Ankara:The 13th Summit of the Council of Heads of State of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) began in Türkiye's capital, Ankara, on Friday. The summit is hosted by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan under the theme "Turkic Century Unity in Language, Thought and Deed." The event commenced with leaders gathering for a family photo.

According to Anadolu Agency – English, Erdogan welcomed the visiting leaders upon their arrival at the Bestepe National Exhibition Hall. The family photo included notable figures such as Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov, Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus President Tufan Erhurman, representing observer states, alongside OTS Secretary General Kubanychbek Omuraliev.

The summit commenced with an impressive display at the entrance to the Bestepe National Exhibition Hall, where visiting leaders were greeted by soldiers carrying flags of the 16 historical Turkic states. Additionally, soldiers dressed in traditional janissary uniforms were present to honor the occasion.