Shusha hosts Executive Board meeting of Alliance of Turkic News Agencies
The Executive Board Meeting of the Alliance of Turkic News Agencies (ATNA) was held on the sidelines of the 4th Shusha Global Media Forum.
Addressing the event, moderated by Elshan Shahbalayev, ATNA Secretary General, Vugar Aliyev, Chairman of the AZERTAC Board, said Shusha is not only an important place for Azerbaijan but also a significant site that embodies the rich cultural heritage, historical memory, and spiritual unity of the entire Turkic world. “The fact that the Alliance of Turkic News Agencies (ATNA) is taking its first steps in Shusha and holding important discussions here creates a valuable moral foundation for the future activities of our Alliance,” he noted.
Highlighting that the global media landscape is changing rapidly, Vugar Aliyev noted that new technologies, artificial intelligence, social media platforms, and digital communication tools have brought the process of news preparation, dissemination, and consumption to a completely new stage. Information now spreads faster, and audiences have broader access to news. At the same time, new and complex challenges are emerging for news agencies.
Vugar Aliyev emphasized that ATNA is a very important cooperation platform for achieving this goal, stating: “Expanding the exchange of news, photo, and video content within the Alliance, preparing joint media projects, organizing training and experience programs for journalists, and sharing technological innovations can make our mutual activities more effective.”
Adil Seifullin, Chairman of the Management Board of Qazcontent, President of the Alliance of Turkic News Agencies (ATNA), said the Turkic world is not only our common history, language, and culture, it is also a vast space based on trust, cooperation, and joint development. “Today, the ATNA has become one of the key platforms for regional cooperation, actively transforming our vision into tangible project realities," he added.
In his remarks, Yusuf Özhan, Vice President and Editor-in-Chief of Anadolu Agency, stated that journalism primarily captures the daily events. “Whether through books, documentaries, or other tools, we must document these events and convey their true stories to future generations. This is vital, especially for rebuilding cities, restoring historical monuments, and keeping their memories alive,” he added.
Nazgul Nurmanbetova, Editor-in-Chief of the Kabar News Agency of Kyrgyzstan, pointed out great prospects for the ATNA. She also mentioned that the partnerships to be established within the Alliance would significantly contribute to both the exchange of professional experience and the implementation of joint media projects.
Gairat Khonnazarov, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the UzA news agency, underlined that mutual trust, operational information exchange and professional solidarity should be the key principles of cooperation between state news agencies.
Kunduz Rustembekova, Representative of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), emphasized that the initiatives and projects, especially the joint platforms facilitating direct news exchange among ATNA agencies, play a pivotal role in fostering deeper cooperation.
The meeting participants also engaged in discussions on improving the Alliance’s activity, expanding member cooperation, and mapping out future activities. They also reviewed proposed amendments to the Statute of the ATNA.
Participants also reviewed plans for a photo contest designed to promote the tourism and cultural heritage of Turkic states globally. It was noted that such initiatives will help showcase the tourism potential and shared cultural values of member states to a wider global audience.
