Cultural figures, academics, and artists from across the Turkic world gathered in Khiva, Uzbekistan, for the 2nd Turkic World Culture Forum. The event was hosted by the Ministry of Culture of Uzbekistan in collaboration with TÜRKSOY.

The opening ceremony featured speeches by Uzbek Minister of Culture Ozodbek Nazarbekov, Azerbaijani Minister of Culture Adil Karimli, Kyrgyz Deputy Minister of Culture Gulbara Abdykalykova, TÜRKSOY Secretary General Sultan Raev, TURKPA Secretary General Mehmet Süreyya Er, President of the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation Aktoty Raimkulova, and President of the Turkic Academy Shain Mustafayev.

In his speech, Sultan Raev emphasized that the cultural wealth of the Turkic world is a universal source of hope. He outlined TÜRKSOY’s efforts to preserve the shared identity of the Turkic nations through art, language, and traditions. Raev also noted the success of previous initiatives like the Korkut Ata Turkic World Film Festival and joint cultural productions, stressing the importance of sustainable cultural cooperation.

The forum’s sessions discussed key topics such as common principles in culture and arts among Turkic states and the digitalization of cultural heritage. Several cooperation protocols between universities and international organizations were signed during the forum.

Academics and cultural leaders from Türkiye, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, South Korea, and Tatarstan participated actively. Sultan Raev concluded his speech with verses from Kazakh poet Ulugbek Esdevletov, emphasizing unity and resilience.