World Turkic Congress 2024

Hungarian, Azerbaijani, Avar, Bashkir, Bulgarian, Balkar, Buryat, Chuvash, Gagauz, Kabardino, Karachay, Karakalpak, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Kumuk, Mongol, Nogay, Oguz, Uzbek, Tatar, Tuva, Turkmen, Uyghur and Yakut tribes came together at the World Turkic Congress held in Bugach near Budapest, the capital of Hungary, and took some decisions to build a common future. The Hun-Turk Turan Congress was organised under the auspices of the Hungarian state.

The fact that such an organisation was held in the heart of Europe under the astonished gaze of European nations prejudiced against Turks was an event in itself. For this reason alone, I owe a debt of gratitude to the Hungarian nation and its rulers on behalf of the Turkish nation. People coming from almost every part of the Turkic World started to mingle with each other. Emotional moments were also experienced during the evening conversations.

Hungary was granted observer status in TURKPA for the first time in 2014. Then in 2017 they became an observer member of the Organisation of Turkic States. They started to openly support Turkish theses in Turkey's fight against terrorism and the Karabakh War. When I see this good attitude of Hungary, those verses written by Ziya Gökalp by saying ‘To the Sons of Turks’ come to my mind: ‘Don't forget that you are the son of Attila!’

The fact that the Kurultai came under state patronage over time has been a very valuable practice for the Turkic World. Those who go to Hungary, when you go to the Parliament building, will see another flag flying next to the Hungarian flag. This flag is the flag of the Sekels with the moon and sun. The Sekels, known to be one of the oldest peoples of the Carpathians, are believed to be the descendants of Attila the Hun. Today, they live as a part of Sekellania of Hungarian origin. This issue, which causes a crisis between the two countries from time to time, has become a very sensitive issue for Hungary. In the parliament building, besides the Hungarian flag, there is also the flag belonging to the Sekellans. Byzantine sources called Hungary as Turkia and King Arpad as ‘the great prince of Turkia’. An inscription on the inner side of the Hungarian Royal Crown reads ‘To Geza, the faithful and loyal king of the Turks’ (Geobitzas Pistos Krales Tourkias).

According to Turcologist Dr Balazs Sudar, a member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, there are approximately 350-400 Turkish words in Hungarian. According to Sudar, Hungarians started to use these words before they made today's Hungary their homeland. In this Hun-Turkic Congress, peoples of Turkic origin living in a wide geography from the Altai to the Danube came together. Balkans, Caucasus, Central Asia, Anatolia. More than 30 Turkic peoples and communities participated in this congress.

This series of congresses, the first of which was held in Kazakhstan in 2007, has been held in Hungary every two years since 2008. The size and splendour of the area was exciting. There were thousands of people at that hour. ‘The goal is Turan’ slogans were being chanted. Although there was no electricity, there was a whip show of horsemen in the area illuminated by torches. Because of Atilla, whip is considered as a very important symbol in this event. At the entrance to the assembly area, a giant poster of Ruler Atilla was hung.

The most useful thing I found most useful about this event was the participation of thousands of people from outside the country and especially the participation of local people and their being a part of the assembly. There was also the prominent appearance of the flags of the Organisation of Turkic States in the area. As a member of the European Union, Hungary is now an integral part of this union. Hungarian authorities endeavoured to spread the event throughout the country and increase the participation. Of course, it is necessary to note the existence of news prepared with the labelling of ‘Turanist’ and ‘Racist’ in the European Union.

Unfortunately, in our country, the number of those who have been supporting this understanding has also been considerable. The congress area was quite large. Different programmes were organised simultaneously. Speeches, concerts, traditional sports, shows and competitions on horseback, and promotional stands were opened. In the official programme, the most important event was the grand parade about the Hungarian Migration, which was attended by thousands of people.

Care was taken to ensure that the clothes used in the parade, in which each Hungarian tribe took part, were an exact copy of the clothes of the past. They really made the audience feel that migration and environment. After the migration, an image is reached where all Hungarian tribes gather together with their flags. This also contains a message to ensure the Hungarian-Hun unity in history. And it was very nice to see the passage of the horsemen with the flags of the countries of the Turkic World, which I have always wondered about. The fact that the flags of Turkey, TRNC, East Turkistan and Crimea were also included in this was also very proud. Our Hungarian friends had a very successful organisation. I hope that this organisation will continue to grow in the coming years. Hun-Turk unity will develop in every field and will serve to strengthen cooperation in the Turkic World.

At the World Turkic Congress held in Bugaç near Budapest, the capital of Hungary, Hungarian, Azerbaijani, Avar, Bashkir, Bulgarian, Balkar, Buryat, Chuvash, Gagauz, Kabardino, Karachay, Karakalpak, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Kumuk, Mongol, Nogay, Oguz, Uzbek, Tatar, Tuva, Turkmen, Uyghur and Yakut tribes of Turkic descent came together and took some decisions to build a common future. Then I think it would be appropriate to end this article with Atatürk's poem ‘Where is the Truth?’

"Gafilil, which three centuries, which ten centuries

Danube is a Turkish land.

Known histories don't say that,

Oghuz sons in the centre of Asia,

Oghuz descendants in the Alps of Europe We who came out of the East...

Wherever, however, we know ourselves."