President Ilham Aliyev has addressed the participants of the Turkic World Week, dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the First Turkology Congress.
According to Oxu.Az, the address was read by Farah Aliyeva, head of the Department of Humanitarian Policy of the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration.
The address states: "Dear participants! I cordially greet you on the occasion of the start of the Turkic World Week dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the First Turkology Congress in Azerbaijan."
Ilham Aliyev noted that the initiative to hold the 100th anniversary of the First Turkology Congress was put forward last year in Gabala and is now being realized.
The President emphasized: "The fact that the Turkic World Week coincides with Azerbaijan's chairmanship of the Organization of Turkic States has a special symbolic meaning."
He stated that the First Turkology Congress is of exceptional importance for the formation of the cultural integration of Turkic peoples as an ideology.
The address highlighted that issues related to the development of common spiritual values of the Turkic world - language, history, ethnography, literature and culture, especially the transition to a common Turkic alphabet, were kept in focus.
The President noted that since the 19th century, Azerbaijan had prepared the ground for national self-awareness and had established the first democratic state. Baku was known as one of the authoritative centers of world Turkology.
The address regretfully noted that the implementation of the ideas voiced at the Congress was artificially obstructed by the Soviet totalitarian regime. Most of the Congress delegates were subjected to brutal repressions in the 1930s.
Ilham Aliyev expressed confidence that the projects of the Organization of Turkic States are based on the progressive ideas of the First Turkology Congress. He emphasized that they will spare no effort to strengthen the Turkic world.
Finally, the President expressed hope that the Turkic World Week will contribute to the preservation of the bright historical and spiritual heritage and leave an indelible mark on memory.
