Organization of Turkic States, TURKPA, TURKSOY, Turkic Academy and Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation (Turkic Cooperation Organizations) and the Permanent Missions of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Türkiye and Uzbekistan to the UN Geneva Office co-organized Turkic Week in Geneva on 22-25 April 2024 hosted by the UN Geneva Office, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), and the Geneva Conservatory of Music. TURKPA was represented in the event by a delegation led by Acting Deputy Secretary General Saky Sadykov.
The four-day program was dedicated to the promotion of common Turkic heritage and spotlighting future trajectory of Turkic cooperation, as well as underlining the contributions of the Turkic Cooperation Organizations (TCOs) to the promotion of cultural diversity, mutual respect and understanding in the region, and to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals.
The event brought together heads and representatives of TCOs, international organizations, Permanent Missions of Turkic states to the UN Geneva Office, parliamentarians from Turkic states, government officials, academic figures, representatives of civil society organizations, and the private sector.
Turkic Week kicked off with the grand opening of the Turkic World Exhibition on 22 April curated by TURKSOY and Turkic Academy. The opening ceremony was attended by Director General of the UN Geneva Office Tatyana Valovaya, Secretary General of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) Kubanychbek Omuraliev, Secretary General of TURKSOY Sultan Raev, President of the Turkic Academy Shahin Mustafayev, President of Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation Aktoty Raimkulova, Permanent Representative of Azerbaijan to the UN Geneva Office Ambassador Galib Israfilov, Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan to the UN Geneva Office Ambassador Yerlan Alimbayev, Permanent Representative of Kyrgyzstan to the UN Geneva Office Ambassador Omar Sultanov, Permanent Representative of Türkiye to the UN Geneva Office Ambassador Güven Begeç, Permanent Representative of Türkiye to the World Trade Organization (WTO) Ambassador Alpaslan Acarsoy, Senior Representative of the UNAOC Geneva Office Ambassador Hakan Kıvanc, Consul General of Türkiye in Geneva İpek Zeytinoğlu Özkan, members of the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan Anar Mammadov and the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye Osman Mesten, Harun Özgür Yıldızlı, Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu and Filiz Kılıç, representatives of international organizations, as well as the Turkish community in Geneva.
The exhibition showcased the rich cultural heritage of the Turkic World, including cultural artifacts, paintings, handicrafts, national costumes, and national cuisine.
On the same day, the Сonference held under the theme "The OTS as an Emerging Actor for Achieving Sustainable Development Goals" focused on the role of Turkic cooperation in addressing global challenges and advancing sustainable development.
The second day of the event featured the Conference of the Turkic Cooperation Organizations themed “United in Heritage, Forward in Action: Turkic Cooperation Organizations” took place in the Palace of Nations.
Heads and representatives of TCOs delivered speeches at the Conference moderated by Permanent Representative of the Kyrgyz Republic to the Geneva Office Ambassador Omar Sultanov.
Secretary of the TURKPA Commission on Legal Affairs and International Relations Kadir Yaman read out the message from the Secretary General Mehmet Süreyya Er. In his address, Secretary General expressed hope that Turkic Week event would contribute to increasing the visibility of Turkic cooperation on the global stage.
The program of the day included a Gala Concert featuring colorful performances of TURKSOY artists.
Turkic Week in Geneva concluded with a concert performed by the famous Kazakh composer and pianist Rakhat-Bi Abdyssagin on 25 April.
