In connection with the implementation of the Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan "On the 100th anniversary of the First Turkological Congress" and the relevant decision of the Presidium of ANAS, a scientific seminar on the topic "Toponomic features of the city of Sheki and its environment" was held at Sheki Regional Scientific Center of ANAS on December 19, 2025.

Opening the event, the director of Sheki RSC, PhD, docent Yusif Shukurlu stated that the purpose of the event was to contribute to the continuation of the scientific heritage of the First Turkological Congress in modern Turkological research, as well as to preserve, systematize and transfer regional toponyms to future generations, share the results of research conducted in this field with the scientific community, as well as involve young researchers in Turkological and toponymic research. He wished success to the event and the floor was given to the senior research worker of the department of History and Epigraphy, PhD Akif Mammadli.

In his speech entitled "The history of the region through the language of toponyms", Akif Mammadli, while talking about the toponymy of Sheki, Gakh, Zagatala and Balakan regions, noted that the place names here are closely related to the settlement of ancient Turkic tribes, medieval statehood traditions and natural and geographical features, and that lexical units of Turkic origin predominate in most toponyms. He noted that traces of Turkic mythological thought are also found in toponyms, and that the names given to natural objects reflect the harmony of ancient people with the environment and their attitude to it. He noted that the protection of toponyms means the protection of national and cultural heritage, and scientific research in this field is of particular importance. The speaker emphasized that the study of toponyms should be carried out not only at the intersection of linguistics, but also at the intersection of history, ethnography and geography.

Head of the Department of History and Epigraphy, PhD Rahim Hasanov stated that the toponomic system of the North-West region reflects the rich historical and cultural heritage of the Turkic world. He voiced his proposals for expanding research in this area. He noted that the ideas of the First Turkological Congress are still relevant today and guide the scientific activities of researchers. Rahim Hasanov also stressed the importance of a complex methodological approach in the study of toponyms, noting the need to study them against the background of mutual analysis of archival documents, historical maps, oral folk memory and modern language materials.

The seminar continued with discussions.