BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 29. On May 27, 2025, during the official visit of the President of the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation, Mrs. Aktoty Raimkulova, to Samarkand for the ceremony granting the city the status of “Cultural Capital of the Islamic World 2025,” a significant event took place for the entire academic community of the Turkic world.
President of the Foundation Mrs. Raimkulova visited the Silk Road International Institute for Research at the Silk Road International University of Tourism and Cultural Heritage in Samarkand. During the visit, a Memorandum of Cooperation was signed between the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation and the Institute.
A key result of this agreement was the official opening of the Turkic Heritage Center, operating under the aegis of the Foundation and hosted by the Institute. The new Center will serve as a platform for academic collaboration, scientific research, and cultural exchange among the Turkic states.
The establishment of Turkic Heritage Centers is part of the Foundation’s strategic initiative to expand its scientific, educational, and cultural outreach. Such centers are already successfully operating in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, and new ones are planned to be opened in other Turkic countries in the near future.
These centers are intended to serve as key hubs for academic initiatives, the promotion of cultural values, and the preservation of the historical legacy of Turkic peoples. Scholars, experts, and students will come together at these centers to implement joint projects, deepen academic dialogue, and conduct interdisciplinary research aimed at a comprehensive study and understanding of the rich Turkic heritage.
The opening of the Center in Samarkand marks an important step in strengthening cultural and educational ties, as well as in advancing the rich and diverse heritage of the Turkic world on the international stage.
