Aktau, November 29, 2025 – The Europe Today: A Turkmen delegation, led by Turkmenistan’s Minister of Culture Atageldy Shamyradov, participated in the 42nd Meeting of the Permanent Council of Ministers of Culture of the International Organization of Turkic Culture (TURKSOY), held in Aktau, the 2025 Cultural Capital of the Turkic World.
The meeting was conducted in a constructive, businesslike format, facilitating productive discussions on current issues of cultural and humanitarian cooperation among Turkic states.
During the session, the Permanent Council approved the Activity Report and Financial Report of the TURKSOY General Secretariat for the past period. The Council also acknowledged information from Kazakhstan on the implementation of events held throughout the year as part of the Cultural Capital program.
The Council heard a report from Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Culture on Andijan being proclaimed the Cultural Capital of the Turkic World for 2026 and reviewed the program of planned events. Additionally, the Council instructed the TURKSOY General Secretariat to prepare a draft document on the development and strengthening of the Organization, in line with decisions made at the 12th Summit of the Organization of Turkic States. The draft will be submitted to member states for review, with final approval scheduled for the next Council meeting.
The Permanent Council also endorsed the TURKSOY Strategic Document for 2026–2028 and approved the Program of Activities for 2026, based on member state proposals and the Organization’s traditional events. As part of the decisions adopted, the powers of the TURKSOY Interim Coordinator for the 43rd period have been transferred to Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Culture, with the 43rd Council meeting scheduled to take place in Andijan in 2026.
The closing ceremony of the “Aktau – Cultural Capital of the Turkic World 2025” year featured a cultural program highlighting the rich heritage of the Turkic world and officially passed the baton for the 2026 Cultural Capital title to Andijan.
Turkmenistan’s participation reaffirmed the country’s commitment to strengthening cooperation within TURKSOY, enhancing humanitarian ties, and promoting cultural interaction with other Turkic states.
