BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 1. A permanent exhibition dedicated to Mahmud Kashgari’s renowned work “Divan Lughat al-Turk” opened on September 30, 2026, at the Kurmanjan Datka Nomadic Civilization Center in the Issyk-Kul Region of Kyrgyzstan.
The exhibition was first presented in Bishkek in 2024 before travelling to Astana and Turkistan in 2025–2026. It has now found a permanent home at Issyk-Kul. The initiative was launched with the support of Kyrgyzstan’s First Lady Aigul Japarova.
The project was implemented by the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation in cooperation with the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) and the Turkic World Foundation.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, President of the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation Professor Aktoty Raimkulova said she was pleased that the exhibition, which began its journey in Bishkek, would now remain permanently at Issyk-Kul.
Raimkulova described “Divan Lughat al-Turk” as an important window into the linguistic and cultural world of the Turkic peoples. She emphasized the exhibition’s role in preserving their common heritage and passing it on to future generations.
The ceremony also featured remarks by Türkiye’s Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan Mustafa Kemal Ökem, TİKA President Abdullah Eren, Turkic World Foundation Deputy Chairman Osman Özsoy, and Kyrgyzstan’s Deputy Minister of Culture, Information and Youth Policy Soyuzbek Nadyrbekov.
The speakers highlighted Mahmud Kashgari’s historical links with Issyk-Kul and the Barskan region, the importance of his work in the collective memory of the Turkic world, and the exhibition’s contribution to preserving and promoting Turkic cultural heritage.
Representatives of the diplomatic corps, government and cultural institutions, scholars, and local and international guests attended the opening.
Organizers expect the permanent exhibition to serve as a space connecting history with the present, while giving visitors an opportunity to explore the linguistic, historical and cultural richness of the Turkic world.
