The International Turkology Summit, organized by Talas Municipality on 20–22 May 2026 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Baku Turkology Congress, was held with broad participation. The summit, which highlighted the shared culture, language, and future of the Turkic world, addressed important topics such as the Common Turkic Alphabet, the preservation of the Turkish language in the digital age, and the integration of the Turkic world.
Bringing together academics, government representatives, cultural figures, and local administrators, the summit served as a platform for exchanging ideas and delivering strong messages regarding the common future of the Turkic world.
Speaking at the opening session, Talas Mayor Mustafa Yalçın emphasized that Talas Municipality has undertaken significant initiatives related to the Turkic world for many years and stated:
“On the 100th anniversary of the Turkology Congress, our distinguished guests will share valuable insights both on the Turkology Summit and on the Common Turkic Alphabet. These efforts will greatly contribute to strengthening our shared cultural awareness and raising future generations with this consciousness. We regard cultural and civilizational studies as an integral part of our municipality’s work.”
Mayor Yalçın also highlighted initiatives such as the Turkic World Poets and Writers Gathering, the Shusha Azerbaijan House, Azerbaijan Brotherhood Park, sister-city relations with Talas in Kyrgyzstan, commemorative programs dedicated to Cengiz Aytmatov, and activities carried out through the Turkish World Municipalities Union (TDBB). He added that the title of 2027 Turkic World Capital of Culture suits Kayseri very well.
Nishangul Karatayeva, Representative of TURKSOY in Kazakhstan, expressed her satisfaction with participating in the summit and noted that such gatherings should continue to expand.
TDBB Secretary General Taha Zahid Özdemir stated that Talas’s historical character provided a meaningful setting for the summit, saying:
“Kayseri’s role as an ancient bridge stretching from Turkistan to Anatolia makes this summit even more meaningful. We have come together around an important vision that will carry our shared heritage into the future.”
President of the Turkish Language Association, Osman Mert, delivered remarks on the future of the Turkish language in the digital era:
“We continue our efforts with determination to preserve the shared linguistic heritage of the Turkic world and pass it on to future generations. The Common Turkic Alphabet, dictionary projects, digital language resources, and large language model initiatives are among the most important components of this work.”
Memduh Büyükkılıç, Mayor of Kayseri Metropolitan Municipality, thanked Mayor Mustafa Yalçın for hosting such an important event, while Gökmen Çiçek, Governor of Kayseri, emphasized that the Common Turkic Alphabet initiative is bringing the Turkic world closer together once again.
In his address, Binali Yıldırım, Chairman of the Council of Elders of the Organization of Turkic States and former Prime Minister of Türkiye, described the Common Turkic Alphabet as a historic turning point for the future of the Turkic world.
“We are holding a very important gathering under the hosting of Talas Municipality. This summit, organized in memory of the first Baku Turkology Congress, will bring the Turkic world even closer together.”
He also stressed that language is one of the fundamental pillars of independence.
THE FUTURE OF THE TURKIC WORLD DISCUSSED IN TALAS
During the afternoon session, a panel titled “Common Language and Cultural Future in the Turkic World” was held at the Kayseri University Congress and Culture Center.
The panel featured speeches by Mayor Mustafa Yalçın, Oktay Öksüzoğlu from the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, and Prof. Dr. Osman Mert.
Following the opening program, Binali Yıldırım and the accompanying delegation visited several of Talas Municipality’s vision projects dedicated to the Turkic world, including Turkish Language Street, Shusha Azerbaijan House, the Khojaly Memorial, and Azerbaijan Brotherhood Park, where they received detailed information about the projects.
The opening day concluded with concerts and a performance by the Talas Turkic World Music and Folk Dance Ensemble.
The summit, which attracted significant interest, concluded with a family photograph of all participants.
