From July 24 to 26, the second Summer Camp for young people from Turkic peoples living in Kyrgyzstan was held in Kyrgyzstan’s Issyk-Kul region, with the support of Azerbaijan’s State Committee on Work with the Diaspora. The camp was dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the First Turkological Congress, held in Baku in 1926.
The opening ceremony was attended by Meder Karybayev, deputy chairman of the National Agency for Religious Affairs and Interethnic Relations under the President of the Kyrgyz Republic; Ali Baytalov, head of a department at Azerbaijan’s State Committee on Work with the Diaspora, and committee employee Rashad Mammadov; Tilek Urkunchiyev, head of the Secretariat of the Council of the Assembly of the People of Kyrgyzstan; Khansivar Bakhsaliyev, chairman of the “Birlik” Azerbaijani Public Association operating in Kyrgyzstan; as well as representatives of national-cultural associations and youth organizations from Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
The main objectives of the project were to strengthen interethnic dialogue, expand cooperation among young people, promote common Turkic values, contribute to the development of cultural and humanitarian ties, and create a favorable environment for developing new initiatives.
During the official opening, the guests spoke about the historic role of the First Turkological Congress in strengthening the scientific and cultural unity of the Turkic world and emphasized the importance of passing this legacy on to future generations. Videos dedicated to the history of Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan and the First Turkological Congress were also screened during the ceremony.
The program included educational lectures and interactive seminars on the history and culture of Turkic peoples, leadership skills, environmental protection and climate change, as well as intellectual competitions, team games, sports activities and an excursion to the “Ruh Ordo” Cultural Center. Working in thematic groups, the young participants exchanged views and experiences and put forward various initiatives. At the end of the program, they were awarded certificates.
During the closing ceremony, outstanding participants and organizers were presented with awards. The program concluded with a traditional farewell bonfire, which became a symbol of friendship, solidarity and lasting cooperation among young people from the Turkic world.
The organizers expressed confidence that continuing the initiative in the coming years would make an important contribution to strengthening mutual trust among young people from the Turkic world, preserving their shared historical and cultural heritage, expanding intercultural dialogue and creating new opportunities for cooperation.