The 7th Meeting of the Heads of National Libraries of ECO Member States was held in Ankara from 19–21 November 2025, hosted by the National Library of Türkiye under the coordination of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Delegations from Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (Observer) participated, alongside representatives of the ECO Secretariat and the ECO Cultural Institute (ECI).
Historical Background of the Cooperation Mechanism
As highlighted in the official remarks delivered during the meeting, this cooperation track was first launched at the inaugural Meeting of the Heads of National Libraries of ECO Member States held in Tehran on 19–20 November 2007, marking the beginning of a sustained regional dialogue on knowledge preservation and library cooperation.
The mechanism was later formalized by the Charter signed in Baku in April 2009, establishing its institutional framework and long-term objectives. Türkiye’s hosting of the third meeting in 2010 further strengthened the shared vision often described as “The ECO Region — Cradle of Cultural Heritage.”
The ECO Cultural Institute, as the initiator of this cooperation track, continues to play a central role in supporting coordination, cultural diplomacy, and the development of shared digital heritage initiatives.
Meeting Proceedings and Key Discussions
The main conference sessions were held at the historic Adnan Ötüken Public Library, where delegates discussed joint priorities such as:
● digital transformation and metadata standards,
● preservation of manuscripts and rare collections,
● shared digital repositories and access systems,
● staff training and capacity building,
● strengthening the role of national libraries in cultural diplomacy.
Member States emphasized the importance of unified approaches to digitization, increased knowledge exchange, and the creation of sustainable technical frameworks across the region.
New Committee Structure and Regional Coordination
In line with Articles of the Charter and the decisions of previous meetings, the conference adopted an enhanced committee structure. Three existing committees were reaffirmed, and—following the proposal of the ECO Cultural Institute—a new Coordination and Cooperation Committee was unanimously approved. This structure will be jointly coordinated by the ECO Secretariat and ECI, ensuring continuity among committees and supporting communication and reporting processes.
The Joint Statement of Ankara further confirmed the establishment of four thematic committees covering Digital Libraries, Preservation, Education & Research, and Coordination. It was also agreed that the management of the regional digital platform econl.org would be transferred to Türkiye under the newly elected Chair.
Adoption of the Ankara Joint Statement & Next Steps
The meeting concluded on 21 November 2025 with the adoption of the Ankara Joint Statement, reaffirming shared commitments to digital innovation, preservation of cultural heritage, and enhancement of institutional capacity among ECO national libraries.
Member States agreed to develop a practical Regional Roadmap leading up to the next meeting and identified priority areas for staff exchange, bibliographic cooperation, training, and digital heritage preservation.
It was further decided that the 8th Meeting of the Heads of National Libraries of ECO Member States will be hosted by Kazakhstan in 2027.