UNESCO has officially designated December 15 as World Turkic Language Family Day to promote shared linguistic and cultural heritage among Turkic-speaking nations. The decision came during UNESCO’s 43rd General Conference in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, where over 5,000 delegates from 194 countries gathered on October 30. The conference will continue until November 13.
Türkiye’s proposal gains wide support
The initiative, proposed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was discussed and approved with the joint support of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan. Türkiye’s Permanent Representative to UNESCO, Gulnur Aybet, thanked 26 co-sponsoring member states, including Turkmenistan, for backing the resolution.
Aybet noted that languages preserve the memory and identity of civilizations. She emphasized that Turkic languages connect more than 200 million people across vast regions, reflecting centuries of shared history and culture.
Honoring the Orkhon Inscriptions
December 15 marks the decoding of the Orkhon Inscriptions—the oldest written records of the Turkic language, dating to the 8th century. Aybet said the day symbolizes unity, dialogue, and the artistic legacy of Turkic civilizations. She added that UNESCO’s recognition reaffirms its dedication to multilingualism, diversity, and cultural understanding.
Türkiye welcomes UNESCO resolution
Türkiye’s Foreign Ministry welcomed the move, calling it a milestone for preserving and promoting Turkic languages. “This resolution, drafted with our brotherly Turkic states, strengthens efforts to safeguard the Turkic language and pass it on to future generations,” the ministry stated.
The ministry also recalled that Danish linguist Vilhelm Thomsen first deciphered the Orkhon Inscriptions on December 15, 1893, marking the date’s historic significance.
