Ankara, capital of Türkiye, hosted an international conference on the topic “National Identity and Heritage of Compatriots”.

The conference was organized by the Kirkuk Cultural Association, with the support of the State Committee on Work with Diaspora at Gazi University. It brought together scholars, public figures, and representatives of the diaspora from various countries.

The event began with playing the national anthems of Azerbaijan and Türkiye, and commemorating the dear memory of Turkic world’s martyrs. This added special spiritual value and symbolic meaning to the event.

In his opening speech, Shemsettin Kuzeji, Head of the Kirkuk Cultural Association, greeted the conference participants, and spoke about the significance of the event. He highlighted that preserving the national identity, maintaining shared values, and passing them on to future generations are of particular importance in the modern era.

Vagif Seyidbayov, Deputy Chairman of the State Committee on Work with Diaspora briefed on successfully developing the diaspora policy under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev. He stated that the Azerbaijani state consistently paid attention to strengthening ties with our compatriots living abroad, protecting their rights, and preserving their national and cultural identity. He stressed that the long-term projects implemented in this direction make a significant contribution to the protection and promotion of national values.

Muyesser Emin, advisor to the Embassy of Iraq to Türkiye, Bulent Aksoy, professor of Gazi University Turkish World Research Centre wished success for the conference.

Within the framework of the conference, the panel discussions provided a comprehensive analysis of the topic “National Identity and Heritage of Compatriots” from various perspectives. The panel was moderated by Professor Ahmet Tashkin of Ankara Haci Bayram Veli University. Orkhan Isayev, senior researcher at the Institute of Literature named after Nizami Ganjavi of ANAS and Doctor of Philosophy in Philology, Tarık Sulo Cevizci, Member of Parliament of Syria, Adil Sekran Zeynelabidin, an Iraqi scholar, and Khaled Ismail, Head of the Azerbaijan House in Lebanon, held extensive discussions on the topic and presented significant ideas from both scientific and practical perspectives.

The next panel of the event continued at the “Azerbaijani Turkish Language Study Room” established at Gazi University with the support of the Azerbaijan Cultural Center under the Embassy of Azerbaijan to Türkiye. The panel discussed the topics on “National Identity and Compatriot Heritage – the Foundation of Azerbaijani National Identity History,” “The Heritage of Turkmen Alevism and Bektashism in the Context of National Identity,” and “Turkmen National Identity and Compatriot Heritage in the Diaspora: Problems of Historical Memory and Expectations from the Diaspora”.

The conference concluded with a cultural program. A rich and diverse cultural program was presented to the participants, showcasing the cultural heritage of Azerbaijan and the Turkic world.