Turkmenistan attended the meeting of the Council of Ministers of TURKSOY in Kastamonu
The 36th meeting of the Permanent Council of Ministers of culture of the Turkic countries took place in the Turkish city of Kastamonu - the cultural capital of the Turkic world-2018.
The meeting was held in the caravanserai Kurshunlu Khan - one of the main tourist attractions of the city, once being the flourishing trade center during the Ottoman era.
The meeting, chaired by the Minister of culture and tourism of Turkey Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, was attended by Secretary General of TURKSOY Dyusen Kaseinov, heads of the Turkic Council, Turkic Academy, TURKPA, heads of administrations of Kastamonu province and Kastamonu city, as well as high-ranking representatives of the ministries of culture of Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, Northern Cyprus, Gagauzia (Moldova). Turkmenistan was represented by the Deputy Minister of culture Nurcahya Serimova.
In his speech at the opening of the meeting Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, congratulating those present on the 25th anniversary of TURKSOY, known as “UNESCO of the Turkic world”, stressed that the activities of TURKSOY contributes to the strengthening of peace in our world. In this sense, the international organization of Turkic culture, which is a platform of cultural diplomacy, strengthened by the unity of the culture of the countries that have been peacefully coexisting for centuries, is entrusted with important tasks.
In this regard, we consider TURKSOY as the embodiment of the common mind, as the expression of the common will of the Turkic world, which expresses the values in the field of culture and art, as well as cultural heritage and languages of the Turkic peoples, he said.
Then the floor was given to Dyusen Kaseinov, who called the organization headed by him a vivid example of sustainable cultural interaction beneficial to all parties.
The tradition of the "cultural capital of the Turkic world", started in 2012, continues to live, the traditional meetings of artists, photographers, writers, opera artists, composers, dance, instrumental, vocal groups of the Turkic world are actively held, the youth chamber orchestra, the youth chamber choir and the orchestra of folk instruments of the Turkic peoples – all this once again convincingly shows us that the Turkic countries and regions are interested in this cultural interaction and greatly benefit from it, added the TURKSOY Secretary General.
After the welcoming speeches, the participants discussed the issue of declaring a new cultural capital of the Turkic world for 2019.
This status, initiated by TURKSOY in 2010, aims to attract attention of international community to the historical and cultural heritage of the country and the city, which is awarded this honorary title. Turkmenistan also contributed to the project in 2015, when the city of Mary was awarded the status of the cultural center of the Turkic world.
So, in Kastamonu, the members of the Permanent Council of Ministers of culture unanimously decided on announcing the Kyrgyz city of Osh as the next cultural capital of the Turkic world.
Also, 2019 has been declared the Year of Azerbaijani poet Imadeddin Nesimi and Turkish poet-singer Âşık Veysel. Under this cultural campaign, symposiums, concerts, exhibitions and festivals will be hosted by the Turkic countries, aimed at familiarizing a wide audience with the works of these noble Turkic writers.
TURKSOY annually declares commemorative years of outstanding figures of Turkic culture and art. Thus, in 2014 TURKSOY, for example, devoted the year to the popularization of art of the Turkmen poet and thinker Magtymguly Pyragy.
The Permanent Council of Ministers of culture is the main constituent body that determines the directions and working agenda of TURKSOY. The decisions taken by the Permanent Council are implemented by the General Secretariat of TURKSOY.
