December 15 - World Turkic Languages Day
At the 43rd session of the UNESCO General Conference held in Samarkand, a resolution was adopted on the establishment of World Turkic Languages Day. This initiative was put forward by Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, and Uzbekistan, and it was supported by 21 countries.
The initiative is aimed at strengthening international cooperation in the field of linguistic research, education, and cultural exchange. Within the framework of the date, various cultural presentations and events will be organized - exhibitions, lectures, literary evenings, and artistic performances. Their goal is to demonstrate the cultural and social significance of the Turkic language family, highlight the cultural diversity of Turkic-speaking states, and raise awareness of the contribution of these languages to the development of humanity.
"Choosing a date is symbolic and deeply meaningful. On December 15, 1983, the Danish linguist Wilhelm Thomsen announced that the Orkhon alphabet, one of the oldest known written sources, had been successfully deciphered. The inscriptions were created by ancient Turks in the 8th century AD in the Orkhon Valley in the territory of present-day Mongolia and were discovered in 1889. Thomsen's achievement provides an invaluable understanding of the language tradition that connects dozens of communities across Eurasia today," the UN News Service said.
According to UNESCO, Azerbaijani, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Turkish, Turkmen, and Uzbek, belonging to the Turkic language family, are the native languages of more than 200 million people in an area of approximately 12 million square kilometers. The rich documentary heritage in Turkic languages, as well as vibrant oral traditions, unites more than 10 countries.
