Bishkek, September 26. Today, the capital of Kyrgyzstan hosted the international conference “The Legacy of Osmonaly Sydyk uulu in the Context of the Enlightenment Movement of the Turkic World”, dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the prominent educator, scholar, and public figure Osmonaly Sydyk uulu.
The event was organized by the International Turkic Academy in cooperation with the Ministry of Education of the Kyrgyz Republic and the National Academy “Manas” as part of Kyrgyzstan’s chairmanship of the Organization of Turkic States.
The conference brought together State Secretary of the Kyrgyz Republic Marat Imankulov, President of the Turkic Academy Shahin Mustafayev, Minister of Education of the Kyrgyz Republic Dogdurgul Kendirbaeva, Minister of Science, Higher Education and Innovation Bakhtiyar Orozov, Advisor to the President of the Kyrgyz Republic Arslan Koichiev, Chairman of the Commission on the Development of Historical Science under the President of the Kyrgyz Republic and member of the OTS Council of Elders Apas Zhumagulov, Rector of Kyrgyz-Turkish University “Manas” Alparslan Ceylan, President of the National Academy “Manas” Aziz Biimyrza uulu, as well as leading scholars and public figures.
The participants’ reports covered a wide range of topics, from the legacy of Osmonaly Sydyk uulu to the role of enlightenment and reformist movements that shaped the intellectual life of the Turkic peoples at the turn of the 19th–20th centuries.
Speaking at the opening of the conference, President of the Turkic Academy, Prof. Dr. Shahin Mustafayev emphasized the significance of Osmonaly Sydyk uulu’s works for the development of historical science.
“That is why the anniversary of Osmonaly Sydyk uulu is a significant event not only for Kyrgyzstan, but for the entire Turkic world,” said the President of the Turkic Academy.
Osmonaly Sydyk uulu is remembered as the first Kyrgyz historian and one of the foremost enlighteners of his time. Born in the Kochkor Valley, he was educated in a madrasa, mastered the Russian language, and engaged in dialogue with scholars and intellectuals of neighboring peoples. From a young age, Osmonaly collected materials on the origins of the Kyrgyz people—genealogical legends, folklore, and historical accounts—which later formed the foundation of his works.
The conference in Bishkek became an important platform for dialogue among scholars and intellectuals, united in their efforts to study and promote this rich historical and educational legacy.