Third Turkic World Youth Forum opens in Trabzon with 150 young people from 21 countries

The 3rd Turkic World Youth Forum, organised jointly by Trabzon Metropolitan Municipality and TÜRKSOY, is taking place in Trabzon, Türkiye, on 17–21 October. Around 150 young people from 21 countries are attending: alongside Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Türkiye, there are young Turks from Georgia, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Belgium, Mongolia, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq and Lebanon.

Held under the theme "Youth and Cultural Heritage", the forum aims to preserve the shared cultural heritage of the Turkic world, strengthen fraternal ties between countries and build a sense of a common future among young people. The official opening is on 19 October at the Hamamizade İhsan Bey Cultural Centre, with Trabzon's mayor Ahmet Metin Genç, TÜRKSOY Deputy Secretary General Sayit Yusuf, the Governor of Trabzon and Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Serdar Çam expected to attend.

The programme includes youth-themed film screenings and discussions on Turkic cultural unity and young people's goals, the opportunities of the digital age, countering disinformation and preserving cultural memory in the age of AI. Former Türkiye national team coach Şenol Güneş will meet the participants, who will also visit Sümela Monastery, the Hagia Sophia Mosque and Museum, the Atatürk Pavilion and Lake Uzungöl. The previous, second edition of the forum was held in Bishkek in 2025.