BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 3 On 2–3 September 2026, a series of literary, cultural and humanitarian events was held in Tashkent and the Tashkent Region, dedicated to the 35th Anniversary of the Independence of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the 100th Anniversary of the First Baku Turkological Congress, as well as the 585th anniversary of the great Uzbek poet and thinker Alisher Navoi and the 885th anniversary of the great poet and thinker Nizami Ganjavi.
The events were organized by the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation, the Ministry of Preschool and School Education of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Administration of the Tashkent Region, and the Writers’ Unions of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.
On 3 September, the Forum of Writers of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, titled “Spiritual Heritage of the Turkic World: Literature – A Dialogue of Eras and Generations”, was held as part of the initiative of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, H.E. Mr. Shavkat Mirziyoyev, to organize international events commemorating the anniversaries of Alisher Navoi and Nizami Ganjavi. The Forum aimed to promote the shared literary and cultural heritage, strengthen ties among Turkic countries, and foster creative cooperation.
The Forum was attended by Mr. Khayriddin Sultanov, Advisor to the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan; Mr. Malik Otarbayev, Advisor to the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan; Ms. E’zozkhon Karimova, Minister of Preschool and School Education of the Republic of Uzbekistan; Mr. Ozodbek Nazarbekov, Minister of Culture of the Republic of Uzbekistan; Mr. Sirojiddin Sayyid, Chairman of the Writers’ Union of Uzbekistan; Mr. Mereke Kulkenov, Chairman of the Writers’ Union of Kazakhstan; Mr. Yeraly Tugzhanov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Republic of Uzbekistan; Mr. Abdusaid Kuchimov, Director General of the National Information Agency of Uzbekistan (UzA); Professor Aktoty Raimkulova, President of the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation; as well as government and public figures from both countries, prominent writers, poets, scholars, and representatives of the creative community.
The Forum program began with a flower-laying ceremony at the monument to the great Alisher Navoi in Tashkent. This was followed by a photo exhibition featuring archival documents dedicated to the 100th Anniversary of the First Baku Turkological Congress at the Writers’ Union of Uzbekistan, along with a presentation of publishing projects of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation.
During the plenary session, moderated by Mr. Minkhojiddin Khojimatov, Deputy Chairman of the Writers’ Union of Uzbekistan, greetings from the Presidents of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Republic of Kazakhstan were conveyed. Representatives of government institutions and the literary communities of the two countries emphasized the particular significance of the Forum and the Tashkent Declaration for the further development of literary, cultural and humanitarian ties across the Turkic world.
President of the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation Professor Aktoty Raimkulova congratulated the brotherly people of Uzbekistan on the 35th Anniversary of Independence and highlighted the Forum’s special role in preserving the spiritual heritage of the Turkic peoples and passing it on to future generations.
“The prosperous future of a nation depends on preserving its language, culture, history and traditions, as well as transmitting spiritual values from generation to generation”, Professor Aktoty Raimkulova emphasized.
The President of the Foundation also noted that over the past two years, the organization had implemented around 200 projects and initiatives aimed at preserving, studying, and promoting the rich cultural heritage of the Turkic peoples.
As part of the Forum, a thematic session titled “Literary Dialogue between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan: Shared Heritage, Contemporary Perspectives and New Horizons for Cooperation” was held. Participants discussed the rich legacy of Alisher Navoi and Nizami Ganjavi, the centuries-old literary ties between the brotherly peoples, the preservation of shared historical and cultural memory, and the role of literature in bringing the peoples of the Turkic world spiritually closer together.
The program continued with a Round Table titled “New Horizons for Literary Cooperation in the Turkic World”, which focused on preserving and internationally promoting the shared literary heritage, developing translation activities, supporting young authors, implementing joint publishing projects, and digitizing literary heritage.
A historic outcome of the Forum was the adoption of the Tashkent Declaration. The document was signed by the Chairmen of the Writers’ Unions of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan and the President of the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation.
The Tashkent Declaration outlines specific areas for long-term literary, cultural and humanitarian cooperation across the Turkic world. The document provides for the further expansion of creative ties among writers, intensified efforts to study, translate, and promote the shared literary heritage, the implementation of joint publishing and research initiatives, support for young authors, and stronger professional cooperation among literary and cultural institutions of the Turkic countries.
The adoption of the Declaration marked an important step towards establishing a sustainable platform for literary cooperation and further strengthening the shared cultural and humanitarian space of the Turkic world.
On the eve of the Forum, 2 September 2026, a ceremonial event marking the beginning of the 2026–2027 academic year was held at Secondary School No. 34 in the village of Karamanas, Bostanlyk District of the Tashkent Region. At the initiative of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, H.E. Mr. Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the school was named after the distinguished Kazakh writer Rakhmetolla Raimkulov.
Rakhmetolla Raimkulov was a writer, playwright, translator, veteran of the Second World War, and public figure whose literary legacy holds a distinguished place in the culture of Kazakhstan and contributes to strengthening the longstanding literary and spiritual ties between the Kazakh and Uzbek peoples.
The ceremony was attended by heads and representatives of government institutions, public figures, prominent writers from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, representatives of the creative community, teachers, students, and local residents. The event included the First Bell ceremony and an open lesson titled “Rakhmetolla Raimkulov: A Legacy Uniting Generations”.
Participants were also introduced to the renovated school library and a memorial corner dedicated to the writer’s life and work. The school library collection was enriched with new editions of Kazakh and Uzbek literature.
The events held on 2–3 September served as an important platform for strengthening cultural and humanitarian ties among the Turkic countries and demonstrated a shared commitment to preserving historical memory, advancing literary dialogue, and promoting the rich spiritual heritage of the Turkic world.
