Aktau city of Kazakhstan, a member of Union of Turkish World Municipalities (TDBB), was elected as the “Cultural Capital of the Turkic World 2025”.
The 41st Meeting of the Permanent Council of TURKSOY was held on 16 November 2024 in Ashgabat, capital of Turkmenistan, hosted by TURKSOY Term Coordinator, Minister of Culture of Turkmenistan Atageldi Shamuradov. The meeting was attended by Minister of Culture of Uzbekistan Ozodbek Nazarbekov, Minister of Culture of Turkmenistan Atageldi Shamuradov, Chairman of the Committee of the Ministry of Culture and Information of Kazakhstan Kumis Seitova, Deputy Minister of Culture, Information, Sports and Youth Policy of Kyrgyzstan Gulbara Abdikalikova, Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Turkey Serdar Çam and TURKSOY Secretary General Sultan Raev. The meeting was also attended by 1st Deputy Governor of Mangestau Province Yerbol Izbergenov, Mayor of Aktau Abylkair Baipakov from the delegation of the 2025 Turkic World Capital of Culture Aktau.
Within the framework of the meeting, the Closing Ceremony of the 2024 Turkic World Cultural Capital Anev was also held. In the Turkmen Ak House building located in Nowruz Plateau in Ak Bugday district of Ak Bugday district of Ahal province, a special concert featuring the art masters of the Turkic world was organized at the closing ceremony for the city of Anev, which was declared the Cultural Capital of the Turkic World in 2024.
During the ceremony, representatives of the Kazakh city of Aktau, which was named the Capital of Culture of the Turkic World for 2025, were presented with the Symbol of the Capital of Culture of the Turkic World and the Crane Bird, the symbol of the “Korkut Ata Turkic World Film Festival” to be held in Aktau next year.
TURKSOY Secretary General Sultan Raev noted that the selection of Aktau as the 2025 Capital of the Turkic World was not accidental and that the city of Aktau is home to many historical monuments that can be considered as a common cultural treasure of the Turkic World.
Governor of Aktau Ulikbek Tnaliev also spoke at the ceremony: “Our goal is to show the cultural heritage and richness of the Turkic-speaking countries to the world, to develop cooperation and friendship between our peoples. Aktau becoming the 2025 Capital of Culture of the Turkic World is a unique opportunity for tourism and economic development in our city to gain new momentum. On the other hand, we would be very pleased if the peoples of the Turkic World visit Aktau and get familiarized with the cultural and historical richness of our city.”
About Aktau
Aktau or Aktav, known until 1992 as Shevchenko or Shevchenko Port, is the center of Mangistav province on the Mangyshlak Peninsula of Kazakhstan. It is the country’s only port city on the Caspian coast. It attracts attention with its planned and organized city structure created during the Soviet Union. Its altitude is 18 meters below normal sea level. Its population is approximately 200,000.
