“Creating a comprehensive historical work, even for a single country, is a challenging task. Our mission is even more complex—writing an integrated history of a group of related nations and states,” said President of the Turkic Academy, Shahin Mustafayev, during his opening remarks at an international meeting in Ankara.
He emphasized that the first step for participants is to determine the conceptual foundation of the monograph, ensuring that it is both academically rigorous and accessible to a wider audience.
“It is crucial that the work is not only strictly academic but also understandable for a broad readership, including students and young researchers,” Mustafayev added.
According to him, the key goals of the monograph include:
- Highlighting the major historical stages of the Turkic world,
- Forming a shared historical consciousness among Turkic nations,
- Strengthening national pride, particularly among the youth,
- Promoting Turkic historical and cultural heritage on the international stage.
On February 24, Ankara hosted an international working meeting that brought together heads of history and archaeology institutes from member and observer states of the Organization of Turkic States, along with leading historians and experts, to discuss the concept of this common academic work.
The meeting, held at the Turkish Historical Society, was attended by Shahin Mustafayev, President of the Turkic Academy, Binali Yıldırım, Chairman of the Council of Elders of the Organization of Turkic States, Derya Örs, President of the Atatürk Supreme Council for Culture, Language, and History, Yüksel Özgen, President of the Turkish Historical Society.
The idea of compiling a unified history of the Turkic peoples was first proposed at the 11th Summit of the Organization of Turkic States, held on November 6, 2024, in Bishkek. By order of the heads of state, the Turkic Academy has been entrusted with coordinating this significant project.
