TURKSOY attended the 225th General Session of the Executive Board of UNESCO as an Observer
On October 8th-9th, 2026, the International Organisation of Turkic Culture (TURKSOY) attended the 225th General Session of the Executive Board of UNESCO for the first time as an observer.
At the General Session held in UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, the delegation of TURKSOY not only followed proceedings of the General Session but also held a series of meetings with management staff and relevant departments of UNESCO. While the 225th General Session of the Executive Board of UNESCO took place in Paris from October 5th to October 20th, 2026, speeches delivered on behalf of member states were delivered on October 8th-9th, 2026.
Institutional cooperation with UNESCO
Within the framework of these meetings, the delegation of TURKSOY met with Nayef Al-Fayez, who has been holding the post of UNESCO Assistant Director General for Culture since June 2026. The meeting focused on the preservation and transmission of cultural heritage, cultural diversity, and a closer alignment of activities carried out by TURKSOY with priorities of UNESCO in the field of culture.
A working meeting was also held with officials from the Department of UNESCO in charge of Partnerships. While issues discussed in this meeting focused on the existing framework of the cooperation between TURKSOY and UNESCO and what needs to be done to give it a more structured form, both parties also exchanged views on potential joint initiatives for the coming period.
On the occasion of its visit to UNESCO headquarters, the delegation of TURKSOY also held meetings with Permanent Representatives of member states to UNESCO and representatives from various sectors within the Organisation.
While the 225th session of the Executive Board coincided with a reassessment process of the working methods and partnership model of UNESCO, UNESCO Director General Khaled El Enany who took the floor at the meeting of UNESCO National Commissions organised on the sidelines of the General Session of the Executive Board, highlighted the strengthening of cooperation with National Commissions as one of the priorities of his term, emphasising that they aim to establish a structure which is closer to the priorities of member states, with stronger and more results-oriented links between the field and headquarters.
Cooperation between TURKSOY and UNESCO from 1996 to the present
The institutional cooperation between TURKSOY and UNESCO is based on the Cooperation Agreement signed in Istanbul on June 8th, 1996. The Agreement established a framework for consultation, the sharing of information and documents, and technical cooperation between the two organisations.
One of the key outcomes of this cooperation have been the Meetings of the UNESCO National Commissions of TURKSOY Member States, which have been held since 2010. Holding these meetings—which facilitate consultation and the sharing of experiences among the National Commissions—in cities designated as Cultural Capitals of the Turkic World has, over time, became a tradition.
This practice was also welcomed by the Heads of State at the Informal Summit of the Organisation of Turkic States held in Budapest in 2025. Thus, meetings of National Commissions will further be held regularly within the framework of events taking place in Cultural Capitals of the Turkic World in the coming period.
Items on the agenda of UNESCO concerning the Turkic World
In the speech delivered on behalf of the Group of Turkic States at UNESCO during the 225th session of the Executive Board, attention was drawn to joint efforts of the Turkic World on the UNESCO agenda. The Group described UNESCO as an important platform for the promotion of peace through dialogue and international cooperation.
The speech particularly highlighted the fact that December 15th, the World Turkic Language Family Day, will be celebrated at UNESCO for the first time alongside with the 6th World Nomadic Games held in Kyrgyzstan. Reference was also made to the initiative of Uzbekistan aimed at preserving cultural heritage from the effects of globalisation and climate change.
Alongside the first-ever participation of TURKSOY as an observer in the proceedings of the Executive Board of UNESCO, the aim is to further foster the institutional cooperation which has been existing between TURKSOY and UNESCO since 1996 through more regular and concrete initiatives to be undertaken in the coming period.
Medya Galerisi
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