― 29 мая 2025 г.

Festival of Epics of the Turkic World held in Aktau

On  May 28th-29th, 2025, the international ‘Eldik Pen Erlik Jırı – Festival of Epics of the Turkic World’ was held in Aktau, Kazakhstan, under the theme ‘In the Footsteps of the Epic of the Forty Brave Men of Crimea.’ The festival kicked off with a lively opening ceremony on a stage set up along the shores of the Caspian Sea. The ceremony was held with the official opening speech by the Mayor of Aktau  Abilkayır Baypakov.

The festival was organised within the scope of events to celebrate ‘Aktau – the Cultural Capital of the Turkic World 2025’ under the leadership of the Directorate of Culture, Language Development and Archives of the Province of Mangıstau; organised by the Scientific-Educational and Cultural Services Centre of the Mangıstau Region; and in cooperation with TURKSOY, the Mangystau Branch of the Association of Authors of Kazakhstan, and the Mangystau Regional Branch of the  Kazakh Radio and Television Corporation.

The festival aimed at the preservation of  the common epic tradition of Turkic peoples while  introducing  heroic narratives on an international level, and strengthening cultural continuity. It featured epic narrators from Türkiye, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan, as well as artists representing traditional performance schools from the Jetisu, Arka, Sır, Batı, and Mangystau regions of Kazakhstan.

The festival brought together a total of 26 participants. Throughout the event, Turkish bards, Azerbaijani minstrels, Uzbek bakshys, Kyrgyz manaschys, Kazakh jıraus, and traditional storytellers recited epics on the themes of bravery and heroism, introducing the common spiritual heritage of the Turkic World to the audience. 

On the first day of the festival, 14 artists took to the scene and presented colourful examples of oral tradition. During the festival, participants also had the opportunity to visit Aktau's historical and cultural sites and attend  the Television programme  ‘Törletiniz’ on the Mangıstau Regional Television Channel. Various workshops and cultural exchanges were also held during the event.

This meaningful gathering, which aims to promote the oral tradition of the Turkic World on an international level, contributed to strengthening the sense of common identity and cultural ties between peoples. The festival will continue in the coming days, keeping alive the epic heritage of the Turkic World.