Erdoğan hails shared history, cultural ties among Turkic nations

ANKARA

DHA Photo

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Oct. 11 that the partnership among Turkic nations extends far beyond geographical borders, emphasizing their shared history, culture and emotional bonds.

“Our partnership goes far beyond the borders drawn on maps. Our journey together is built on a deep-rooted history, a rich culture and very strong bonds of affection,” Erdoğan said in a video message sent to the Turkic World Youth Gathering held at a congress center in the northwestern city of Kocaeli.

Greeting the participants and wishing the event success, Erdoğan expressed his pleasure that the gathering, which he personally announced during a youth meeting in May, was being held in Türkiye.

He welcomed young people attending the event from different parts of the Turkic world and conveyed his greetings and affection to friendly and brotherly peoples through the participants.

Erdoğan also congratulated his ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) Directorate for Relations with Turkic States and everyone involved in organizing the gathering, which brought together young people from across the Turkic world under the motto “Shared Heritage, One Heart.”

“I would like to emphasize that our partnership goes far beyond the borders drawn on maps,” he said. “Our journey together is built on a deep-rooted history, a rich culture and very strong bonds of affection,” he added.

“In this regard, I consider it very important that the children of Anatolia come together with you, my young brothers and sisters from different regions of the Turkic world. We will continue to provide the strongest possible support to you, young people who unite your energies around a common ideal toward a prosperous future.”

Erdoğan also highlighted the upcoming 13th summit of the Organization of Turkic States, scheduled to take place in Ankara later this month.

On Oct. 3, Erdoğan marked Turkic States Cooperation Day in a post on social media.

“On this path of brotherhood... I wish for our unity, togetherness and solidarity to endure,” he wrote.

The agreement, signed on Oct. 3, 2009, established the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States, known as the Turkic Council. Türkiye, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan were its founding members.

The council grew out of a series of summits of Turkic-speaking countries launched in 1992 after the breakup of the Soviet Union. Uzbekistan joined in 2019, bringing membership to five.

The group adopted its current name, the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), at a summit in Istanbul in November 2021. Hungary, Turkmenistan and Turkish Cyprus hold observer status.