Abai Kunanbaiuly’s 180th Anniversary in The Hague

EUReflect had the honor of attending a remarkable cultural evening hosted by the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, dedicated to the 180th Anniversary of Abai Kunanbaiuly — one of the greatest thinkers, poets, and humanists of the Turkic world.

Abay Qunanbaiuly (Абай Құнанбайұлы) was a Kazakh poet, composer, and moralist of the 19th century. He shaped Kazakh culture as a social activist, musician, and the most beloved poet in Kazakhstan. He is considered the founding father of modern Kazakh literature and remains the most famous Kazakh poet. Even Louis Aragon, the renowned French poet, wrote about Abay.

Under the theme “Abai and Modernity: Spiritual Legacy and Contemporary Relevance of His Ideas,” the event featured a profound lecture by Dr. Zifa-Alua Auezova, a distinguished scholar and cultural historian, who highlighted how Abai’s moral philosophy and humanistic vision continue to inspire across generations and cultures.

Special guest Dr. Reşide Yüksel (Vice President for Relations with Turkic States) underlined in her remarks that Abai’s teachings on justice, knowledge, and ethics “still illuminate our path today — uniting the Turkic world through wisdom, identity, and shared values.”

The evening concluded in a warm atmosphere of friendship and dialogue, enriched by elements of Kazakh national cuisine and heartfelt cultural exchange.

As Dr. Yüksel beautifully summarized: “Abai is not only a cultural treasure — he is a bridge connecting our past, present, and shared future. Long live the unity and common destiny of the Turkic world.”

Abay is considered one of the founding fathers of the Kazakh nation. Numerous monuments are dedicated to him, and his writings form the foundation of Kazakh culture. The city of Abay was named in his honor. In 2006, a statue was erected for him on the Boulevard des Étangs-Purs in Moscow.

His name has been given to a university and a boulevard in the city of Almaty. In 1995, UNESCO declared it the “Year of Abay” worldwide. The International Organization of Turkic Culture (TÜRKSOY) declared 2020, the 175th anniversary of Abay Kunanbayev’s birth, as the “Year of Abay Kunanbayev.” In 2021, a square in Zeytinburnu, a district in Istanbul with a large Kazakh-Turkish population, was named Abay Kunanbayuly Square.

Cengiz Aytmatov described Abay as “a sublime figure on the Eurasian scale” (Kibar, 2014: 11), comparing him to Goethe and Tolstoy.

In summary, Abay was a humanist and an intellectual who supported ideas parallel to the Renaissance, praising the human being as the most capable and perfect creation of God. Recognized as the founder of Kazakh literature, Abay Kunanbay opened a new era in Kazakh literary history and introduced innovations to the literary field. He brought these innovations not only to literature but also to social life. For this reason, he remains a role model for contemporary Kazakh intellectuals. His works are still considered classics of Kazakh literature today.

This poet was a great artist who described nature in a spectacular way, and I leave you with a few verses from a poem by Abai:

The earth has waited all winter for its beloved sun,
and united with it and slaked its passion:
This is the result of that everlasting passion:
all is in blossom, radiant as the fire-bird.
No one dares to stare straight at the sun,
but they love it and are warmed by its soulful heat.
And I myself saw the sun going into
its gold and purple tent in the evening.

EUReflect expresses its sincere appreciation to the Embassy team for their gracious hospitality and for fostering such an inspiring platform of cultural and intellectual exchange — one that strengthens dialogue, friendship, and mutual understanding between nations.

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EUReflect - European News & Analysis