BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 7. An international scientific conference titled "Nomadic Civilizations: Heritage, Paradigms, and Perspectives" was held in the Kyrgyz Republic from August 31 to September 6, 2026, within the framework of the VI World Nomad Games.
Within the framework of the conference, an international panel session entitled “Cultural Heritage of the Turkic World – A Factor of Unity and Sustainable Development” was organized at the initiative of the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation.
The panel session brought together scholars, researchers and cultural heritage specialists from various countries. Extensive discussions were held on the preservation, study and transmission of the common cultural heritage of the Turkic peoples to future generations, as well as on the role of cultural heritage in strengthening unity in the Turkic world and supporting sustainable development.
At the opening of the panel session, Leyla Hasanova, a representative of the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation, delivered a speech on behalf of the President of the Foundation, Professor Aktoty Raimkulova. In the opening speech, it was emphasized that the World Nomad Games are not only a sporting competition, but also an important international platform that keeps alive the common history, identity and values of the Turkic peoples and brings together scholars, artists, athletes and representatives of culture.
It was stated that the preservation of the rich nomadic heritage should not be limited only to its presentation, but should be accompanied by continuous cooperation in the areas of conducting scientific research, preserving traditional knowledge and transmitting cultural heritage to future generations. In this regard, it was noted that the World Nomad Games create an important opportunity for deepening cultural cooperation in the Turkic world.
Nuri Aksu, another representative of the Foundation who acted as co-moderator of the panel session, made a presentation on the activities of the organization and its large-scale projects.
During the panel, one of the Foundation’s important projects, “The Cultural Code of the Turkic World” – the Catalogue of the Cultural Heritage of the Turkic World, was also presented. It was noted that the Catalogue presents the richness and diversity of the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of the Turkic peoples, as well as the common spiritual values that have united them for centuries. The project was also assessed as an important first step towards the creation of the Common Turkic Heritage List.
One of the notable moments of the panel session was the awarding by the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation of specialists who contributed to the preparation of the “Cultural Code of the Turkic World” Catalogue. Sabira Soltongeldiyeva, Secretary General of the National Commission of the Kyrgyz Republic for UNESCO; Aibek Samakov, Adviser to the Commission and Deputy Director of the Division of Cultural Heritage and Humanities at the University of Central Asia; as well as Cholponai Usubalieva-Grishuk, a representative of the Aigine Cultural Research Center, were awarded by the Foundation for their valuable contributions to the project.
During the panel discussions, the role of the common Turkic cultural heritage in strengthening regional cooperation and cultural sustainability was emphasized, and the importance of expanding scientific and institutional cooperation for its preservation and transmission to future generations was noted.
During the opening of the conference, Mr. Arslan Koychiev, State Secretary of the Kyrgyz Republic, visited the Museum of Nomadic Civilizations named after Kurmanjan Datka. He viewed the exhibition hall dedicated to Mahmud al-Kashgari’s work Dīwān Lughāt al-Turk, which was established with the support of the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation, alongside financial support from TİKA and the Turkic World Foundation, but has not yet officially opened.The establishment of the exhibition hall was carried out at the initiative and under the direction of H.E. Aigul Japarova, First Lady of the Kyrgyz Republic.
It should be noted that the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation has supported a number of important projects aimed at preserving the rich historical and cultural heritage of Kyrgyzstan. Thus, at the initiative and with the support of the Foundation, the house museum of prominent Kyrgyz poet Alykul Osmonov was restored, and a contribution was made to the preservation and restoration of the ancient settlement belonging to the Karakhanids, located in the Krasnaya Rechka area.
Along with this, the Foundation has also implemented a number of other projects in Kyrgyzstan aimed at the research, publication, promotion and transmission of the common Turkic heritage to younger generations.
