On the 12^th of September the closing ceremony of the XIV International Symposium on Altaic Communities, dedicated to the 100^th anniversary of the First Turkological Congress, was held at the Main Building of ANAS.

At the closing ceremony, Ilhan Sahin, President of the Academic Institution of Altaic Societies and a professor at Istanbul 29 May University, made a speech highlighting the significance of the XIV International Symposium on Altaic Communities.

He noted that this year, the traditional symposium, which brings together Altaic scholars and fosters the strengthening of their scientific ties and the development of future collaborations, is dedicated to the centenary of the First Turkological Congress, held in Baku in 1926, an event that resonated widely in the scientific world.

Noting that nearly 120 scientists from various countries participated in the symposium held at ANAS from September 9 to 12, Professor Ilhan Shahin mentioned that this figure reflects the interest in the international scientific gathering and the prestige it has built up over the years.

Professor Ilhan Shahin expressed his gratitude to the regular participants of the symposium and to the colleagues who have contributed to the development of scientific cooperation. He noted that plans were in place to publish the papers presented at the symposium as a book and to distribute them to participants by the time of the next meeting, scheduled for next year.

Noting that the series of symposia bringing together Altaic studies scholars will continue next year, Professor Ilhan Shahin announced the decision to hold the next meeting in Ulaanbaatar, hosted by the Mongolian University of Science and Technology.

Subsequently, Sarkhan Khavari, Head of the Science and Education Department of the Presidium of ANAS, Doctor of Sciences in Philology and Associate Professor, noted that significant scientific papers were presented and extensive discussions took place during the XIV International Symposium on Altaic Communities held at ANAS.

Noting that the scholarly discussions held during the symposium create new opportunities for a deeper exploration of the shared history and the cultural and literary heritage of Turkic peoples, Sarkhan Khavari mentioned that expanding academic ties and continuing the mutual exchange of ideas in this area would remain of great importance in the period ahead.

Hikmat Guliyev, Director of the Institute of Folklore of ANAS and Doctor of Philological Sciences, mentioned that over the course of the four-day symposium held at ANAS, more than 120 presentations were delivered, covering various issues in Altaic and Turkic studies, including folklore, literature, history, language and culture.

The director noted that it was a highly significant event that the XIV International Symposium on Altaic Communities was dedicated to the centenary of the First Turkological Congress, which holded special importance for our country and the Turkic world as a whole. The First Turkological Congress, which brought together prominent intellectuals and scholars of the Turkic world a century ago, was not merely a platform for scholarly discussion; it was also a significant intellectual event in terms of shaping a shared scholarly perspective on the languages, history, literature, folklore and cultural heritage of Turkic peoples. By bringing together various fields of science, the congress laid an important foundation for defining the future directions of Turkological research.

Hikmat Guliyev mentioned that the diversity of topics discussed within the framework of the symposium and the participation of scholars representing various scientific fields had enabled the formation of a multidisciplinary scientific approach.

The convergence of perspectives from folklore studies, history, linguistics, literary studies, anthropology and cultural studies had made it possible to approach issues concerning the Altai and Turkic worlds within the context of the interrelationship of an entire scientific system, rather than merely through the lens of isolated disciplines. He noted that one of the key tasks facing modern Altaic studies and Turkology was precisely to elevate this multidisciplinary scientific cooperation to a more systematic and sustainable level.

It should be noted that the International Symposium on Altaic Communities is being held in Azerbaijan for the first time.