Kazakh Exhibition in Amsterdam

Secretary General Sultan Raev Attends Opening of “The Living Thread of Traditions: Heritage of the Ancestors” Exhibition in Amsterdam – November 1, 2025

On October 29, 2025, the Yunus Emre Institute in Amsterdam hosted the official opening of the exhibition titled “The Living Thread of Traditions: Heritage of the Ancestors.” The event was attended by Sultan Raev, Secretary General of TURKSOY, and marked a significant cultural occasion celebrating the shared heritage of the Turkic world.

Organized by the Museum Association of the City of Almaty, with support from the Municipality of Almaty, the Embassies of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Republic of Türkiye in the Netherlands, and hosted by the Yunus Emre Institute, the exhibition coincided with Kazakhstan’s Republic Day and the 35th anniversary of the Declaration of State Sovereignty.

Cultural Bridge

The exhibition showcases over 70 unique artifacts selected from the collections of the Museum Association of Almaty. These include ethnographic items, traditional costumes, jewelry, musical instruments, historical photographs, and works of decorative and applied arts. The thematic sections reflect the daily life, artistic expression, and cultural memory of Turkic peoples, offering visitors a vivid journey through the continuity of traditions.

One of the most captivating sections features ancestral musical instruments such as the dombra, komuz, saz (bağlama), kopuz, and dutar. These instruments were presented not only as historical objects but as living symbols of cultural identity. The presentations emphasized the connection between Turkic music and the spirit of the steppe—its rhythm, movement, and collective memory.

100th anniversary of the birth of renowned Kazakh composer Nurgisa Tilendiyev

In recognition of the 100th anniversary of the birth of renowned Kazakh composer Nurgisa Tilendiyev, TURKSOY declared 2025 the “Year of Nurgisa Tilendiyev.” A dedicated section of the exhibition honored his legacy, featuring live performances of his compositions by Kazakh artists accompanied by the dombra. These performances filled the hall with melodies that resonated deeply with the shared cultural emotions of the audience.

Speaking to the press, Secretary General Sultan Raev remarked:

“Every object, every instrument, and every motif in this exhibition is a living legacy filtered through history. Just as in Tilendiyev’s melodies, the spirit of the Turkic world continues to live on with emotional unity across generations. Our duty is to preserve this cultural memory and pass it on to the future.”

CONCLUSION

The exhibition attracted significant attention from Dutch art enthusiasts, members of the Turkic diaspora in the Netherlands, and representatives of diplomatic missions. Previously showcased in cities such as Seoul, Istanbul, Naples, Vienna, Prague, Karcag, and Belgrade, the exhibition also received acclaim at UNESCO’s Paris headquarters in June 2025. Amsterdam now serves as its latest European destination.

“The Living Thread of Traditions: Heritage of the Ancestors” exhibition is open to visitors at the Yunus Emre Institute in Amsterdam until November 14, 2025, on weekdays from 11:00 to 16:00.