Turkistan nominated as Cultural Capital of Islamic World
On May 13-14, Kazan hosted the 15th session of the General Conference of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), Qazinform News Agency reports, citing the press service of the Kazakh Ministry of Culture and Information.
During the event, participants reviewed the Organization’s activity report for 2020-2025 and discussed ICESCO’s Strategic Plan for 2026-2029, which outlines key priorities for future development.
One of the important outcomes for Kazakhstan was the nomination of Turkistan to obtain the status of Cultural Capital of the Islamic World in 2027.
Speaking at the conference, Kazakhstan’s Vice Minister of Culture and Information, Rustam Ali, noted that in recent years three Kazakhstani nominations had been included in the Islamic World Heritage List: the traditional game Togyzqumalak, ornamental art Oyu-Örnek, and the oral poetry tradition Qarmaqshy zhiraulary.
In addition, the Kazakh side announced plans to hold the Second International Conference in Almaty in 2026, dedicated to the contribution of Al-Farabi to human history. The event will be organized jointly with ICESCO.
The ICESCO General Conference is held once every four years. This year’s forum is taking place in a hybrid format and has brought together representatives from all 53 member states of the Organization.
As it was reported, on May 15, Turkistan will host the Informal Summit of the leaders of the Organization of Turkic States.
