Erdoğan pushes for unified alphabet to strengthen cultural ties in Turkic world

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has called on Turkic-speaking countries to adopt a common alphabet, saying Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Northern Cyprus are ready to make the transition to a unified Turkic alphabet. Erdoğan’s remarks came during the summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) in Bishkek.

Photo: Anadolu Agency

Erdoğan referenced an agreement made in September by the OTS Commission in Baku, where representatives from member states finalized a 34-letter Latin-based alphabet. Describing the agreement as a "historic event," Erdoğan noted that a shared alphabet would symbolize the joint future of the Turkic world.

"Our common alphabet represents our collective progress towards the future," Erdoğan stated. "Now, each participating state must take the necessary steps to implement this transformation based on this alphabet. Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Northern Cyprus are prepared to make the switch, and it would be beneficial for Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan to join us in adopting the new script."

The call for a shared alphabet comes after a significant meeting held in September in Azerbaijan, where the International Turkic Academy and the Organization of Turkic States organized a gathering of experts to establish a standardized Turkic alphabet. The proposed alphabet consists of 34 letters designed to accommodate the linguistic needs of Turkic-speaking nations.

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