BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 24. The official opening ceremony of the Solidarity Forum of Non-Governmental Organizations of the Member States of the Organization of Turkic-speaking States (OTS) was held at the Gulistan Palace in Baku, Trend reports.
The opening ceremony of the forum featured a video reflecting the historical ties, shared values, and close cooperation between the Turkic states, as well as clearly demonstrating the path and prospects for the development of these relations.
Then, Hikmet Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan and Head of the Foreign Policy Department of the Presidential Administration, read out President Ilham Aliyev's address to the participants of the Solidarity Forum of NGOs of the member states of the Organization of Turkic States.
Hikmet Hajiyev further emphasized that the solidarity of the Turkic countries is growing every day.
He recalled that President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said at the inauguration ceremony in the Azerbaijani Parliament: “Our family is the Turkic world.”
The Presidential Aide noted that today, we can say with confidence that the Turkic world is truly our family:
“This is once again confirmed by the union of non-governmental organizations and civil society institutions of the Turkic world. This family is growing stronger, and our solidarity is growing every day.”
He recalled that there are formats for cooperation between the official structures of the Turkic states in various areas, in 34 areas.
" However, until now, there has been no special format for uniting non-governmental organizations. Therefore, today we can note with great joy that non-governmental organizations and civil society institutions, which are an important link and driving force in interpersonal relations, have united for the first time and laid the foundation for this new format of cooperation," Hajiyev emphasized.
Executive Director of the Agency for State Support of Non-Governmental Organizations of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Aygun Aliyeva, announced in her speech that Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan will announce a joint grant competition for NGOs.
“Today, thanks to personal relations, mutual trust, and the political will of the heads of state, close ties between the Turkic states have reached the highest level. Our common values, goals, and history not only unite us but also strengthen us,” Aliyeva said.
She noted that the glorious victory achieved in the Patriotic War is a victory not only for Azerbaijan but for the entire Turkic world. The Zangezur corridor, which will become a reality in the coming years, will serve as a bridge for the Turkic peoples:
"The path to Turkic unity depends not only on the will of states, but also on the relations between peoples and civil society. In this regard, our Agency attaches great importance to ties with similar organizations in the direction of cooperation with Turkic states.
The agency has already signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Civil Society and Bar Association of Türkiye, the National Assembly of Uzbekistan, the parliamentary commission, and the Ascension Foundation.
Final preparations are currently underway for the announcement of a joint grant competition with Uzbekistan.
The head of the Baku office of the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), Hayrettin Celik, said that TİKA has signed about 2,000 projects for sustainable cooperation.
He noted that since its establishment, TİKA has implemented more than 30,000 projects and activities in more than 170 countries around the world. The organization's mission has always been to support the economic, social, and humanitarian development of countries within the framework of Turkey's international cooperation, as well as to implement sustainable projects and initiatives that will preserve and pass on our common historical and cultural heritage to the future:
In line with this mission, our Baku office, one of TIKA's first offices, has signed around 2,000 projects for sustainable cooperation. We are developing fraternal relations with the Turkic republics in various fields: from education to healthcare, from capacity building to the preservation of historical heritage.
We want to continue to discover our common heritage and share modern experiences, acting with the understanding that civil society is one of the main pillars of modern states. Guests participating in this event will also share their experiences in the field of civil society, and our friendship will be further strengthened."
More than 500 representatives of civil society from Azerbaijan, Türkiye, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Hungary, and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus are participating in the forum. This is the largest event organized by the Agency for State Support of NGOs.
The event concluded with an artistic and cultural program in Baku, and the forum will continue its work in Nakhchivan. It is expected that a platform for NGOs from OTS member countries will be created here. The platform will be headed by Azerbaijan and will bring together NGOs from eight countries.
Forum participants will be invited to the 13th World Forum of Cities, which will be held in Azerbaijan in 2026, and a joint statement will be adopted at the end of the event.
