First Turkic Statehood History Congress held in Kyrgyzstan

On September 14-16, 2023, the Ist Turkic Statehood History Congress was held in Cholpon-Ata (Kyrgyzstan), dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Türkiye.

Ist Turkic Statehood History Congress, jointly organized by the Turkic Academy, the Atatürk High Institution of Culture, Language and History, Turkish Historical Society and supported by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Kyrgyz Republic, was aimed at reviving and deepening research into the history of Turkic statehood and encouraging scientific cooperation in this area.

At the Congress, issues related to the history of the Turkic states, chronologically covering the period from ancient times to the present, were considered. The activities of the Congress are aimed at ensuring active interaction among specialists in the field of history and related scientific disciplines, publishing materials in thematic periodicals. Serial publication of monographic works covering a wide range of issues related to the history and archeology of Eurasia is also one of the goals of the Congress.

More than 50 scholars from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Türkiye, Uzbekistan, Mongolia, the Russian Federation, Bulgaria, Ukraine and other countries, as well as experts from Asian, European and American research centers, representatives of the creative intelligentsia, representatives of the diplomatic corps and international organizations attended the Congress.

At the opening ceremony of the Congress, welcoming speeches were made by the President of the Turkic Academy Shahin Mustafayev, Advisor to the Kyrgyz Republic Aslan Koychiev, President of the Atatürk Supreme Council for Culture, Language and History Derya Ors, Member of the Council of Elders of the Organization of Turkic States, ex-Prime Minister, ex-Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan Hasan Hasanov, President of the Turkish Historical Society Yüksel Özgen, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Türkiye to the Kyrgyz Republic Ahmet Sadık Doğan, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Azerbaijan Republic to the Kyrgyz Republic Latif Gandilov.

At the beginning of the Congress, Advisor to the President of the Kyrgyz Republic Aslan Koychiev read a welcoming letter from the President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Japarov addressed to the participants and guests of the event.

In his welcoming address, the President of the Turkic Academy, Mustafayev, expressed gratitude to the guests of the event for their participation in the Congress, and wished them fruitful work.

In turn, Hasan Hasanov dwelled on the importance of the event held on the initiative by the Turkic Academy and read out the congratulatory letter on behalf of the Chairman of the Council of Elders of OTG Binali Yildirim.

Ambassador Latif Gandilov said in his speech that such scientific events bring fraternal countries closer together. He also noted that the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Türkiye is a common joy for the Turkic peoples, inextricably linked by strong fraternal ties.

Within the framework of the Congress, a presentation of the book by the famous Turkish historian Afet İnan “Kemal Ataturikti eske alganda” (“Remembering Kemal Ataturk”), prepared by the Turkic Academy in the Kazakh language, took place. The book contains the memories and thoughts of Afet Inan, a prominent representative of the intelligentsia of the Turkish people, about Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the great figure of the Turkic world, the founder of the Republic of Türkiye.

The plenary session of the Congress continued with sessions where such topics as “Chronology and spatial-geographical variability of the evolution of social and political institutions of nomadic societies: from tribal unions to nomadic empires”, “Ethnic roots of the Turks in Central Asia and the formation of their characteristics”, “Historical prerequisites for the construction of significant political associations in Steppe Eurasia”, “Development of the political system in the Turkic states”, “Institutions of power and religious structure of the Turkic states from the first kaganates to the last medieval empires”, “Intercontinental trade routes in the history of the Turkic states”, Cities and urbanization in Eurasian empires”, “The role of the Turkic states in the formation of the traditions of statehood of the peoples of Eurasia” and others.

At the breakout sessions, scientists and experts made presentations on the topics of their research.

Following the results of the Congress, the participants agreed on a number of important decisions on the main directions in the study of the history of Turkic statehood, and adopted a final resolution.