Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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November 4, 2025 Culture and education
Participants in the 43rd session of the UNESCO General Conference, currently taking place in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, adopted a resolution establishing World Day of Turkic Languages. It will be celebrated on December 15.
As stated in the document, the proclamation of a World Day of Turkic Languages will contribute to the implementation of UNESCO's priorities in the areas of linguistic and cultural diversity, regional and global cooperation, and the preservation and development of oral traditions and forms of expression.
The Turkic languages item was included on the agenda at the request of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, and Uzbekistan, with the support of 21 member states. The choice of December 15 was no coincidence: on this day in 1893, Danish scholar Wilhelm Thomsen announced the decipherment of the Orkhon alphabet, one of the oldest written documents attesting to the origins of the Turkic language family, which gave rise to, among others, Azerbaijani, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Turkish, Turkmen, and Uzbek.
Within the framework of the World Day, various cultural presentations and events will be held, such as exhibitions, lectures, literary evenings, art performances, in order to demonstrate the cultural and social value of this language family as an object of cultural diversity of Turkic-speaking states, and to raise awareness of the Turkic language family and its contribution to the development of humanity.
Turkic languages are the mother tongue of more than 200 million people living in an area of approximately 12 million square kilometers in several UNESCO Member States.
General Conference
The General Conference, whose 43rd session is being held in Uzbekistan and will last until November 13, determines the direction and overall policies of UNESCO. Its responsibilities include determining the Organization's programs and budget. It also elects the members of the Executive Board and, every four years, appoints the Director-General.
The General Conference comprises representatives of all UNESCO Member States. It meets every two years and is attended by Member States and Associate Members, as well as observers from non-Member States, intergovernmental organizations, and non-governmental organizations. Each Member State has one vote at the General Conference, regardless of its population size or the size of its contribution to the budget.
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