TURKSOY and Tokat Governorate Promote Turkic Culture
An international seminar dedicated to the art of archery in Turkic culture was held in Tokat, Türkiye, with the support of TURKSOY.
On February 7, 2025, the international information seminar “The History of the Golden Bow and Three Silver Arrows from Otuken to the Present Day” took place at the Museum of Turkish, Islamic and Scientific Works of the Tokat Yagybassan Madrasah, organized by the local district administration.
The event was attended by Elchin Gafarli, representative of Azerbaijan (on behalf of TURKSOY Secretary General Sultan Raev), district governor Mehmet Kemal Yazicioglu, and scientists. In his opening speech, Gafarli conveyed greetings from TURKSOY Secretary General Sultan Raev and provided information about the goals and activities of the International Organization of Turkic Culture. He emphasized that archery is an integral part of Turkic culture and noted that TURKSOY attaches great importance to the popularization of common culture. He also thanked all institutions, organizations, and individuals involved in the implementation of the project and wished the seminar success.
The main speaker at the seminar was Mehmet Koskuner, an employee of the Department of Intangible Cultural Heritage and Cultural Events of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Türkiye. Koskuner provided participants with detailed information about the international project “The History of the Golden Bow and Three Silver Arrows from the Past to the Present.”
Then, the Deputy Secretary General of Sivas Cumhuriyet University Onder Kursat Sarytepe and the Chairman of the Tokat City Council Selim Chakar announced that the second phase of the project will be held in the city of Atyrau, Kazakhstan, from April 17 to 23, with the participation of representatives from Turkic countries and other states.
At the end of the meeting, Elchin Gafarli, the TURKSOY representative from Azerbaijan, presented a gift from Secretary General Sultan Raev to the head of Tokat, Mehmet Kemal Yazicioglu.
During his visit, Gafarli had the opportunity to visit the museums and historical sites of Tokat. He also met with Abdi Delek, the Director of Culture and Tourism of the Tokat Province of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Türkiye, in his office and presented him with a book “Selected Poems of Mehmet Akif Ersoy” in Azerbaijani, published by TURKSOY.
