The 1st Muslim Diaspora Forum, titled “From Roots to Routes”, has commenced in Ankara, the capital of Türkiye, bringing together representatives of the member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), heads of diaspora organisations, government officials, experts and members of the public.

The forum aims to strengthen solidarity among Muslim diasporas, promote more active and effective engagement in their countries of residence, advance state-diaspora relations and identify new opportunities for international cooperation. It has brought together representatives from various countries on a common platform.

The forum was attended and addressed by Vice President of the Republic of Türkiye Cevdet Yılmaz, Chairman of the State Committee on Work with Diaspora of the Republic of Azerbaijan Fuad Muradov, Minister of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Türkiye Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye Musa Kulaklıkaya, Chairman of the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB) Abdulhadi Turus, Assistant Secretary-General for Palestine and Al-Quds Affairs at the OIC Dawas Dawas, Pakistan’s Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Chaudhry Salik Hussain, and Director General of the Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC) Zahra Zümrüt Selçuk.

The speakers highlighted the importance of ensuring closer cooperation and coordination among Muslim diasporas in addressing global challenges and making more effective use of the potential of diaspora communities.

Chairman of the State Committee on Work with Diaspora Fuad Muradov stated that President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev attaches particular importance to strengthening ties with Azerbaijanis living abroad, supporting their organisation, preserving their national identity and promoting their active integration into the social and political life of their countries of residence. It was noted that, in line with Azerbaijan’s diaspora policy, particular importance is attached to expanding ties and cooperation with Azerbaijani communities living in different parts of the world, further strengthening the activities of diaspora organisations, and supporting the development of Azerbaijani Houses, weekend schools and other diaspora institutions. Speaking about the work carried out to strengthen the solidarity of Azerbaijanis worldwide, the Chairman noted that the State Committee has organised more than 800 events in 70 countries around the world over the course of a year. He emphasised that these initiatives contribute to strengthening the organisation of compatriots and preserving national values. At the same time, he stressed that the responsibility of diaspora organisations has increased amid global challenges and rapidly changing international relations, while shared historical, religious and cultural values provide an important foundation for strengthening solidarity among diaspora communities. He stated: “In this regard, developing ties among Muslim diasporas, establishing mutual support mechanisms and promoting coordinated action on international platforms are of particular importance.” The Chairman of the State Committee noted that the theme “From Roots to Routes” accurately reflects the shared mission and priorities of the OIC member states: “Diaspora organisations should remain firmly connected to their roots while also opening new roads for future generations. These roads should bring our peoples closer together, connect our diasporas with their historical homelands and further strengthen cooperation among our nations. I am confident that this dialogue will, over time, evolve into concrete initiatives, joint projects and deeper institutional cooperation among institutions responsible for diaspora affairs in OIC member states.” The Chairman added that Azerbaijan has already established successful cooperation in this area with Türkiye, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Mexico, Kyrgyzstan, Romania and five other countries.

Within the framework of the forum, extensive discussions were held on the current challenges faced by Muslim diasporas and ways to address them, increasing the participation of diaspora organisations in the social life of their countries of residence, developing institutional relations between state institutions and diaspora communities, establishing platforms for joint activities, and sharing successful experiences from different countries.

The forum continued with panel discussions.