Durbek Sayfullayev, Vice-Rector of Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor
Cultural diplomacy is one of the most important directions of Uzbekistan’s foreign policy. It contributes to the strengthening of the country’s position and authority in the world community. Uzbekistan attaches great importance to the role of cultural diplomacy and puts forward relevant initiatives within international organizations.
Multilateral cultural cooperation within the framework of international and regional organizations is among the priorities of Uzbekistan’s foreign policy. We see how much the republic’s participation in such organizations as the SCO, the CIS, UNESCO, and others has intensified. The International Organization of Turkic Culture (TURKSOY) is one of Uzbekistan’s partners, cooperation with which has recently shown good dynamics.
At the first summit of the Organization of Turkic States held in Samarkand on November 11, 2022, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced that Uzbekistan had become a full member of TURKSOY and supported the proposal to hold a Festival of Culture of Turkic Peoples in 2023, timed to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the organization.
TURKSOY is an authoritative international organization uniting Turkic-speaking countries. Its goal is to establish close cooperation between the Turkic peoples for the preservation, development and transfer to future generations of common material and cultural monuments of the Turkic peoples. The founding document of TURKSOY was signed on 12 July 1993 in Almaty (Republic of Kazakhstan). The supreme body is the Permanent Council, which consists of the Ministers of Culture of the Turkic countries. A coordinator is elected from among the members of the council to lead the organization, and the Secretary General of TURKSOY is elected for a term of three years.
The organization annually holds meetings of artists, photo exhibitions, opera festivals, literary congresses, events of theater, music and dance groups, forums, which serve as an effective platform for the exchange of experience between cultural and academic figures. In addition, TURKSOY promotes the culture of the Turkic peoples by implementing many international projects. An example of this is the concerts of the Youth Chamber Orchestra, as well as the Orchestra of Folk Instruments TURKSOY.
Another important initiative of the association is the annual declaration of one of the cities of the participating countries as the cultural capital of the Turkic world. Cities that have awarded this honorary title (including Khiva) have become a meeting place for the cultures of the Turkic peoples.
There are six organizations operating under the auspices of the OTS, two of which serve as a platform for the development of cultural and humanitarian ties. TURKSOY is one of them. Since Uzbekistan became a member of the Organization of Turkic States in 2019, we can observe the dynamic development of relations with TURKSOY. This year, a delegation headed by the Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism of Uzbekistan took part in the regular meeting of Ministers of Culture of the organization’s member states, held in Kyrgyzstan.
The participation of representatives of Uzbekistan in the international festival “Navruz”, held by the TURKSOY organization, theater festivals and concerts of chamber orchestras has been restored. TURKSOY also annually announces the celebration of figures of Turkic culture, thus recognizing their great contribution to the popularization of the cultural heritage of Turkic-speaking countries.
It should be noted that on September 15-16, 2021, in the city of Khiva, at the 38th meeting of the Ministers of Culture of TURKSOY, productive meetings and cultural events were held within the framework of the program “Khiva is the cultural capital of the Turkic world in 2020”, which clearly showed how rich our peoples are in historical and cultural heritage and that we have great opportunities in this sphere.
Literature and poetry are important areas of cooperation between Uzbekistan and TURKSOY. So, on 6 March this year, at a meeting of the heads of literary organizations of the Turkic-speaking countries, which took place at the TURKSOY headquarters in Ankara, the Union of Writers of the organization was created. A proposal was put forward and approved by all participants to organize the first meeting of the union within the framework of the international festival “Mumtoz sheriyat” (“Classical Poetry”) in Navoi, which was held on 28-30 March. The event was aimed at developing cooperation between poets and translators, as well as literary organizations. As part of the festival, the writers laid flowers at the monument to Alisher Navoi and planted new seedlings in the garden named after the greatest thinker. Presentations of the publications “Pearls of Turkic Literature” and “Uzbek Military Studies of the Independence era” were also held.
The fact that this prestigious festival was held in the city named after the great thinker poet Alisher Navoi has a special and very symbolic meaning. Cities such as Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva and Kokand were once centers of literature and art. And the life and work of Navoi is interesting not only for the Turkic peoples, but also lovers of world literature. The poet, who created 16 genres of poetry, through his works, which have been read and studied all over the world for centuries, showed that Turkic is one of the richest and most beautiful languages.
It should be noted that on 27-28 November 2020, with the participation of TURKSOY, the member states of the Organization of Turkic States and Russian universities, Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies hosted high-level international conferences dedicated to the 950th anniversary of the ancient and priceless masterpiece of Oriental literature – the epic “Kutadgu Bilig”. And on 8-10 June 2022, the Organization of Turkic States and TURKSOY, together with TSU and Kokand University, held a conference on the topic “The role of the Kokand Khanate in the development of statehood and the cultural heritage of the Turkic peoples.” All this serves as proof that the Turkic peoples share spiritual values, ties of cooperation, similarity of language and many other common features.
Festivals held jointly with the partner countries of the association are an important part of cultural diplomacy. In 2023, TURKSOY jointly with Uzbekistan held a number of high-level festivals, including the International Charity Art Festival (6-8 May Gulistan city), the International Folklore Festival “The Great Silk Road” (28-31 May, Margilan city). And on 6-30 June this year, anniversary events dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the formation of TURKSOY are held in the member states of the organization. Uzbekistan has hosted such events from 14 to 22 June.
Uzbekistan was once one of the centers of the Great Silk Road, thanks to which a variety of cultures reigned on this land since ancient times, which makes the country attractive to millions of travelers today. And Uzbek scientists, together with foreign colleagues, are doing a great job of studying the cultural heritage of the Turkic world. Special attention is paid to the intensification of cooperation with state and non-governmental organizations in order to preserve the historical and cultural heritage of the Uzbek people outside the country.
The full membership of Uzbekistan in TURKSOY will enable widespread promotion of the nation’s rich cultural and spiritual heritage and improve its standing internationally. Thanks largely to cultural diplomacy, Uzbekistan has seen an increase in tourists in recent years who wish to view ancient architectural sites and travel to the country of the legendary Navoi, Babur, Temur, Ulugbek, and others. Pilgrimage tourism is actively developing, joint projects in the field of culture are being promoted. The main goal is to celebrate the rich heritage of ancestors all over the world. ///nCa, 22 June 2023 (in cooperation with the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Turkmenistan)
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