World Turkic Language Family Day
World Turkic Language Family Day is an international day observed annually on 15 December. It was proclaimed in 2025 by the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and to support the preservation and development of oral traditions and expressions.
Background
The proposal for the observance was submitted by Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Türkiye and Uzbekistan and supported by 21 member states. It was examined by the executive board and subsequently placed on the agenda of the 43rd session of the general conference, held in Samarkand in 2025, which proclaimed 15 December of each year as World Turkic Language Family Day.Date and historical significance
The chosen date commemorates 15 December 1893, when the Danish linguist Vilhelm Thomsen announced the decipherment of the Orkhon inscriptions. These inscriptions are among the earliest known written sources demonstrating the historical roots of the Turkic language family.Purpose
The observance aims to raise awareness of the cultural, historical and social significance of the Turkic language family, to encourage academic research and international cooperation, and to contribute to the safeguarding of shared linguistic and documentary heritage.Languages of the Turkic language family are spoken natively by more than 200 million people across several states, covering an area of approximately 12 million square kilometres.