CULTURE
Gunay Afandiyeva joins video conference dedicated to 1300th anniversary of construction of Bilge Tonyukuk monument



Baku, September 11, AZERTAC
Organized by the Turkish National Commission for UNESCO, a video conference dedicated to the 1300th anniversary of the construction of the monument to Bilge Tonyukuk has been held.
The event was attended by heads and representatives of international Turkic organizations - TURKPA, TURKSOY, the International Turkic Academy, the International Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and also Deputy Minister of Education of Turkey, heads and secretaries general of the National Commissions of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Turkey and Uzbekistan for UNESCO, as well as Turkish scientists.
In his opening remarks, chairman of the Turkish National Commission for UNESCO Ocal Oguz noted that the purpose of the event is to exchange views on the protection of the Tonyukuk monument, which occupies a significant place in Turkic history, as well as to discuss the texts of the monument from the point of view of UNESCO values.
President of the International Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation Gunay Afandiyeva addressed the conference. In her speech the president of the Foundation stressed that the Tonyukuk monument is a tangible and spiritual value of the Turkic-speaking peoples, and the fact that the word "Turk" was first discovered in written sources covering the events of the Gokturk period is of great importance for the entire Turkic World. She noted that the Tonyukuk monument, reflecting the foundations of the national identity and cultural heritage of the Turkic peoples, can be considered the starting point of historical values of the whole Turkic World.
Gunay Afandiyeva stressed that the International Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation will continue to support projects related to the study of Turkic culture and history. The president of the Foundation also noted that a number of programs related to Tonyukuk monument will be implemented to familiarise young people and the new generations with rich Turkic heritage and promote these values in the international arena.
In conclusion, Gunay Afandiyeva stressed that the International Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation will support initiatives to protect the cultural heritage of the Turkic world, both within UNESCO projects and around the globe.
The conference continued with an exchange of views on the inclusion of information about the Tonyukuk monument in educational programs, on the implementation of appropriate measures for its protection, as well as for the protection of historical and cultural monuments of the Turkic world as a whole.