World Turkic Language Family Day celebrated with event in Athens

The event was organized under the auspices of Turkish Ambassador to Athens Çağatay Erciyes and attended by Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to Athens Arif Mammadov, Kazakhstan’s Ambassador Timur Sultangozhin, as well as diplomats and their families.

The ceremony began with the playing of the national anthems of Türkiye, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan.

Emphasis on Shared Language and Cultural Unity
In his opening speech, Ambassador Erciyes stated:

“Today, the three representatives of the Turkic Language Family in Athens — the embassies of Türkiye, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan — have come together to demonstrate that Turkish is not only the language of Anatolia, but also a shared language of Baku and Astana, and to celebrate our linguistic unity.”

Erciyes recalled that during the 43rd UNESCO General Conference held in Samarkand in November 2025, December 15 was officially declared World Turkic Language Family Day, noting that this decision formally recognized the Turkic language as a living and evolving component of the world’s cultural heritage under UNESCO.

He emphasized that Turkic languages are spoken as a mother tongue by over 200 million people worldwide, across a vast geography spanning all continents, and continue to grow and develop. Erciyes also highlighted that Turkish is not merely a spoken language, but a written civilization language with thousands of years of history.

“Our Common Language Unites Us as a Family”
Following Erciyes, Azerbaijani Ambassador Arif Mammadov stated:

“May our common language, shared history, and shared values continue to unite us as one family.”
Kazakh Ambassador Timur Sultangozhin underlined that the Turkic language represents a shared spiritual heritage of Türkiye, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan, describing the common language as a natural bridge among brotherly nations.

Children’s Performances Highlight Linguistic Heritage
In the second part of the event, children from Türkiye, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan delivered presentations celebrating the Turkic language.

Nurbek Kanat from Kazakhstan recited “Ömür Yolu”
Meir Baltabay from Kazakhstan read “Ana Dili”
Elif Duru Sevim from Türkiye performed “Dilimiz Kardeş Bizim”
Nazrin Mammadzade from Azerbaijan recited “Azerbaijan”
Children from Türkiye, Deniz Özcan and Duru Hançer, staged the famous Nasreddin Hodja anecdote titled “The Cauldron”, a story widely known across Anatolia, Central Asia, and the Balkans.

Children Speak About the Importance of Their Mother Tongue
Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), the children shared their thoughts on the importance of Turkish as their mother tongue.

Twelve-year-old Duru from Türkiye said she mostly lives abroad and speaks four languages, adding:

“I feel most comfortable speaking Turkish because it’s my own language.”
Deniz, who played Nasreddin Hodja, said he lives in Greece and also speaks four languages, noting that he prefers Turkish when meeting Turkish friends.

Elif Duru, who moved to Greece a few months ago, said she misses her friends in Türkiye and speaking Turkish.

Azerbaijani child Nur Kerimli described Turkish as a beautiful language that makes him feel comfortable, while Meir Baltabay from Kazakhstan said he feels happiest when speaking in his mother tongue.

Kazakh child Zire Kanat highlighted the common elements of Turkic languages by counting to ten, emphasizing that all the numbers are the same across different Turkic languages.

Cultural Reception at the End of the Event
The event concluded with a reception featuring songs from Türkiye, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan, accompanied by refreshments served to the guests.