Newsletters
Kyrgyz Turks living in Van, a province in eastern Türkiye near the Iranian border, marked the 35th anniversary of Kyrgyzstan's independence at the 12th Ulupamir Culture Festival, held in the Ulupamir neighborhood of Van's Erciş district.
The festival brought together Kyrgyz Turks whose families migrated from Afghanistan's Pamir plateau and were resettled in Ulupamir, located 22 kilometers from Erciş, in 1982.
Van Governor and Metropolitan Municipality Deputy Mayor Ozan Balci, AK Party Deputy Chairperson Kursad Zorlu, Kyrgyzstan's Ambassador to Ankara Ruslan Kazakbaev and other officials attended the event, where they were welcomed on horseback by local residents.
The program opened with a moment of silence and the Turkish national anthem, followed by remarks marking the anniversary of Kyrgyzstan's independence.
Kazakbaev noted that Türkiye was the first country to recognize Kyrgyzstan's independence in 1991 and highlighted the countries' 35 years of diplomatic relations, describing Ulupamir as a place where Kyrgyz language, culture and traditions have been preserved.
Local and provincial officials, including AK Party Van lawmakers Kayhan Turkmenoglu and Burhan Kayaturk and provincial party chairperson Abdulahat Arvas, also addressed the gathering, welcoming the Ulupamir community and marking the anniversary of Kyrgyzstan's independence.
Following the speeches, officials toured an exhibition of traditional Kyrgyz tents and embroidered garments worn by local men and women and sampled regional dishes offered to guests.
Kyrgyz Turks then demonstrated horseback riding skills and competed in "kokboru," a traditional game involving retrieving an animal hide on horseback, drawing an enthusiastic response from the crowd. Folk dance performances and additional competitions followed the match.
Officials also inaugurated a Family Health Center built in the neighborhood by the Health Ministry.
The event was attended by Gendarmerie Public Order Corps Commander Maj. Gen. Unsal Bulut; Provincial Gendarmerie Commander Brig. Gen. Mucahit Avkiran, Provincial Police Chief Murat Mutlu, Ercis District Governor Ahmed Celik; along with other local officials and residents.
Set as preferred source
Set as preferred source
2 min read
