On November 25, 2025, the Solidarity Forum of NGOs from the member states of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) continued in the city of Nakhchivan, APA reports.
Delivering a welcoming speech, Aygun Aliyeva, Executive Director of the State Support Agency for Non-Governmental Organizations of the Republic of Azerbaijan, stated that in recent years, joint projects with Turkic states have gained a systemic character.
“Over the past three years, we have implemented a number of important projects with NGOs and partner institutions operating in Uzbekistan, Türkiye, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, and other brotherly Turkic states. Among these, we can mention NGO cooperation forums held in the Azerbaijan–Türkiye, Azerbaijan–Uzbekistan, and Uzbekistan–Azerbaijan formats, as well as the ‘Civil Society Forum of Turkic States’ held in Baku within the framework of COP29. Yesterday, for the first time, the ‘First Azerbaijan–Kazakhstan NGO Cooperation Forum’ took place. I am confident that we will soon be able to hold the second forum in this format in Kazakhstan,” she said.
Jeyhun Jalilov, the Authorized Representative of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, said that holding the Solidarity Forum of NGOs from OTS member states in the city where the “Nakhchivan Agreement” was signed in 2009 carries symbolic significance: “Representatives of civil society in Nakhchivan are particularly interested in expanding cooperation with Turkic states. NGOs of the autonomous republic are eager to join regional initiatives, participate in joint projects, and contribute to the unity of the Turkic world.”
Jeyhun Jalilov also emphasized that preparation works for the construction of the highway, railway, energy, and communication lines in the Nakhchivan segment of the Zangezur Corridor have been accelerated and have already reached the final stage: “The consistent attention and care shown to Nakhchivan by President Ilham Aliyev of the Republic of Azerbaijan is the main factor accelerating the development of this ancient land. As a result of this attention, Nakhchivan today is becoming an example of a new development model not only at the regional level but across the entire Turkic geography.”
Tural Aliyev, Head of the NGO Work Sector of the Department for Work with NGOs and Communication of the Presidential Administration of the Republic of Azerbaijan, noted that today, for the first time, NGOs from OTS member states are uniting on a single platform in the ancient land of Nakhchivan: “This is a joyful and historic day for the entire Turkic world, a great privilege! Through our joint efforts, we must ensure that in the coming period, bilateral and multilateral grant competitions for NGOs of Azerbaijan, Türkiye, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Hungary, and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in areas such as history, culture, ecology, climate policy, and other spheres gain large-scale momentum. As the Azerbaijani side, we are ready to begin working discussions with our partners today, to organize competitions in a short time, and to evaluate initiatives.”
T. Aliyev expressed confidence that the process initiated in Baku will continue: “We wish for the Solidarity Forum of NGOs from the OTS member states, held for the first time, to be organized annually by the state chairing the organization and to become a regular event.”
The forum continued with panel discussions.
***
14:23
The forum of non-governmental organizations of the member countries of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) continues its work in Nakhchivan, APA’s local bureau reports.
More than 500 civil society representatives from Azerbaijan, Türkiye, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Hungary, and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus are participating in the forum.
Before the forum, the guests visited the monument to National Leader Heydar Aliyev located in the main square of Nakhchivan city.
Note that within the framework of the forum held in Nakhchivan, panel discussions titled “Towards WUF13 – A First in the Turkic World” will also be organized. The discussions will focus on the scale and speed of Azerbaijan’s massive construction and restoration efforts in Karabakh and Eastern Zangazur, highlighting them as an example for post-conflict regions around the world. In addition, NGOs of the Turkic world will be invited to participate actively in the 13th World Urban Forum to be held in Azerbaijan in 2026.
At the same time, it is expected that in Nakhchivan — a city carrying great symbolic and spiritual significance for the Organization due to the 2009 “Nakhchivan Agreement” that marked an important milestone in the history of the OTS — a Platform of NGOs of the member countries will be established. This will become an important lasting legacy of the forum. As the current chair of the Organization of Turkic States, Azerbaijan will lead the Platform. NGOs from eight countries will be united under this Platform.
Note that, at the initiative of Azerbaijan— which recently assumed the chairmanship of the Organization of Turkic States for the next term — the NGOs of the member countries have gathered together for the first time. Yesterday, the official opening ceremony of the Solidarity Forum of NGOs of the member states of the Organization of Turkic States was held at the Gulustan Palace in Baku.
