Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan on the 100th anniversary of the First Turkological Congress

February 2026 will mark the 100th anniversary of the organization of the First Turkological Congress in Baku.

The First Turkological Congress is one of the exceptionally important events that created a stage in the cultural integration of the Turkic peoples with a common rich past and ancient heritage. In this unique scientific forum of international scale, the most pressing issues of Turkology became the subject of extensive and systematic discussion, important decisions were made regarding the future of the language, history, ethnography, literature and culture of the Turkic world, and the transition to a single all-Turkic alphabet based on the Latin script was kept in the spotlight.

Baku hosted the First Turkological Congress, as it has been distinguished by its high level of intellectual life since the beginning of the 20th century and is recognized as one of the influential centers of world Turkology. The first mass introduction of the new alphabet among the Turkic republics was the result of the consistent struggle of progressive intellectuals for alphabet reform in Azerbaijan since the 19th century.

The implementation of the main ideas and provisions voiced at the First Turkological Congress was soon prevented by the obstacles created by the Bolshevik regime and the Soviet totalitarian system of government, and the vast majority of the congress delegates were subjected to repression in the 1930s, thus dealing a very heavy blow to the development of Turkology. Only the national independence they gained at the end of the last century illuminated the paths of spiritual revival of the Turkic peoples and once again made the application of the Latin script all-Turkic alphabet relevant among important problems.

Many of the ideas put forward by the First Turkological Congress are being successfully implemented in modern conditions. Remarkable achievements have been achieved in the direction of re-forming the Turkic world as a single family. The steps taken with determination towards strengthening the relations of alliance and deepening mutual cultural cooperation between the Turkic countries in the spirit of brotherhood are already of a sustainable nature. The fact that the call to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the First Turkological Congress was reflected in the Declaration of the 12th Summit of the Heads of State of the Organization of Turkic States, held in Gabala on October 6-7, 2025, is another manifestation of this.

Guided by paragraph 32 of Article 109 of the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and taking into account that it constitutes a bright page in the scientific and cultural life of Azerbaijan and the Turkic world as a whole in the 20th century, in order to ensure the holding of the 100th anniversary of the First Turkological Congress, I decide:

1. The Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan, together with the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences and the Ministry of Science and Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan, shall prepare and implement a plan of events for the 100th anniversary of the First Turkological Congress.
2. The Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan shall resolve the issues arising from this Order.

Ilham Aliyev

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Baku, October 22, 2025