Today, on October 4, 2024, the official opening of the 2nd Congress on the History of Turkic Statehood took place, focusing on the theme “The Statehood of Turkic Peoples in the Chinggisid Era.” The event is organized by the Turkic Academy in collaboration with the Turkish Historical Society under the Atatürk Supreme Council for Culture, Language, and History and the Scientific Institute for the Study of the Ulus of Jochi, under the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Kazakhstan.
The Congress is timed to coincide with the 800th anniversary of the founding of the Ulus of Jochi, a key event that played a significant role in the history of the Turkic world and Eurasia as a whole. It is noteworthy that this historical milestone is being officially commemorated in Kazakhstan under the initiative of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.
The international Congress brought together leading scholars and representatives of the diplomatic corps from Turkic countries, as well as participants from Mongolia, Korea, Russia, the United States, Austria, Bulgaria and Ukraine. The event was personally attended by President of the Turkic Academy Shahin Mustafayev, head of the Turkish Historical Society Yüksel Özgen, Rector of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University Zhanseit Tuimebayev and Director of the Institute for the Study of the Ulus of Jochi Zhaksylyk Sabitov.
In his opening remarks, President of the Turkic Academy Shahin Mustafayev, emphasized the importance of regularly hosting such events to strengthen scientific cooperation and promote an objective, fact-based understanding of the history of Turkic peoples, which, in turn, fosters a deeper appreciation of their shared heritage.
“History is the foundation of national identity. It gives higher meaning to the existence of peoples, unites them and helps to find common values,” said Mustafayev. “However, we also see how distortions of historical facts can provoke conflicts, even among brotherly nations. Our task is to prevent such manipulations and create narratives that are understandable and relevant to all Turkic peoples.”
It should be noted that the first Congress was held last year in Cholpon-Ata, Kyrgyzstan, to mark the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Türkiye.
The Congress will focus on the Chinggisid era, which significantly influenced the political history of the Turkic peoples and the development of their culture.
“The Chinggisid period had a tremendous impact on the political and ethnic history of the Turkic peoples. Its significance cannot be overstated—it was an era that united the peoples of the common Turkic space into a new, globalized world of that time,” said the Academy's president.
The Congress will continue over the next two days, during which scholars will present reports on various aspects of the history of Turkic states during the Chinggisid era.