The 14th International Great Turkish Language Congress, organized jointly by Yunus Emre Institute, Turkish-Azerbaijani Friendship and Solidarity Foundation and the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities, was launched on September 26, 2019 in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan.

The congress welcomed many academics from Turkey and Azerbaijan and its opening ceremony was attended by Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to Baku Erkan Özoral, Turkish-Azerbaijani Friendship and Solidarity Foundation, World Pediatry President, former Gazi University Rector Prof. Dr. Enver Hasanoğlu as well as Azerbaijani and Turkish journalists.

Great Turkish Language Congress In Baku 93 Years Later

Ambassador Erkan Özoral delivered a keynote speech at the congress, noting that the Great Language Congress was held first in Baku in 1926 and those who attended it were martyred. Özoral drew attention to the significance of holding the congress in Baku. "Baku is one of the places where our beautiful Turkish is spoken. We have to preserve and exalt our Turkish and make it a language of science all around the world. In early 20th century, there were various initiatives to make Turkish a common language and implement the principle of unity in language and thought. One of them was the Turkish Language Congress held in Baku. We have great responsibilities for improving our Turkish. We are backed by a Turkish world of 200 million. Therefore, the principle of unity in language and thought will live until eternity. This congress also means the time to pay our debts to those who were martyred in 1926," he said.  

Hand In Hand, From Hear To Heart For Our Beautiful Language

In his keynote speech, Prof. Dr. Rasim Özyürek, the Head of the Congress Organizing Committee and an academic member of Bilkent University, placed emphasis on the aim of the congress, touching on the importance of leaving a pure and clean Turkish to future generations hand in hand, from heart to hear and should to shoulder.

Özyürek referred to Yunus Emre Institute's activities that sought to give Turkish its due place among the world languages. "Yunus Emre Institute President Prof. Dr. Şeref Ateş is working hard and nonstop to make our Turkish earn its due place around the world. The activities of Yunus Emre Institute since its establish and particularly in recent years must have attracted the attention of the public. The Institute presidency's activities at home and abroad are commendable. We congratulate those who have labored to this end," he said.

During the two-day congress held with the participation of 220 academics to expose the richness of Turkish language, exalt Turkish language to its due place among world languages and discuss the developments concerning Turkish language, 120 papers will be presented.