Grand concert in Turkey’s Ankara within frame of Year of Abai Kunanbayev

Bishkek, Feb.12, 2020. /Kabar/. A grand concert in honor of the 175th anniversary of great Kazakh educator Abai Kunanbayev was held in Turkey’s Ankara, the press service of the International Organization of Turkic Culture (TURKSOY) reported. The concert, held on Feb. 9, 2020, was organized as part of the opening of the Year of Abai Kunanbayev, declared by TURKSOY. TURKSOY, Turkey’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Ministry of Culture and Sports of Kazakhstan, the Kazakh Embassy in Turkey and the Turkish TRT Avaz Radio and Television Corporation organized the event. The concert was attended by Kazakh Ambassador to Turkey Abzal Saparbekuly, Kyrgyzstan’s Ambassador to Turkey Kubanychbek Omuraliyev, Kazakhstan’s Vice Minister of Culture and Sports Yeldos Ramazanov, Chairman of the Eurasian Union of Writers Yakup Ömeroğlu, as well as numerous representatives of cultural, creative and literary circles of the Turkic world and art lovers. In his speech, TURKSOY Chairman Dusen Kaseinov emphasized that 2020, declared by the International Organization of Turkic Culture as the Year of Abai, will serve to promote the name of this Turkic sage through various activities. "The great poet has left an indelible mark on the history of our country. His poems and expressions reflect our national identity, lifestyle, outlook, character, soul, language, faith and spirit," Kazakh Ambassador Abzal Saparbekuly said. Kazakhstan’s Vice Culture and Sports Minister Yeldos Ramazanov also noted during the Year of Abai, many educational, literary, cultural and art events will take place both in the home country of the educator and on a global level. After the protocol part, artists from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkey, as well as Moldova performed songs to Abai Kunanbayev’s poems to the accompaniment of the Turkish Presidential Symphony Orchestra. The event ended with the presentation of commemorative posters, letters of appreciation, flowers and general photography. Abai (Ibrahim) Qunanbaiuly was a Kazakh poet, composer and philosopher. He was also a cultural reformer toward European and Russian cultures on the basis of enlightened Islam. His name is sometimes russified to 'Abay Kunanbayev' (Абай Кунанбаев); amongst Kazakhs he is often simply referred to as 'Abai'. Abay also translated into Kazakh the works of Russian and European authors, mostly for the first time.