The first working meeting of the local administrators of the Turkish World Capitals of Culture (TDKB) was held in Arkadag, Turkmenistan on 30 June 2023, hosted by the International Organization of Turkic Culture (TÜRKSOY) and the Ministry of Culture of Turkmenistan. Union of Turkish World Municipalities (TDBB) Secretary General Fahri Solak also took part in the meeting as a guest and made a speech.
The meeting, hosted by Arkadag Governor Shamuhammet Durdiliyev, was attended by TURKSOY Secretary General Sultan Raev, Union of Turkish World Municipalities (TDBB) Secretary General Fahri Solak, Shusha Special Representative of Azerbaijan President Suleyman Rustamov, Deputy Mayor of Kazakhstan Turkistan Yerlan Kuzembayev, Deputy Mayor of Kyrgyzstan Osh Zamir Iusupov, Uzbekistan Harezm Province Director of Culture and Tourism Azamat Khujaev, Turkey Eskişehir Deputy Governor Kübra Kurtoğlu Vural, Kastamonu Municipality Director of Culture and Social Affairs Taner Alikavas, Director of 2022 Turkish World Culture Capital Bursa Director and Bursa Kültür A.Ş. General Manager Fetullah Bingül, Governor of Merv Kakamyrat Amanmyradow from Turkmenistan and Mayor of Ahal Province Ak Buğday Röwşen Hojagulyyew.
Making the opening speech of the meeting, TURKSOY Secretary General Sultan Raev noted that on the 30th anniversary of TURKSOY’s establishment, efforts have accelerated to open a new page by further strengthening the ties that will deepen the interaction in the Turkish World. Raev said, “It is our duty to reveal the cultural values shared by the Turkish peoples and to carry out studies for the protection of these values. I think that it is very important to mutually share the knowledge and experience gained during the period of the Turkish World Capital of Culture, as well as the existing urbanism and municipality experience. I would like to state that our organization supports the establishment of the Union of Cultural Capitals of the Turkish World and the start of its work as soon as possible.”
In his speech at the meeting, TDBB Secretary General Fahri Solak gave information about the establishment and works of TDBB and expressed his satisfaction for the meeting to be held in Turkmenistan and stated that he wanted to carry out joint projects with the local governments of Turkmenistan, as in other Turkic Republics, and that he wished this visit to set a milestone in the relations of TDBB and Turkmenistan.
In the continuation of the meeting, the participating city representatives took the floor. The meeting, which was organized in two parts, ended with the participants reaching a consensus on the topics discussed in the suggestions and proposals section after the break.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the representatives of the cities selected as the Cultural Capitals of the Turkish World expressed their thoughts on the establishment of the Union of Cultural Capitals of the Turkish World. At the meeting, it was also decided to prepare the official documents required for the establishment of the Union of Cultural Capitals of the Turkish World, to carry out the necessary work in the coordination of TURKSOY for 2022 Turkish World Capital of Culture Bursa, and to discuss the management and operation of the Union of Cultural Capitals of the Turkish World in the next meeting in accordance with the documents to be prepared. It was decided that the next meeting of the Working Group of Local Administrators of the Cultural Capitals of the Turkish World will be held in Shusha, the Cultural Capital of the Turkish World in 2023, in October.
