Inaugural Summit of Turkic Women Parliamentarians convened in Lefkoşa

On 28–31 May 2025, the First Summit of Turkic Women Parliamentarians themed “Education, Culture and Entrepreneurship” was held in Lefkoşa, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). The Summit was organized under the TURKPA aegis, within the framework of its Women Parliamentarians Group. In his opening address, the Speaker of the Assembly of the TRNC Ziya Öztürkler warmly welcomed the participants and emphasized that the Summit was not merely a meeting but a demonstration of the commitment to enhancing women's leadership and solidarity within the Turkic World. He highlighted that empowering woman is essential not only for women themselves but also for building more just and peaceful societies. The Summit continued with keynote addresses by high-level officials, including Deputy Speaker of the Assembly of the TRNC Fazilet Özdenefe, Head of the TURKPA Women Parliamentarians Group, Member of the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan Tamam Jafarova, Member of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye, former Head of the TURKPA Women Parliamentarians Group Zeynep Yıldız, Chair of the TRNC–Türkiye Interparliamentary Friendship Group Resmiye Eroğlu Canaltay and Secretary General of TURKPA Mehmet Süreyya Er. Distinguished speakers also included Member of the Parliament of Kosovo Fidan Jilta, Member of the Parliament of Moldova Ivanna Köksal, Mayor of Dulovo Municipality of Bulgaria Nevhis Mustafa, Member of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye Asuman Erdoğan, Deputy Minister of National Education of the Republic of Türkiye Celile Eren Ökten, Members of the Assembly of the TRNC İzlem Gürçağ Altuğra and Ayşegül Baybars, and Member of the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan Gulshan Pashayeva. The Summit was also attended by the President of TÜBİTAK Marmara Research Center (MAM) Burcu Özsoy, Rector of the Akhmet Yassawi International Kazakh-Turkish University Zhanar Temirbekova, as well as leading academics and scholars from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Türkiye and Uzbekistan, whose contributions enriched the intellectual discourse of the event. During his remarks, TURKPA Secretary General Mehmet Süreyya Er emphasized the vital contributions of women in shaping societies and underscored the importance of education, culture and entrepreneurship as pillars of empowerment. He highlighted TURKPA’s commitment to supporting women’s participation in leadership and decision-making, noting the role of actionable strategies to foster inclusive and resilient communities. The Summit featured three main thematic sessions titled “Empowering Women, Families, and Society Through Education: Challenges, Alternative Solutions, and Regional Cooperation”, “Women as Cultural Leaders: Preserving Identity and Promoting Change in a Globalized World” and “Women’s Entrepreneurship in the Digital Age: Fostering Innovation and Economic Participation”. In conclusion, the Summit wrapped up with a joint press conference, during which key outcomes of the event were shared with media. The Summit’s program included a series of high-level meetings held on 30 May 2025. The delegation was received by the President of the TRNC Ersin Tatar, Speaker of the Assembly of the TRNC Ziya Öztürkler and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the TRNC Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu. The participants also took part at the cultural program, which included a visit to the Museum of Barbarism and the Walled City of Lefkoşa, where they toured key cultural landmarks such as Selimiye Mosque, Büyük Han and the Arasta Bazaar. During the event, Secretary General Mehmet Süreyya Er was accompanied by Secretary of Commission Kadir Yaman and Executive Secretary of the Women Parliamentarians Group Shakhida Mekhdieva.