The International Conference on the Cultural Heritage of Turkic Poetry will take place on Wednesday, 21 October 2026, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the ECO Cultural Institute headquarters in Tehran (No. 10, Baqer Al-Nemer St., Movahed Danesh Ave., Aqdasiyeh). It marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of Ziya Gökalp, the thinker, sociologist and poet.
H.E. Amb. Muhammad Hassan, President of the ECO Cultural Institute, and Dr. Gökhan Çetinkaya, Counsellor for Cultural and Information Affairs at the Embassy of the Republic of Türkiye in Tehran, will deliver the opening remarks. Ms. Nur Yasemin Rahoojo is the keynote speaker. The other speakers are Dr. Metin Yıldırım, Mr. Erfan Eshghinour, Prof. Dr. Hossein Khoshbaten, Dr. Ali Permu, Dr. Amir Ali Barghi, Dr. Tara Mokhtari and Mr. Seyid Heydar Bayat.
Academics, experts and poets from Türkiye, Iran and Pakistan will come together to discuss the lives, works and ideas of poets including Yunus Emre, Ali-Shir Nava'i, Fuzuli, Seyid Nasimi, Magtymguly Pyragy, Tilim Khan, Mehmet Âkif Ersoy and Ziya Gökalp. The discussions will focus on their lasting ideas, their role in bringing people together and the humanistic values in their work.
The conference looks at the shared heritage of Turkic poetry, from Turkistan to the Caucasus and from Anatolia to the Balkans. Its aims include preserving this heritage for future generations and building understanding between societies through cultural diplomacy. By presenting the universal values of Turkic poetry internationally, the event will help strengthen cultural ties among countries and point to the role of this poetry as an instrument of soft power.
Those wishing to attend can call 021 2767 3204.