The ceremony was attended by representatives of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the international cultural organization TURKSOY, the administration of the city and district of Ankara, rectors of Turkish universities, linguists, and language experts, as well as members of the public.
The Ambassador of Uzbekistan, Alisher Azamkhojayev, expressed his gratitude to the former mayor of Kecioren, Turgut Altınok, the current mayor, Mesut Özarslan, and the head of the Alisher Navoi Research Center at Baskent University, Professor Abdurahman Gozal, for their contribution to the installation of the monument to the great poet.
The event highlighted the significant work carried out at the initiative of the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, to deeply study the legacy of Alisher Navoi and promote it both in Uzbekistan and abroad. In 2021, the Alisher Navoi International Prize was established within the framework of the Organization of Turkic States, and an international public foundation named after Alisher Navoi was also created. It is planned to open the Alisher Navoi International Institute and its branches abroad to popularize the Uzbek language, culture, and traditions.
Monuments to Alisher Navoi have already been erected in cities such as Moscow, Dushanbe, Astana, Tokyo, Minsk, Shanghai, Seoul, and Baku.
As part of the ceremony, excerpts from the poet’s rubais and ghazals were read, and poetic discussions called "mushoir" were organized.
A Monument to Alisher Navoi Unveiled in Ankara
The capital of Turkey, Ankara, hosted the grand unveiling of a monument to the great Turkic poet and thinker Alisher Navoi. This momentous event marked the 33rd anniversary of Uzbekistan's independence.