― 15 октября 2020 г.

Commemorative conference dedicated to the 175th anniversary of the birthday of the famous Kazak poet Abai Kunanbaiev

The conference which took place on October 15th, 2020 was held in cooperation of the Gaziosmanpasa University of Tokat with the Abai University of Kazakhstan within the framework of the commemorative year declared by TURKSOY and dedicated to the 175th anniversary of the birthday of Abai Kunanbaiev. 

The international conference on research activities carried out about Kunanbaiev was moderated by Prof. Dr. Serüvbay Kurmanbaiuly from the National Academy of Sciences of Kazakhstan and started with openning speeches delivered by the Rector of the  Abai University Prof. Dr. Takir Balykbaiev, the Deputy Rector of the Gaziosmanpaşa University of Tokat Prof. Dr. Ibrahim Özbay, the President of the Turkish Language Institution Prof. Dr. Gürer Gülsevin and the Director of the  International Stock Exchange of Astana Dr. Kayrat Kelimbetov.

At the conference which also featured a presentation of the Nemat Kelimbetov Turcology Center, the Director of the afore-mentioned center,  Assoc. Prof. Dr. Askar Turganbayev  gave some information about the center.

The conference went on with a presentation by the Deputy Secretary General of TURKSOY Assoc. Prof. Dr.  Bilal Çakıcı on research activities carried out about Abai in the Turkic World. Mr. Çakıcı who qualified the famous Kazak scholar and poet as "the great genius of the Modern Turkic World who entered the history of World literature" further said:  “Abai is a poet, author, philosopher, translator and statesman. He is also the founder of Kazak realistic literature of the 19th century. As such, he is a man of ideas who turned his personal experience and knowledge into universal maxims and immortalized them with his masterpiece "Kara Sözler."

Mr. Çakıcı who also added that TURKSOY dedicated the year 2020 to the commemoration of the 175th anniversary of the birthday of Abai Kunanbaiev further touched  upon various activities held throughout this commemorative year.

At the conference, Prof. Dr. Şakir Ibyraiev (Kazakhstan), Prof. Dr. Abdülvahap Kara (Turkey), Prof. Dr. Elman Guliyev (Azerbaijan), Prof. Dr. Nergis Biray (Turkey), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Jabal Shoiynbet (Kazakhstan), Assoc. Prof.  Dr. Marufjon Yuldashev (Uzbekistan) and Prof. Dr. Serüvbay Kurmanbayuly (Kazakhstan) presented thier papers on Abai.

The last part of the conference dealt with the presentation of a book featuring the translation and original text publication issued based on the transcription of Abai's "Kara Sözler" dating back to the last century and prepared by Dr. Ercen Petek.

Following the presentation,  Prof. Dr. Ahmet Günshen (Turkey), Prof. Dr. Tashpolot Sadykov (Kyrgyzstan), Assoc. Prof.  Dr. Elchin Ibrahimov (Azerbaijan) and Assoc. Prof. Dr.  Ekrem Ayan (Turkey) presented their papers on the book as well as on Abai.