UNESCO designates World Turkic Language Family Day

UNESCO has designated December 15 as World Turkic Language Family Day for the promotion of a common language, culture and documentary heritage of Turkic-speaking states.

In Uzbekistan’s city of Samarkand, the draft resolution on Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s proposal to designate December 15 as World Turkic Language Family Day was discussed and approved during UNESCO’s 43rd General Conference.

Türkiye’s permanent representative to UNESCO Gulnur Aybet said that Turkic languages are spoken by more than 200 million people across a vast geography, represent a rich cultural tapestry woven through centuries of shared history and values.

“To all the Turkic states, namely Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan that have come together as joint submitters under the auspices of UNESCO to cherish, celebrate and promote our language family," Gulnur Aybet said.

She also thanked all 26 co-sponsoring member states, including Turkmenistan for their valuable support during the Executive Board.

“By recognizing the World Turkic Language Family Day, UNESCO once again reaffirms on this occasion the enduring commitment to multilingualism, cultural diversity and dialogue among peoples,” Gulnur Aybet said.