Turkic academy begins publishing books in the common Turkic Alphabet
The Turkic Academy has officially begun publishing books in the Common Turkic Alphabet, marking a significant step toward linguistic and cultural unity among Turkic nations.
Academy President Prof. Dr. Şahin Mustafayev announced that two major works — Abay Kunanbay’s Kara Sözler (The Book of Words) and Chinghiz Aitmatov’s Beyaz (Ak) Gemi (Kemi) (The White Ship) — have been published experimentally using the new alphabet.
“To demonstrate the potential of the new alphabet, the Academy has published these works as pilot editions,” Mustafayev said. “We believe the common alphabet will further strengthen our linguistic and spiritual bonds, facilitate communication between scientific and educational institutions, and provide a new foundation for shared cultural development.”
The Turkic Academy, based in Astana, Kazakhstan, serves as a major research center for the Turkic world. Mustafayev spoke with Anadolu Agency following the 12th Summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) held in Gabala, Azerbaijan, where leaders emphasized collaboration in science, innovation, and the common Turkic alphabet.
He noted that the summit also highlighted transportation, logistics, energy cooperation, water and food security, artificial intelligence, and scientific integration as key areas of focus.
“The development of artificial intelligence and digital technologies has been identified as a strategic path for the entire Turkic world,” Mustafayev explained. “The Academy has entered a new era, taking on responsibilities not only in the humanities but also in scientific and technological cooperation among Turkic states.”
The President added that the Common Turkic Alphabet Declaration, adopted last year, laid crucial groundwork for its implementation.
In addition to linguistic efforts, the Academy continues projects such as Turkic Economies 2024, analyzing energy and transport connectivity across OTS member states, and reports on green technologies, agriculture, water management, and the Caspian Sea ecosystem.
Looking ahead, Mustafayev announced preparations for the 100th anniversary of the First Turkology Congress (1926), to be commemorated next year in Baku:
“The 1926 Congress symbolized the awakening of the Turkic world’s scientific and cultural consciousness. Topics like a common alphabet, terminology unity, and education in native languages were discussed on a large scale for the first time. This centennial will provide fresh momentum for our scientific unity.”
He also revealed that Turkmenistan will join the Turkic Academy as an observer country, expanding the scope of cooperation within the Turkic scientific community.
