Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has approved a concept of “Blessed Pilgrimage” tourism in the framework of the Turkic world.
Fergana news agency says Uzbekistan has offered this concept in the concept of cooperation with the Organization of Turkic States (OTS).
Uzbek media reports say President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed a resolution on measures to accelerate the development of cooperation with Turkic states in tourism on July 29, 2022.
Under this document, the concept of the “Blessed Pilgrimage” tourism within the Turkic world will be approved to organize at a high level the initiative on this Concept, put forward by Uzbekistan within the framework of cooperation with the Organization of Turkic States, create new jobs and increase incomes of the population through supporting entrepreneurship in tourism, as well as the development of the tourist and cultural infrastructure of the city of Kokand in connection with its announcement as the Capital of Tourism of the Turkic World in 2022, creating additional amenities for tourists, improving the quality and increasing the attractiveness of the services provided.
Cooperation in tourism with OTS member countries will be further expanded. Tours to places of pilgrimage and cultural heritage will be organized, and new travel routes will be developed.
The document notes that starting in 2023, every two years, an exhibition and a scientific conference on “The Importance of Margilan Silk Fabrics in the International Market” will be held in the third decade of May in the city of Margilan.
In the first decade of June, the Lavender Festival, in July, together with the International Organization of Turkic Culture, the International Festival “Turkic-Speaking Youth” for students of higher education institutions and youth, in the third week of August, the International Media Tour “Blessed Pilgrimage” and within its framework a B2B meeting for business entities, media representatives, journalists and bloggers of the Turkic countries will take place.
The Organization of Turkic States, formerly called the Turkic Council or the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States, is an international organization comprising prominent independent Turkic countries: Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey and Uzbekistan. It is an intergovernmental organization whose overarching aim is in promoting comprehensive cooperation among Turkic-speaking states. First proposed by Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev in 2006, it was founded on October 3, 2009, in Nakhichevan.
The General Secretariat is in Istanbul. Turkmenistan is currently an observer state. However, by virtue of its Turkic heritage, it is a possible full future member of the organization. Turkmenistan received the observer status at the 8th summit in Istanbul.
During the 8th summit in Istanbul (held on November 12, 2021), the council reformed into an organization, with the name Turkic Council being changed to Organization of Turkic States.
