Central Türkiye's Konya has been awarded the Youth Capital of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) title for 2026, an honor designated annually by the organization.
Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum (ICYF) President Taha Ayhan said Konya was selected following a vote held during the forum’s first Executive Board meeting of 2026.
“Iran’s Tabriz, Uzbekistan’s Tashkent and Türkiye’s Konya were nominated as candidate cities. Following the vote, we officially declared Konya as the 2026 OIC Youth Capital. I wish it success,” Ayhan said.
Launched in 2015, the OIC Youth Capital program selects a city from an OIC member state each year with the aim of strengthening solidarity, cultural exchange and a shared vision among young people from the Islamic world and Muslim minority communities.
The program includes seminars, conferences, cultural and artistic events, as well as various social activities.
The 2025 program, hosted by Marrakech in Morocco, follows previous editions held in cities such as Shusha in Azerbaijan, Kazan in Russia’s Tatarstan region, Dhaka in Bangladesh and Doha in Qatar, bringing together thousands of young participants.
Tabriz, Tashkent and Konya were shortlisted as candidate cities for 2026.
Following deliberations by the ICYF Executive Board, Konya was selected as the 2026 OIC Youth Capital, with its deep-rooted history, cultural heritage and contribution to intercultural dialogue cited among the key factors in the decision.
Throughout 2026, Konya is expected to host numerous international events, welcoming thousands of young people from across the Islamic world.
Konya Metropolitan Municipality Deputy Mayor Ahmet Murat Koru also welcomed the decision, saying the city aims to organize a wide range of events inspired by its cultural heritage and to host international guests in the best possible way.
Konya is known for its deep-rooted heritage, religious significance and long-standing role as a crossroads of civilizations. As one of the country’s largest cities by area, Konya has served as a key settlement since ancient times and was the capital of the Seljuk Sultanate of Rum in the 12th and 13th centuries.
The city is globally recognized as the home of Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi, whose philosophy of tolerance, spirituality and human unity continues to shape Konya’s cultural identity and international appeal.
