THE INTERNATIONAL ONLINE CONFERENCE «TURKESTAN - THE SPIRITUAL CAPITAL OF THE TURKIC WORLD» WAS HELD IN THE LIBRARY OF ELBASY

On April 16, the international online conference "Turkestan - the spiritual capital of the Turkic world" was held in the Library of Elbasy.

The event was organized by the Library of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan – Elbasy, the Ministry of Culture and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Nursultan Nazarbayev Foundation.

Kazakhstan and foreign statesmen and scientists discussed at the expert level the historical results of the informal summit of the Cooperation Council of Turkic-speaking states, held on March 31, 2021.

Opening the conference, its moderator, Director of the Library of Elbasy Bakytzhan Temirbolat noted that the informal summit of the Cooperation Council of Turkic-speaking states turned out to be informative and rich in important statements and agreements that can bring the partnership of the Turkic countries to a new stage of development, emphasizing the role of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan – Elbasy N. A. Nazarbayev..

- The Turkic civilization is self-sufficient and has all the opportunities to further develop on the basis of cultural identity and common values. President of Kazakhstan K. K. Tokayev noted at the summit that our goal is to turn the Turkic world into one of the most important economic, cultural and humanitarian regions of the XXI century. As you know, in culture, achievements are not directly measured by some economic benefit but they also contribute to the convergence of economies. Integration associations in Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America are developing on the basis of cultural and value community. A strong cultural identity has helped us, 175 million Turks, who were settled in various countries and regions, not to get lost in the vortex of history and to develop in the spirit of modern globalization. The patient work of TURKPA, TURKSOY, the Turkic Academy and the International Foundation for Turkic Culture and Heritage has made the Turkic Council an authoritative organization, and the very concept of the "Turkic world" has become a generally recognized part of the international discourse," B. Temirbolat said.

– In 2000, at a scientific conference dedicated to the 1500th anniversary of Turkestan, Elbasy said:" We will make Turkestan a regional center". The restoration of the historical status of Turkestan has a special meaning. Because Turkestan is a sacred land with a centuries-old history, a vital artery of the Great Silk Road connecting Europe and Asia, a sacred city that was the capital of the Kazakh khanate. This is the place where there is a unique historical monument of the Turkic peoples of Central Asia and Kazakhstan – the mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi. From the very beginning of Independence, the revival of Turkestan, giving it the status of a common spiritual center of the Turkic peoples, was the dream and goal of Elbasy. This dream has become a reality today", said Umirzak Shukeyev, akim of the Turkestan region in his welcoming speech.

– We are witnessing the historical moment of the revival of the political, spiritual and cultural center of all the Turkic peoples. For more than two millennia, being at the junction of the main caravan routes from Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva to the north, Turkestan remained a place of colossal attraction and solution of key political and economic issues, a place of great pilgrimage for many Turkic peoples. ... A huge role in the revival of Turkestan belongs to the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan – Elbasy Nursultan Abishevich Nazarbayev, who on June 19, 2018, made a landmark decision on the formation of the Turkestan region, the center of which was the historical city of Turkestan. From that moment, the new history of the city that connected China and Europe, Central Asia and the Great Steppe through the Great Silk Road began. Thanks to this historical decision, the ancient city with more than 1,500 years of history, many historical, cultural, tourist, and religious monuments has got a new look and attracts tourists from all over the world, said Minister of Culture and Sports Aktoty Raimkulova.

In his report, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Shakhrat Nuryshev focused on the results of the informal summit of the Cooperation Council of Turkic-speaking states, stressing that as a result of the wise policy of the leaders of these countries, the Turkic integration had reached a new level, and we are experiencing the "Turkic renaissance".
– The growing prestige and economic power of the Turkic states, which share common roots, historical, cultural and national values, make cooperation at the international and regional levels more and more attractive. The availability of energy resources and favorable geographical location define our countries as an important component of the world economy, " he said.
– The Turkic world should be united, we should strengthen our faith together and move forward. The decisions taken at the summit are of great importance not only for the Turkic world but also for other regions. Our work is aimed at reviving spiritual culture, and we will strive to ensure that the Turkic world is strong. Aksakal of the Turkic world, Chairman of the Cooperation Council of Turkic-speaking states Nursultan Nazarbayev has done a lot of work, and I want to thank him for his tireless work and his initiative to declare Turkestan the spiritual center of the Turkic world. Thanks to the development and prosperity of Turkestan, our common values, we will be able to strengthen the identity of the entire Turkic world", Adviser to the President of the Republic of Turkey Yalcin Topcu said in his speech.

- Turkestan is the cradle of the entire Turkic world and its spiritual capital. I think that all the Turkic peoples will agree with this. This is evidenced by the last summit. The declaration adopted by the heads of the Turkic-speaking states officially declares this. And this is not a formality, Turkestan has played a special historical, economic, cultural and spiritual role for many centuries", said Bagdat Amreyev, Secretary-General of the Cooperation Council of Turkic-speaking states.

Deputy of the National Assembly of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Chairman of the Ataturk Center in Azerbaijan Nizami Jafarov noted during the conference that the informal summit of the Cooperation Council of Turkic-speaking states raised a number of important cultural, economic and political events that have recently occurred in the Turkic world.

– We are pleased to note that the summit meetings, which were decided upon by the heads of the Turkic states, have an official international status, a high format and represent the will of the Turkic peoples", he said.
         President of the International Turkic Academy Darkhan Kydyrali stressed the role of the summit in determining the status of Turkestan, giving impetus to its potential and strengthening its overall Turkic significance, noting that the "Turkestan Declaration" can be considered another important step in strengthening Kazakhstan's leadership in the Turkic world.
         Murat Zhumanbay, Managing Director of the Corporate Foundation "Elbasy Academy", noted in his report that for many years the Turkic world has sought unity, and many Turkic ideologists, thinkers and politicians have called for the unity of the divided Turkic people.
– In recent years, the relevance of common problems for the Turkic world has increased dramatically. This is directly related to the gradual strengthening of the idea of Turkic unity. Today, the Turkic countries have enough opportunities and potential to build a common bright future", he stressed.
– In 2018, the First President of Kazakhstan - Elbasy Nursultan Nazarbayev, speaking about Turkestan, used the expression "for many centuries, it has been the political and spiritual heart of the Kazakh Khanate and the entire Turkic world". This year I participated in the International Media Forum and was able to personally witness all the wonderful achievements that have taken place in this dear city. I was once again convinced of how true the words of the respected Elbasy were. We can say with confidence that Turkestan will forever remain the heart of Kazakhstan and the entire Turkic world", said Deputy Secretary-General of TURKSOY Bilal Chakydzhi.
During the conference, the reports were also presented by the Rector of the International Kazakh-Turkish University named after Khoja Ahmed Yasavi Zhanar Temirbekova, archaeologist Zainolla Samashev, Head of the Department of "Philosophy and the Foundations of Spirituality" of the National University of Uzbekistan named after Mirzo Ulugbek Niginakhon Shermukhamedova, Director of the Center for Political Studies of the Institute of Philosophy, Political Science and Religious Studies of the Committee for Science, Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan Aidar Amrebayev, historian, Associate Professor of the Eurasian National University named after L. N. Gumilyov Zhaksylyk Sabitov.