Azerbaijan joins Istanbul meeting of National Commission for UNESCO of TURKSOY

The 6th Meeting of the National Commission for UNESCO of TURKSOY member states took place on July 9 in Istanbul with a major focus on cooperation in culture and education.

The meeting was attended by Secretariat-General of TURKSOY Dusen Kaseinov, President of the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation Gunay Efendiyeva, Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism Nabi Avcı, Turkish National Commission for UNESCO Chairman Professor Ocal Oguz as well as representatives of National Commissions and Committees for UNESCO of TURKSOY member states, Azertac reported.

Addressing the event, Dusen Kaseinov stressed the importance of the traditional meetings of National Commissions and Committees for UNESCO of TURKSOY in the protection of rich culture of the Turkic peoples.

Stressing the positive impact of event on the Turkic world, Nabi Avcı stressed the need for intercultural dialogue at a time when humanity faces terror.

Then, Ocal Oguz informed that the chairmanship at the organization will pass from Azerbaijan to Turkey next year.

President of the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation Gunay Efendiyeva, for her part, spoke about the significance of the organization she heads in the preservation of cultural and historical values of the Turkic world and strengthening of cultural ties between the Turkic peoples.

She stressed the importance of cooperation with international organizations such as TURKSOY and UNESCO in future.

Efendiyeva also spoke on the importance of the Great Silk Road as a general historic gardens between the Turkic peoples and their connection corridor. She regarded the Armenian aggression against Azerbaijan, destruction of monuments, cultural and artistic samples of Azerbaijani people as a result of occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh region and surrounding seven districts not only as a blow to Azerbaijan, but the whole Turkic world.

President of the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation said that the protection of the destroyed historical and cultural heritage and presenting it to the world is one of the main activities of the Fund.

After the lunch, the meeting continued its work in sessions on cultural heritage and education.

TURKSOY, also known as the UNESCO of the Turkic World was established in 1993 with the participation of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Turkey’s Culture Ministers.

Later on, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Tatarstan, Bashkortostan, Altai, Sakha Yakutia, Tyva and Khakassia also joined the organization along with Gagauzia (Moldova) as member states with an observer status. For more than 20 years now, the organization has been carrying out various activities to strengthen the ties of brotherhood and solidarity among Turkic peoples and transmit their cultural heritage to future generations.

The contribution of hundreds of artists from various countries helps TURKSOY countries to organize various theater, cinema, music and fine arts’ festivals. Thanks to these festivals, peoples of the Turkic World get acquainted with each other.