The International Turcology and Turkish History Research Symposium was held in Ankara between March 28-29, 2002 by Yeni Türkiye Research and Publishing Center

A 37-volume work entitled, "The Turks", qualified as an authorative and comprehensive study, which was prepared as part of, "Turk Project", by 589 scholars from 48 countries and 1723 Turkish scholars was introduced at the symposium. In his address at the opening of the meeting, State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahçeli said that from the very outset, mankind has had an awareness of history and the events throughout the millennia have served as a guide in drawing a map, common to all of humanity. For a nation to foresee its future, it first has to delineate its aims, Bahçeli noted and qualified history as a key to envisaging the future and for assuming the correct path in the name of humanity. Bahçeli added: "One should not forget that if societies are not innovative in adding to their own accumulation of historical and cultural assets, then they will be left out of the general dynamism and main stream of historical events. Bahçeli pointed out further that the reason that Turks have been one of the primary players on the stage of history, a fact, which can't be ignored, is that they have been careful not to lose sight of this stream of events.

Bahçeli stated that there is no magic formula for solutions to the history of today or tomorrow since history is a discipline where there are no direct solutions. Ha added that history is a field of thought and investigation, both rational disciplines, which should not be abandoned for in doing so is tantamount to accepting irrationality, prejudice, vanity and offensive conceit.

In conclusion, Bahçeli said that combining history and rationality within an organizational model reflecting the spirit of the time and bestowing it with a new structure is almost a tradition, an indispensable reflex for Turks.

Following the speech delivered by Bahçeli, plaques for their contributions to the "Turk Project" were presented to State Minister Yılmaz Karakoyunlu, Tunca Toskay, Reşat Doğru and Minister of Transport, Oktay Vural.

In December 1999, the "Ottoman Research Project" was launched and subsequently "Osmanlı" (12 volumes, 9200 pages in Turkish) and "The Great Ottoman-Turkish Civilization" (4 volumes, 3650 pages in English), were published under the direction of an editorial board headed by Prof. Halil Inalcik, with articles contributed by renowned professors from all over the world. Prof. Halil Inalcik qualified that "Osmanlı" as the most comprehensive study ever published in the field of Ottoman History. Confirming this opinion, in the year 2000, the Turkish Association of Writers bestowed the "Research of the Year" award on "Osmanlı".

The "Turk Project", which covers a comprehensive history of the Turkish people, and supported by many academic and non-governmental organisations as well as private companies, was published in the spring of the year 2002, with 31 volumes in Turkish and 6 volumes in English. The main objective of the project is to provide a comprehensive analysis of the history and civilization of the Turks throughout their known 4000 year history. Following the publication of this work, an international conference was held in Ankara to critically examine the results of the project.

During the first session of the "International Turcology and Turkish History Research Symposium" Prof. Kemal Çiçek spoke on the "Turkish Project", Prof. Şükrü Haluk Akalın on the "Situation of Turcology in Turkey", Prof. Ali Birinci on the "Situation of the Writing of History in Turkey", Prof. Istvan Zimonyi (Hungary) on the "Situation of the Writing of History in Eurasia", Prof. Uli Schamiloglu (USA) on the "Situation of the Eurasian Studies", Prof. Robert Me. Cutler (Canada) on "Modern Eurasian Research in the US", and Prof. Salim Koca on "Central Asian Turkish History."

During the second session, several scholars presented papers on the following subjects: Prof. Michael Brose (USA) on the "General Situation of Uigur Studies in the World", Prof. Eugenia Popescu-Judetz (USA) on "Ottoman Studies in the US", Prof. Matteo Comperati (Italy) on "Eurasian Studies in Italy", Prof. Gabriele Rasuly Palezcek (Austria) on "Situation of Turcology Studies in Austria", Prof. Sonja Brentjes (Germany) on the "Situation of Ottoman Scientific History Studies", Prof. Klaus Pander (Germany) on "Eurasian Studies in Germany", Prof. Agusti Alemany (Spain) on "Eurasian Studies in Spain", Prof. Thierry Zarcone (France) on "Modern Eurasian Studies in France" and Prof. Enrico Basso (Italy) on the "Situation of Turcology Studies in Italy".

During the first session held on the second day of the symposium the scholars presented their papers on the following subjects: Prof. Wolf Diete Hütterroth (Germany) on the "Usage of Historical Geography in Ottoman Historiography", Prof. Eva Kincsesne-Nagy (Hungary) on the "Situation of Turcology in Hungary", Prof. Firidun A. Celilov (Azerbaijan) on "Scientific Research in Azerbaijan", Prof. Mirfatih Zekiyev (Tatarstan) on the "Situation of Turcology in Idil-Ural", Prof. Kamil Veli Nerimanoğlu (Azerbaijan) on the "Situation of Turcology in Azerbaijan", Prof. Emil Hersak (Crotia) on "Eurasian Studies in Crotia", Prof. Abdulhalik Aytbaev (Uzbekistan) on "Middle Age History Research in Uzbekistan", Prof. Geng Shimin (China) on "Turcology Studies in China", Prof. Yuri A. Petrosyon (Russia) on "Ottoman Studies in Russia", Prof. Rafael Muhammedinov (Tatarstan) on the "Situation of Historical Documents in Tatarstan".

During the second session, several scholars presented papers on the following subjects: Prof. Tıçtıkbek Çorotegin (Kyrgyzstan) on "Middle Age History Research in Kyrgyzstan", Prof. Plamen S. Tzvetkov (Bulgaria) on the "Situation of Turcology and Eurasian Studies", Prof. Leonid S. Marsadalov (Russia) on "Recent Developments in the study of Eurasian and Ancient History", Prof. Viorel Panaiye (Romania) on the "Situation of Turkish History Research in Romania", Prof. Asan S. Ormusev (Kyrgyzstan) on the "Situation of Modern History Research in Kyrgyzstan", Prof. Eyal Ginio (Israel) on "Turkish History Research in Israel", Prof. Kutlay Yagmur on "Turkish Studies and the Turkish Image in Australia", Prof. Kamaruzaman Yusoff (Malaysia) on "Turcology Studies and the Turkish Image in Southeastern Asia", Prof. Tofiq T. Mustafazade (Azerbaijan) on "Russian Archieves as a source of Ottoman History" and Ass. Prof. Berdi Saruyev (Turkmenistan) on the "Current Situation of Turkmenistan Historiography."