Organization of Turkic States Vision and Future Building Panel was held at Istanbul Commerce University
Ibn Haldun University in cooperation with Haydar Aliyev Research Center for Eurasian Studies (HACE) organized the Organization of Turkic States (CIS) Vision and Future Building Panel and CIS-Silk Road Photo Exhibition at Istanbul Commerce University.
Deputy Secretary General of the CIS Sadi Jafarov, Consul General of the Republic of Uzbekistan in Istanbul Sherzod Abdunazarov and various academicians discussed the cultural, economic and academic cooperation of the Turkic world.
Silk Road Photography Exhibition and Organization of Turkic States (CIS) Vision and Future Building Panel were organized by Istanbul Commerce University and Ibn Haldun University Heydar Aliyev Research Center for Eurasian Studies (HACE). Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Istanbul Commerce University Dr. Israfil Kuralay, Deputy Secretary General of the CIS Sadi Jafarov, Consul General of the Republic of Uzbekistan in Istanbul Sherzod Abdunazarov, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Prof. Dr. Mustafa Said Yazıcıoğlu, academics from Ibn Haldun, Istanbul Kültür and Istanbul University, students and guests attended the event held at the Conference Hall of the University's Sütlüce Campus. The panel started with the opening of the exhibition “Organization of Turkic States: It started with the opening of the Silk Road exhibition and continued with a panel discussion.
The Importance of Dialogue
Department of Political Science and International Relations (English) Department Head Assoc. Dr. Uğur Yasin Asal made the opening speech. Assoc. Dr. Asal stated that the organization of the program is extremely important. Later Prof. Dr. Mustafa Said Yazıcıoğlu touched upon the progress made in the field of language unity for Turkic States.
Important Steps in the Field of Education
Jafarov emphasized that the 34-letter common Turkish alphabet accepted by member countries will both strengthen communication between Turkish people and make a significant contribution to the preservation of the Turkish language. In addition, he stated that among the concrete projects of the educational program of the Organization of Turkic World, such as the documentation of the Turkic World Higher Education Area Data Bank, the provision of an agency to provide individual details of diplomas, the inclusion of the TDT Higher Education Foundation and the launch of the Turkic World Higher Education Area Quality Assurance Agency.
Participation in the Youth Council Will Be Increased
Sherzod Abdunazarov stated in his speech that the Turkic world should unite around a common history, culture and values and shape its future together, and Uzbekistan played a key role in this process. He also drew attention to the efforts of the Organization of Turkic States to strengthen economic, political and cultural integration. Stating that the future of the Turkic world is in the hands of the youth, Abdunazarov stated that they will work with determination to increase participation in platforms such as the Youth Council and thanked the institutions that organized the event.
The Language and Alphabet Union is of Vital Importance for Our Common Identity
Dr. Kuralay stated that Istanbul Commerce University is willing to actively participate in projects in this field as a member of the Turkic World Universities Union. He stated that as a university, they will continue to contribute to the development of educational and cultural collaborations. Emphasizing that the language and alphabet union is a critical step in strengthening the common identity of the Turkic world, Dr. Kuralay stated that more sensitivity should be shown regarding the protection and enrichment of the Turkish language. Dr. Kuralay stated that he observed that the language was preserved more essentially, especially in the Turkistan region, and drew attention to the importance of working with partnerships to preserve and develop the vocabulary.
OTS’s Collaboration in More Than 30 Areas
Jafarov touched upon the works carried out by the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) in line with the goal of strengthening unity, solidarity and cooperation in the Turkic world. He stated that the organization continues its cooperation activities in more than 30 areas from education to economy, culture to defense. Drawing attention to the issue of education in particular, Jafarov stated that joint projects are being developed at universities within the scope of the Turkic World 2040 Vision and that student and academics exchange programs are being encouraged.
The Future Vision of the Turkic World Discussed
The panel was moderated by Zebiniso Kamalova, Assistant Professor of the Department of Political Science and International Relations (Turkish), and speakers included Prof. Dr. Yaşar Sarı from Ibn Haldun University, Prof. Dr. Çağla Gül Yesevi from Istanbul Kültür University and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kaan Kapan from Istanbul University. Visions and strategies for the future of the Turkic world were discussed in the panel.
Strengthening Economic and Commercial Cooperation for the 2040 Vision
In his presentation at the panel, Prof. Dr. Sarı stated that the Turkish world is not limited to the member countries of the Organization of Turkic States, but includes all communities speaking the Turkish language. Drawing attention to the importance of the steps taken by the Organization of Turkic States in the field of regional integration in recent years, Prof. Dr. Sarı emphasized that economic and commercial cooperation should be further deepened within the scope of the 2040 Vision. Later, Prof. Dr. Yesevi stated that the Turkish Green Vision accepted at the Bishkek Summit is a critical step for the sustainable development of the region. Stating that concrete projects will be implemented on issues such as drought, protection of water resources and renewable energy, Prof. Dr. Yesevi stated that transforming the Middle Corridor into a “Green Corridor” is among the priorities of the organization.
Geographical Unity Should Be Strengthened with Economic and Cultural Cooperation
Assoc. Kapan stated that the borders of the Turkic world are shaped not only by political maps but also by common history, language and cultural ties. Emphasizing that geography is an important factor in the process of creating a common identity for the Organization of Turkic States, Kapan said that the establishment of the Turkic Geographical Council within the organization is an important development in this field. Expressing that this initiative has brought about concrete changes in many areas from educational curricula to map terminology, Kapan said that the official use of the term Turkistan instead of Central Asia and the inclusion of the term Sea of Islands in educational textbooks have contributed to increasing geographical awareness.
Geographical Awareness is Being Gained with the Children's Atlas of the Turkic States
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kapan stated that the Children's Atlas of the Turkic States project aims to raise geographical awareness in children at an early age. He emphasized that it is of great importance to pass on the historical heritage and cultural partnerships of the Turkic world to new generations.
The event ended with a group photo shoot, and it was announced that the prepared exhibition will be open to visitors for a week.
