World Turkic Languages Family Day

15 December World Turkic Language Family Day is an internationally recognized cultural and linguistic day that highlights the common origins and cultural and historical ties of the Turkic languages. This day has been established to increase visibility of the Turkic language family within the global linguistic landscape, strengthen cultural cooperation among Turkic world countries, and contribute to the preservation of linguistic diversity.

Language is the identity, cultural memory and civilizational building tool of a society. In this context, Turkish language family is the carrier of thousands of years of shared history and cultural heritage. The proclamation of 15 December as World Turkic Language Family Day constitutes a strategic initiative aimed at enhancing the international visibility of Turkic language families, promoting language preservation, language policies and cultural cooperation. This initiative, shaped through collaboration between UNESCO and Turkic states, represents symbolic and tangible gains for the Turkic language family and the Turkic world.

Historical Reference: Orhun Inscriptions

15 December is symbolically associated with the Orhun Inscriptions, regarded as the first major written legacy of the Turkic language. The decipherment of the Orhun Inscriptions marked a pivotal moment in understanding the written history of the Turkic language. Therefore, 15 December has been adopted as a historical and cultural date for the Turkic language family.

Symbolic Date Selection

The choice of date is grounded in scientific and symbolic foundations. The decipherment of the Orhun Inscriptions holds symbolic significance in demonstrating the historical depth of the Turkic language. Hence, the selection of 15 December as “World Turkic Language Family Day” reflects the objective of connecting the language with its historical depth and cultural roots. UNESCO’s announcement also emphasized this symbolic meaning.

Proclamation Process: Proposal, Diplomacy and Decision

At the Organization of Turkic States (TDT) Summit of Heads of State held in Azerbaijan in 2025, President of the Republic of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan proposed declaring 15 December as World Turkic Language Family Day. This proposal was reflected in the Gəbələ Declaration, adopted at the conclusion of the summit, which included a call to submit the draft decision to UNESCO.

During this process, the Gəbələ Declaration decided that the draft decision would be reviewed at the 222nd session of the UNESCO Executive Board and subsequently put to a vote at the 43rd Session of the UNESCO General Conference.

Joint Sponsors and Multilateral Support

The draft decision was jointly submitted to UNESCO by Türkiye, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. Support was expanded through the participation of 26 countries as co-sponsors. This multilateral presentation was designed to advance a global vision. The decision aims to leverage the multilateral platform provided by UNESCO.

UNESCO Process and General Conference Approval

The draft decision, presented at the 43rd Session of UNESCO’s General Conference in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, represented by Türkiye’s Minister of National Education Yusuf Tekin, was reviewed and adopted by a majority vote. With this adopted decision, 15 December was officially proclaimed as World Turkic Language Family Day. According to UNESCO’s announcement, the decision was influenced by consultation processes involving the Organization of Turkic States, UNESCO National Commissions and relevant national institutions.

Core Objectives

• International visibility: To ensure recognition of the Turkic language family within the UNESCO framework.
• Language preservation and transmission: To protect, research and transmit Turkic languages to future generations.
• Cultural cooperation: To develop collaboration and coordination among Turkic states in the fields of language, culture, education and publishing.
• Awareness and activities: To focus on the Turkic language family annually on 15 December through conferences, panels, publications and events.

International Impact and Cooperation Dimensions

World Turkic Language Family Day aims to strengthen cultural and linguistic ties among Turkic states. The Organization of Turkic States provided both intellectual consensus and logistical support in preparing the decision. The adoption of the decision seeks not only to raise linguistic awareness among Turkish-speaking communities but also to generate new momentum for joint cultural projects and language preservation initiatives.

A decision to establish an international day dedicated to a language family represents an initiative aligned with UNESCO’s broader agenda for language preservation and diversity. This positions the Turkic language family within the cultural heritage context of linguistic diversity.

Reflections and Implementation in Türkiye

The decision to proclaim 15 December as World Turkic Language Family Day has been welcomed in Türkiye. Following UNESCO’s decision, Türkiye’s Permanent Delegation to UNESCO and cultural and educational institutions played an active role in drafting the text. The Ministry of National Education and the UNESCO Türkiye National Commission plan to organize cultural, educational and scientific events annually on 15 December.

Educational, Research and Publishing Policies

This initiative aims to encourage the expansion of language education programs through the perspective of the Turkic language family. Publishing, language atlases, dialect studies, comparative linguistics research and project support mechanisms can serve as its components.

Evaluation and Perspectives

The proclamation of World Turkic Language Family Day holds the potential to grant the Turkic language family international recognition and create new opportunities for preserving its linguistic heritage. This potential can be realized through continuous, institutional and resource-oriented practices, supported by societal engagement. For example:

• International projects: Language education, publishing, digital platforms and translation initiatives among Turkic states.
• Academic infrastructure: Support for research centers focused on Turkic languages, student and grant programs.
• Educational integration: Incorporating the perspective of the Turkic language family into curricula from early education through university level.
• Public participation and awareness: Contributions to public linguistic awareness through book fairs, cultural events, competitions and media projects.
• Integration with international norms: Collaborative efforts aligned with UNESCO’s language preservation programs and compatibility with United Nations multilingualism principles.