of the organization at the international symposium dedicated to the 1000th anniversary of the epos “Manas” noted the importance of studying this literary monument in a common Turkic context. On August 24-31 of the same year TURKSOY participated in the celebrations dedicated to the 1000th anniversary of the epos in Bishkek and published an exquisitely designed book on the occasion of this date.

As an unprecedented model of regional cultural integration, TURKSOY has attracted the attention of many international organizations. An agreement on mutual cooperation between TURKSOY and UNESCO was signed in Istanbul on 7 July 1996. On the recommendation of TURKSOY it was proposed to include in UNESCO’s main programme the following: 1) the celebration in 1999 of the 1300th anniversary of the epic “Dede Gorgud”, an invaluable example of world and Turkic literature, and in this connection the announcement of 1999 as the year of “Dede Gorgud”; 2) the celebration of the 1500th anniversary of Turkestan, one of the historical and cultural centres of the Turkic world; 3) the programme of celebrations on the occasion of the 1450th anniversary of the Great Turkic Kaganate. The subsequent implementation of all these proposals, which TURKSOY put forward to UNESCO, further strengthened the international reputation of the organization.

Various books and collections have been published as part of TURKSOY activities: The Kyrgyz epos “Manas”, selected works of Abay, “Motifs of the Turkic World from the Altai Mountains to the Danube”, Bashkir folk epos “Ural Batyr”, collection “Anthology of Turkmen poetry”, “Architectural monuments of Turkic countries”, history of the Great Turkic Kaganate, selected works of Muhtar Auezov, Tatar dastan “Idegei”, encyclopedia “Dede Gorgud”, monuments of Bolgaro-Tatar civilisation, etc.

The Cultural Capital of the Turkic World is an initiative of TURKSOY to annually designate a city as the centre of cultural life of the Turkic world in order to draw attention to its cultural development. This TURKSOY proposal was supported at the Summit of Heads of State of Turkic-speaking Countries held in Istanbul in 2011. In 2012, the city of Astana was declared the Cultural Capital of the Turkic World for the first time.

TURKSOY has implemented many joint projects related to our country. Among these activities are the declaration of 2012 as the “Year of Mirza Fatali Akhundzadeh”, in 2016 Sheki City was declared the “Cultural Capital of the Turkic World”. In 2017 TURKSOY declared the “Year of Molla Panah Vagif”. 2018 was declared the Year of Gara Garayev in honour of the 100th anniversary of this great Azerbaijani composer by an order of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan on October 17, 2017. The TURKSOY organization also commemorated the 100th anniversary of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan.   In 2018, people’s writer, prominent public figure and chairman of the Writers’ Union Anar was awarded the Sharaf Medal by the International Organization of Turkic Culture (TURKSOY). On 7 December 2017, the Chair of the International Organization of Turkic Culture (TURKSOY) was opened at the Azerbaijan State Pedagogical University.

By President Ilham Aliyev’s decree of 6 December 2022 the city of Shusha was declared the “Cultural Capital of the Turkic World” for 2023. The decision was adopted at an extraordinary meeting of the Permanent Council of Culture Ministers of the member countries of the International Organisation of Turkic Culture (TURKSOY) in the city of Bursa (Turkey).

TURKSOY has invaluable services in disseminating the precious works of outstanding personalities who have made great contributions to the fields of literature, art, culture, enriching our cultural heritage, popularising it not only in the Turkic geography. Since its establishment, TURKSOY has been carrying out activities to strengthen the ties of brotherhood and solidarity among Turkic peoples, transmit the common Turkic culture to future generations and worthily represents it to the whole world.

Recommended literature:

1. Babayev, Adil Məhəmməd oğlu. Türksoyun birlik səsi / A. M. Babayev ; elmi red. A. Axundov. - Bakı : Təhsil, 2006. - 364 s.
2. Şahtaxtı, Sabir. TÜRKSOY - 25: şərəfli yolun astanasında / S. Şahtaxtı ; tərt. E. Qafarlı ; məsul red. D. Osmanlı ; red. B. Eyvazlı ; ön sözün müəl. N. Q. Cəfərov ; Azərbaycanda Atatürk Mərkəzi. - Bakı : Elm və təhsil, 2019. - 328 s.
3. İsmayılov, İsrafil Zakir oğlu. Türk dünyası XX əsrdə / İ. Z. İsmayılov ; red. Y. P. Əhmədov. - Bakı : Vətən nəşriyyatı, 2009. - 216 s.
4. TÜRKSOY-Azərbaycan: Azərbaycan Respublikasının dövlət müstəqilliyinin bərpasının 25-ci ildönümünə həsr olunur /TÜRKSOY Uluslararası Türk Kültürü Teşkilatı; nəşrə haz. E. Gafarlı ; edt. T. Koparan. - Ankara: Türksoy, 2016. - 399 s.
5. TÜRKSOY ressamlar buluşması: Malatya 2017 /TÜRKSOY; Malatya Büyükşehir Belediyesi. -Ankara: TÜRKSOY, 2017. - 116 s.
6. Türksoy-Balkanlar: Türksoyun Balkanlardaki Faaliyetleri /Edt. B. Çakıcı ; çeviri Y. Vaudable ; tasarım V. Yeşilay. - Ankara: [s.n.], 2020. - 274 s.
7. Türksoyun kutlu yolu /edt. S. Şahtahtı. - Ankara: Türksoy, 2022. - 367 s.