― 13 августа 2025 г.
180th anniversary of the birthday of Abay Kunanbayulı commemorated in Kazakhstan
The 180th anniversary of the birthday of Abay Kunanbayulı, the founder of Kazakh literature, great poet and philosopher, was commemorated with international events held in his birthtown, Semey, from August 7th to August 14th, 2025.
The World Poetry Festival held under the auspices of TURKSOY and its Authors'Association of the Turkic World to pay tribute to Abay on the 180th anniversary of his birthday and reminding of Abay’s universal message, ‘Embrace Humanity as your Brothers and Sisters" brought together poets and representatives of culture and art from the Turkic World and various other countries of the globe.
The festival was attended by renowned poets from various countries, including Romania, the United States of America, India, Italy, Germany, Iran, and African countries, as well as the Turkic World. The event was organised in cooperation with the Governor's Office of the Province of Abay, the TURKSOY’s Association of Authors of the Turkic World, and the International Academy of Poetry named after Mihai Eminescu.
As part of the programme, Ion Diaconescu, President of the Eminescu Academy in Romania, presented his novel ‘O Kuş – Benim’ at the Abay Library in Semey. Additionally, the anthology of poetry entitled ‘Embrace Humanity as your Brothers and Sisters" was introduced to readers.
Speaking at the ceremony, TURKSOY Secretary General Sultan Raev highlighted Abay's universal values, saying: "Abay stands out not only for his poetry but also for his profound philosophy, mature spiritual outlook, and shared ideas about humanity. He is a humanist who sees all humanity as brothers and sisters. This is a stance rarely found even in world-famous philosophers as it embraces world civilisation with a particular depth of understanding. Abay blended this attitude with the Kazakh mindset, the unique generosity and broad-mindedness of the people of the steppe, and turned it into the essence of its philosophy."
The 180th anniversary celebrations of Abay's birthday were held in Semey, Kazakhstan, as an important cultural event gathering many famous figures of poetry, literature, and culture along with a large audience.
