The UNESCO General Conference in Samarkand has proclaimed December 15 as the World Turkic Languages Day

At the 43rd session of the UNESCO General Conference in Samarkand, member states of the organization unanimously approved the initiative to proclaim December 15 as World Turkic Languages Day.

This initiative was proposed by Uzbekistan, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan, with the co-authorship of 26 UNESCO member states.

December 15 was chosen as the date for celebrating World Turkic Languages Day because, on this day in 1893, Danish scholar Vilhelm Thomsen announced the decipherment of the Orkhon inscriptions, one of the oldest documents attesting to the origins of Turkic languages.

The General Conference resolution notes that Turkic languages are native to more than 200 million people across a territory of about 12 million square kilometers in several UNESCO member states.

The proclamation of World Turkic Languages Day will promote linguistic and cultural diversity, regional and global cooperation, the preservation and development of oral traditions and forms of expression of Turkic peoples, as well as the implementation of UNESCO priorities in these areas.

This initiative also serves as a new impetus for active research, educational and informational activities, and international cooperation on Turkic languages, promoting the cultural and documentary heritage of Turkic-speaking countries.

It is planned that, as part of the annual celebration of World Turkic Languages Day, various cultural presentations and events will be held, such as exhibitions, lectures, literary evenings, and artistic performances, showcasing the cultural and social value of Turkic languages and raising awareness of their contribution to the development of humanity.