― 24 ноября 2025 г.
-42nd Session of the Permanent Council of TURKSOY to be held in Aktau
The Closing Ceremony of Aktau – the Cultural Capital of the Turkic World 2025 will be held on the same day.as the Closing Ceremony of Aktau – the Cultural Capital of the Turkic World 2025.
The Permanent Council of TURKSOY which is the highest decision-making body of the International Organization of Turkic Culture will come together in Aktau, the Cultural Capital of the Turkic World 2025 for its 42nd Term Meeting on November 28th, 2025 to be hosted by Mrs. Aida Balayeva, the Minister of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
After countless cultural and artistic gatherings of the Turkic World held throughout the year, the city of Aktau will now host the meeting of the Permanent Council of TURKSOY which will take place with the participation of representatives from TURKSOY member countries prior to the Closing Event and Ceremony of the Cultural Capital of the Turkic World which is one of the most spectacular events thereof. During the ceremony, artists from TURKSOY member countries will celebrate the declaration of Aktau as Cultural Capital of the Turkic World once again with their performances.
Ministers of culture and Heads of delegations from the Turkic World will be attending the event.
Besides ministers of culture and high-level representatives of TURKSOY member states, representatives of cooperation organisations of the Turkic World are also expected to attend the Meeting of the Permanent Council of TURKSOY.
Issues to be discussed and decided upon in the 42nd Term Meeting of the Permanent Council of TURKSOY will be cultural cooperation in the Turkic World as well as the institutional functioning of the Organisation and its activities for the coming period, the preservation and promotion of common cultural heritage, the evaluation of the process regarding the declaration of cultural capitals and the determination of the city to be selected as Cultural Capital of the Turkic World 2027. Following a proposal by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Türkiye and with the unanimous vote of ministers who participated in its meeting last year, the Organisation had decided to dedicate the year 2026 to the commemoration of Ziya Gökalp throughout the Turkic World. While members of the Permanent Council will cast their vote on city to be declared as Cultural Capital of the Turkic World 2027, the city which will hold the title of Cultural Capital of the Turkic World in 2026 is expected to be announced by the Ministry of Culture of Uzbekistan during this meeting.
Prior to the Permanent Council, the Senior Officials’ Committee of TURKSOY will come together for its 6th Meeting to be held on November 26th, 2025. At this meeting, items on the agenda of the Permanent Council will be discussed in technical terms, and the proposals and evaluations of the member countries will be compiled and submitted to the Council of Ministers.
Closing ceremony of Aktau 2025 at the People's Arena
The closing ceremony, to be held on November 28th, will take place at the People's Arena in Aktau. The ceremony to be hosted by Mrs. Aida Balayeva, the Minister of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Mr. Sultan Raev, Secretary General of TURKSOY and Mr. Nurdaulet Kylybai, the Governor of the Province of Mangystau will take place with the participation of nearly 500 artists.
The event will also feature a handover ceremony for the symbol of the Cultural Capital of the Turkic World.
Secretary General Raev: ‘Aktau brought together the entire Turkic World.’
Speaking ahead of the meeting, TURKSOY Secretary General Sultan Raev stressed that Aktau has built a strong foundation for cultural rapprochement among Turkic peoples throughout its year as cultural capital.
Secretary General Raev further stated: ‘This year, Aktau, our Cultural Capital brought together the entire Turkic World. The magnificent opening ceremony, attended by over 150,000 people, is still alive in our memories. Throughout the year, we successfully organised over 30 international events. I would like to thank all our partners, especially Kazakhstan, for their strong contribution to this success.’
Referring to the shared memory and cultural continuity goals of the Turkic World, Secretary General Raev said, "We are members of a shared history, civilisation and culture. It is our duty to preserve these values and transmit them to future generations. From the first day I took office, my goal has been to strengthen the institutional capacity of TURKSOY while increasing its effectiveness and diversifying its activities. Today, we are talking about a more productive, more inclusive, and much stronger International Organization of Turkic Culture."
- About TURKSOY
The International Organisation of Turkic Culture (TURKSOY) which is the first organisation of cooperation to have been established in the Turkic World, was founded in 1993 with an agreement signed by the ministers of culture of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and the Republic of Türkiye.
Since its establishment, TURKSOY has pursued its activities to foster cultural solidarity among Turkic peoples while passing on their common culture to future generations and introducing it to the world.
- About the Cultural Capital of the Turkic World
The aim of the initiative to declare one city of the Turkic World as its Cultural Capital every year is to highlight the cultural and artistic potential of cities of the Turkic World while promoting the common heritage at an international level, and strengthening the bonds between brotherly peoples. Cities of the Turkic World which have born this prestigious title so far are Astana, Shusha, Merv, Khiva, Eskişehir, and Bursa.
With its selection as the Cultural Capital of the Turkic World 2025, the city of Aktau has become a major meeting point of the Turkic World, hosting cultural events such as concerts, festivals, exhibitions, theatre performances, academic gatherings and youth events throughout the year.
