The title handover took place during the closing of the VII Korkut Ata International Turkic World Film Festival. During the event, a symbolic key from Ankara, which will hold the status in 2026, was passed to Tashkent.
Details of the status handover
Turkey's Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy handed over the key to Abdulaziz Akkulov, Chairman of the Tourism Committee of Uzbekistan. The Turkish side emphasized Uzbekistan's rich historical and cultural heritage, as well as its high potential for international tourism development.
The awarding of this title is aimed at popularizing the cultural ties and historical heritage of Turkic states. It is expected that in 2027, Tashkent will become a key venue for large-scale events designed to draw additional attention to the city as an important regional tourism center.
Context
The ceremony was held in Istanbul, Turkey's largest city with a population of over 15 million people. The 2026 status is assigned to Ankara, while the 2027 status goes to Tashkent, which had a population of approximately 2.9 million as of 2023.
