― 19 ноября 2025 г.
Historic Milestone in the Turkic World: The First Works Printed in the Common Turkic Alphabet were Introduced in Ankara
In a historic ceremony held in Ankara in cooperation of the International Organisation of Turkic Culture TURKSOY with the Turkic Academy, one of the most concrete steps towards the cultural integration of the Turkic World was taken. Abay Kunanbayoğlu's ‘Qara Sözder’ and Chingis Aitmatov's ‘Aq Keme’, the first works printed using the ‘Common Turkic Alphabet’ consisting of 34 letters, were introduced to the public.
In line with the ‘2040 Vision’ of the Organisation of Turkic States and its goals of linguistic unity, the 34-letter Common Turkic Alphabet, agreed upon in Baku last September, has brought abouut its first fruitful results. In the event hosted by the Secretariat General of TURKSOY, these two works by Abay and Aitmatov, two famous authors of Kazakh and Kyrgyz literature published in the common alphabet were and presented to readers.
Message of ‘Cultural Unity and Future’ from the Protocol
Speaking at the ceremony, TURKSOY Secretary General Sultan Raev emphasised that this step is not just a change of alphabet, but a spiritual bridge connecting Turkic peoples to eachother.
Secretary General Raev stated that "These works will open new horizons in the minds of young people in the Turkic World and strengthen the bonds between our languages. This is part of a great vision for the future."
Prof. Dr. Şahin Mustafayev,the President of the Turkic Academy who touched upon the technical and strategic dimensions of the process in his speech, stated that the agreement reached in Baku with the Turkish Language Institution and its partners was the realisation of a dream that had been ongoing since the 1926 Baku Turkology Congress. Prof. Dr. Mustafayev further said, ‘By publishing Abay's wise words and Aytmatov's conscience-questioning “White Ship” (Aq Keme) in a common alphabet, we are emphasising our cultural identity once again.’
Prof. Dr. Derya Örs, the President of the Atatürk High Institution of Culture, Language and History, also shared their joy at the declaration of December 15th as ‘World Turkic Language Family Day’ by UNESCO, stating that the common alphabet will increase young people's curiosity to learn different dialects.
Academic Perspective: ‘A Historic Moment’
Prof. Dr. Ilyas Topsakal, Deputy Chairman of the MHP and President of the Chingis Aitmatov Institute, who participated in the event, recalled that in 1928, the Kyrgyz recorded the Manas Epic in Latin letters, saying that today's step would also be remembered by academics a century later as a historical turning point.
Prof. Dr. Ahmet Bican Ercilasun, a leading figure in Turkish language, noted that the Turkic World is going through a period of voluntary rapprochement, stating, ‘A common alphabet is a beginning. The real goal is a “common language of communication” that will develop over time and with increasing relations.’
Works presented in a panels discussion
Following the opening speeches, the details of the works were shared in a panel discussion with the participation of experts of the Turkic Academy Dr. Aynur Mayemerova and Dr. Nurdin Useev:
- Qara Sözder (Black Words): The masterpiece of Abay Kunanbayev, the pioneer of Kazakh Enlightenment, containing his philosophical advice on morality, education and humanity.
- Aq Keme (The White Ship): Chingis Aitmatov's world-renowned long story, which blends the relationship between humans and nature with a childlike innocence.
Professor Dr. Şahin Mustafayev, the President of the Turkic Academy, was honoured with the Medal of TURKSOY in recognition of his contributions to the culture of the Turkic World.
The ceremony ended with the cutting of the ribbon by protocol members and a group photograph taken as a remembrance of the day. This work went down in history as one of the most concrete steps taken by the Turkic World towards unity in language and ideas.
