ASTANA – Aktau, Kazakhstan’s city on the shores of the Caspian Sea, officially became the cultural capital of the Turkic world in 2025 on April 5. The event featured a grand opening ceremony attended by honored guests from Azerbaijan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Türkiye, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Hungary, and gathered over 100,000 spectators from Kazakhstan and abroad.
Photo credit: Akimat of the Mangystau Region. Click to see the map in full size. The map is designed by The Astana Times.
Kazakh Minister of Culture and Information Aida Balayeva delivered a welcoming speech at the opening ceremony. She read out a congratulatory letter from the Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. According to Tokayev, this event is of great importance for both Kazakhstan and all Turkic nations, reported the ministry’s press service.
“The historical Mangystau land, the rich Ustyurt region are an integral part of the Turkic civilization. This holy land keeps the centuries-old spiritual heritage of our people and the entire Turkic world. Strengthening cooperation between peoples whose traditions and history are linked to each other is our common goal. I am confident that this significant year will see meetings that will strengthen our brotherhood, and important decisions will be made. May the unity of the Turkic people grow stronger! I wish you all well-being, happiness and success!” reads Tokayev’ congratulatory letter.
Photo credit: Akimat of the Mangystau Region.
As part of the official program, Balayeva held several bilateral meetings with representatives of international cultural organizations and departments of the Turkic countries, including TURKSOY Secretary General Sultan Raev, President of Turkic Academy Shahin Mustafayev, Government Commissioner of Hungary Péter Hoppál, Minister of Culture, Information and Youth Policy of the Kyrgyz Republic Mirbek Mambetaliev. The officials expressed a common desire to strengthen cultural ties, develop international partnerships and jointly promote the rich heritage of the Turkic world.
A key highlight of the festivities was the unveiling of the Darkhan Dala ethno-town, a cultural space dedicated to preserving and promoting Kazakh traditions and the history of Turkic peoples.
As part of the celebrations, guests from various Turkic countries presented their unique crafts, such as Turkish embroidery, textiles, and world-famous carpets from Turkmenistan. These exhibits served as a testament to the shared artistic heritage that unites the Turkic world.
Dimash Qudaibergen. Photo credit: Ayagoz Izbassarova/Kazinform
In addition to the cultural exhibitions, the event featured performances by international stars. Among them were Kazakh singer Dimash Qudaibergen, Azerbaijani singer Roza Zergerli, Uzbek star Yulduz Usmanova, and Kazakh popular artist Kalifarniya.
In Aktau, Qudaibergen met with an 87-year-old craftswoman Sharkhat Tolemisova, who presented him with a hand-knitted shashak (fringed tassels) as a gift, knitted especially for him, reported Kazinform.
Qudaibergen also met with a 23-year-old young man with disabilities. For the young man, this meeting was a cherished dream – and it came true on this memorable day.
