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The International Organization of Turkic Culture (TURKSOY) has officially designated Andijan, Uzbekistan, as the 2026 Turkic World Cultural Capital.
The announcement was made following the 42nd Term Meeting of the TURKSOY Permanent Council, held in Aktau, Kazakhstan, which currently holds the title of 2025 Turkic World Cultural Capital.
The meeting, chaired by Kazakhstan’s Minister of Culture and Information Aida Balayeva, was attended by senior officials, including Uzbekistan’s Culture Minister Ozodbek Nazarbekov, Turkmenistan’s Culture Minister Atageldi Shamiradov, Türkiye’s Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Serdar Cam, Azerbaijan’s Deputy Minister of Culture Murad Huseynov, Kyrgyzstan’s Deputy Minister of Culture, Information and Youth Policy Askarali Madaminov and TURKSOY Secretary-General Sultan Raev.
During the session, the council expressed appreciation for the successful implementation of Aktau’s 2025 Cultural Capital program and formally handed over the title to Andijan for 2026. TURKSOY also announced that Türkiye will assume the title for 2027, with the specific city to be determined and officially announced by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
The council endorsed TURKSOY’s 2026–2028 Strategic Document, approving the organization’s program of activities for the coming year. Raev highlighted TURKSOY’s evolving role as a permanent institution for cultural diplomacy, aimed at strengthening ties and cooperation among Turkic countries.
Andijan’s designation is expected to feature concerts, exhibitions, festivals, youth programs and initiatives promoting the shared heritage of the Turkic world.
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