Within the framework of the XV Tashkent International Film Festival "Pearl of the Silk Road", a forum of the International Cultural Organization TURKSOY was held.

The forum was held on the territory of "Uzbekfilm" cinema concern. The most important event of the summit was the agreement on the establishment of the Union of Cinematographers of Turkic Peoples.

Chairman of TURKSOY organization Sultan Rayev said that the creation of the Union is a renaissance of cinematography of the Turkic world. At the same time, he specified that the new organization is a creative association with a minimum of bureaucracy. The initiative is aimed at improving communication between cinematographers of Turkic countries and joint solution of various problems. At the same time, the members of the organization reserve the right to seek help and resources from the authorities of their countries.

Firdavs Abdukhalikov, Director General of the Uzbekistan Cinematography Agency, emphasized that having an official basis for the Association will help expand opportunities for filmmakers.

"In recent years, under the leadership of Uzbekistan's leader Shavkat Mirziyoyev, our country's relations with Turkic-speaking countries have been expanding. On April 30, 2018, Uzbekistan became an equal member of the Turkic Council - an organization of Turkic states, which is considered one of the first founders of the international organization of Turkic culture of Uzbekistan TURKSOY. The Uzbekistan Cinematography Agency cooperates closely with all brotherly countries. We have started working on a number of film projects together with filmmakers from Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Turkey and Hungary. In the future, we intend to make films together with our Kyrgyz and Turkmen friends," summarized Firdavs Abdukhalikov.

Firdavs Abdukhalikov also reminded that this year Turkey celebrates the establishment of the state and congratulated the brotherly people on the anniversary.

Creation of the new organization is an official confirmation of the desire of Turkic states to move to meet each other and strengthen cooperation in the cultural sphere in general and cinema in particular. Members of the new community are representatives of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tatarstan (Russia), Turkmenistan, Turkey and Uzbekistan. In the near future, a working group will be established to prepare the charter and clarify the details. Firdavs Abdukhalikov has been appointed head of the working group.

In addition to Rayev and Abdukhalikov, speeches were made by Orhan Fikretoglu, Advisor to the Minister of Culture and Tourism of Azerbaijan, Erkin Yilmaz, Director General of the Cinema Department of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Turkey, Arslan Eeberdiev, head of the Turkmenfilm studio, an honored cultural worker of Kyrgyzstan and member of the Union of Cinematographers of Kyrgyzstan, FIPRESCI and NETPAC Gulbara Tolomushova, Kazakh critic, jury member of international film festivals Gulnara Abikeeva, head of the film studio "Tatarkino" Milyausha Aituganova, coordinator of the project "Abduhalik Gijduvani" Bayram Bayrammukhamedov, authorized representative of the Hungarian government for the development of the national film industry and director of the National Film Institute Csaba Kael.

More than two dozen cultural representatives, officials and filmmakers from the Turkic world countries took part in the roundtable. A video dedicated to TURKSOY was shown, and a presentation of new works by Turkmen cinematographers was held. A minute of silence was held in memory of Ganira Pashayeva, a member of the Azerbaijani Milli Mejlis, who passed away recently and was awarded the title of honorary member of the Union of Journalists of Uzbekistan last year.

Several complex topics were raised, including financing, creation of co-production tapes, regular forums, screening of films produced in TURKSOY partner countries.

Kanat Mambetaliev, representative of Kyrgyzstan in TURKSOY spoke about the importance of the organization.

"The geography of the Turkic world is expanding. Hungary has been cooperating with TURKSOY for several years now. Budapest is increasingly inclined to believe that Hungarians have Turkic roots. Many subjects of the Russian Federation cooperate with us - Tatarstan, Bashkortostan, Yakutia, Altai, Khakassia, Tyva and others. Also among the ATU observers are Gagauzia of the Republic of Moldova and the unrecognized republic of Northern Cyprus. Not to mention Turkic communities around the world. That is why such events have the most important unifying value. This is the promotion of Turkic culture, education, historical memory. Mr. Yilmaz noted that Turkey, along with India, for example, is among a small number of countries that are immune to Hollywood culture. Its own movies and TV series account for 60% of the screenings. Such festivals are a great platform for the formation of Turkic identity, without abandoning the self-identity of their people. This is a humane mission that should be spread around the world," Mambetaliyev said.