Baku to host congress for creation of Turkic Union of Composers

The I Turkic World Composers Congress will be held in Baku from September 18–20, 2026, as part of the XVIII Uzeyir Hajibeyli International Music Festival. Organized by the Azerbaijan Ministry of Culture and the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation, alongside ICESCO’s Baku Regional Office, the Azerbaijan Composers Union, and the Azerbaijan National Conservatory, the event commemorates the 100th anniversary of the First Turkological Congress and the legacies of Nizami Ganjavi and Alisher Navai.

A primary outcome of the congress will be the establishment of the Turkic Union of Composers (TUC). On September 19, the first official meeting of the TUC is scheduled to take place at the headquarters of the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation. During this meeting, participants intend to sign the Baku Declaration regarding the creation of the union and discuss the draft charter for the new international professional platform.

The congress will feature representatives from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Hungary, and Turkmenistan. The three-day program includes scientific discussions, roundtables, thematic exhibitions, and various musical performances, including symphonic, chamber, and traditional music concerts. The TUC aims to strengthen professional ties between musical institutions in Turkic countries, preserve musical heritage, support modern composition schools, and promote Turkic music on the international stage.