Ankara, October 21, 2026 –A conference entitled “The Quryltai Tradition in the Turkic World: Historical Memory and Statehood” was held in Ankara to mark the Republic Day of Kazakhstan and the 35th anniversary of Kazakhstan’s independence. The event also featured the presentation of the Turkish-language edition of the book ‘ The Phenomenon of Quryltai’.
The conference was attended by Yerkebulan Sapiyev, Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Republic of Türkiye; Kürşad Zorlu, Member of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye and Deputy Chairman of the Justice and Development Party responsible for relations with Turkic states; Adil Akhmetov, veteran of Kazakhstan’s diplomatic service, statesman, public figure and scholar; the book’s authors, scholar Orazbay Zaripbay and statesman and public figure Omarhan Oksikbayev; representatives of the academic and scholarly community; and Kazakhstani students studying in Türkiye.
The conference addressed the place and significance of the Quryltai institution in the historical and political traditions of Turkic peoples, its role in the formation of statehood, and its historical continuity. Participants highlighted the significance of the Quryltai as a shared historical heritage of the Turkic world and emphasized its continued relevance as a traditional socio-political institution in the modern era.
The presentation of the ‘ The Phenomenon of Quryltai’ marked an important cultural and academic occasion aimed at introducing Turkish readers more broadly to Kazakhstan’s historical heritage and political traditions. The publication is expected to strengthen ties between the academic and scholarly communities of the two countries and contribute to a deeper study of their shared historical values.
In addition, the guests from Kazakhstan met with Kazakhstani students studying in Türkiye and exchanged views on the constitutional changes taking place in Kazakhstan.
The event contributed to the further development of brotherly relations between Kazakhstan and Türkiye, the advancement of cooperation rooted in shared historical heritage and spiritual values, and discussions with Kazakh students studying in Türkiye on the positive developments taking place in their home country.
