TURKSOY Secretary General Raev attended the event dedicated to the 70th anniversary of the birthday of Rahymjan Otarbayev
Rahymjan Otarbayev, a master of Kazak literature, author and playwright, was commemorated with international events held in the city of Atyrau, Kazakhstan, to mark the 70th anniversary of his birthday. In the statement he delivered on this occasion, TURKSOY Secretary General Sultan Raev stated that: “Otarbayev’s works and spiritual heritage will live on forever in the Turkic World.”
The city of Atyrau in Kazakhstan hosted a major event gathering leading figures of literature and theatre. The international conference entitled “The Legacy of Rahymjan Otarbayev: National Literature, Historical Consciousness and Spiritual Continuity” and the “3rd International Theatre Festival dedicated to Rahymjan Otarbayev” were held in the presence of Mr. Sultan Raev, the Secretary General of the International Organisation for Turkic Culture (TURKSOY).
“Otarbayev is a shared heritage of the Turkic World”
Speaking at the opening session of the academic conference hosted by the Atyrau Halel Dosmuhamedov University, Mr. Daryn Shamuratov, the Deputy Governor of the Region of Atyrau, stressed that the people’s historical memory and love for their homeland are intertwined in the author’s works.
TURKSOY Secretary General Sultan Raev who also took the floor at the conference underlined that Rahymjan Otarbayev is a shared literary treasure not only for Kazakh literature but for the entire Turkic World. Recalling his friendship which began with the author in Moscow during the Soviet era and lasted a lifetime, Secretary General Raev shared his memories saying: “Our friendship with Rahymjan began in Moscow. He was a young author who stood out with his long hair, distinctive demeanour and captivating personality. Our friendship which began on that day gradually evolved into a lifelong brotherhood. He was an author who masterfully explored the depths of the human soul and never placed his personal interests before those of his people and his art, and who remained faithful to literature until the very end.”
Secretary General Raev, who also recalled Otarbayev’s time serving as cultural attaché at the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Kyrgyzstan, described how the author’s efforts in the field of cultural diplomacy had helped to strengthen the spiritual bonds between the two kindred nations.
His work ‘Baş’ Translated into Kyrgyz
One of the most notable moments of the conference, attended by scholars and literary figures from various countries as well as by Otarbayev’s son, Ermerey Otarbayev, was the presentation of the Kyrgyz translation of the author’s work “Baş” (The Head).
Translated by the Kyrgyz researcher Bolotbek Tashtanaliyev, the work was regarded as a significant step towards the promotion of the author’s rich legacy in the Turkic World. At the event, winners of the competition of creative writing were handed over their awards, whilst successful students studying journalism at the universities of Atyrau and Pavlodar were awarded the “Rahymjan Otarbayev Special Scholarship”.
The Turkic World gathered on stage in Atyrau
Commemorative events went beyond the academic conference with the beginning of the 3rd International Rahymjan Otarbayev Theatre Festival held at the Mahambet Ötemisuly Kazakh Academic Drama Theatre from October 12th to October 16th, 2026. The festival held with the participation of 11 theatre ensembles from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Karakalpakstan will features performances of plays adapted from unforgettable works by the famous author. The aim of the festival is to further strengthen literary and cultural ties among countries of the Turkic World through performing arts.
Secretary General Sultan Raev concluded his speech with these emotional words of tribute and farewell to the famous author: “My dear friend Rahymjan, you will live on forever in our hearts with your multifaceted talent and unique personality. You passed away like a shooting star slipping away from this mortal world. Yet you have left behind indelible words and an immortal legacy of literature. If you were with us today, you would have turned 70. May your resting place be in paradise, my dear friend!”
Medya Galerisi
(18)
