The 42nd meeting of the Ministers of Culture of TURKSOY member states was held in Aktau under the chairmanship of Kazakhstan’s Minister of Culture and Information, Aida Balayeva, TuraNews.kz reports.
The participants reviewed follow-up documents and directives announced at the XII Summit of the Organization of Turkic States in Gabala, Azerbaijan. A key outcome of the session was the decision to create a working group tasked with preparing recommendations for strengthening and modernizing TURKSOY’s institutional framework for 2026. The meeting also summarized the outcomes of the year-long program “Aktau – Cultural Capital of the Turkic World.”
In her remarks, Balayeva noted the extensive cultural work carried out during the Aktau cultural capital year, highlighting its impact on cooperation among Turkic countries.
TURKSOY Secretary General Sultan Raev addressed the event with a welcoming speech, emphasizing that more than three thousand artists took part in the organization’s projects over the past year, alongside numerous publications and digital releases.
Raev expressed gratitude to Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev for supporting the designation of Aktau as the Cultural Capital of the Turkic World. He stressed that the decisions voiced at the Gabala Summit marked an important moment, as the heads of state agreed on the need to reinforce TURKSOY in line with modern challenges — a strategic step shaping the future of cultural cooperation across the Turkic world.
At the end of the session, Balayeva formally transferred the role of interim TURKSOY coordinator to Uzbekistan’s Minister of Culture Ozodbek Nazarbekov, as Andijan is set to become the Cultural Capital of the Turkic World in 2026.
The meeting concluded with the adoption of a joint declaration. The gathering was attended by representatives of Kazakhstan, Türkiye, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, and Kyrgyzstan, as well as officials of the Mangystau regional administration. TURKSOY’s mission is to foster unity among Turkic nations by preserving, developing, and promoting shared cultural and historical heritage.
