Wise Men of the Great Steppe: Akhmet Baitursynuly

On the initiative of the Consulate of Turkey in Almaty, professors of the Department of Oriental Philology and Translation of Abai KazNPU held an international webinar «Wise Men of the Great Steppe: Akhmet Baitursynuly». The organizer and moderator from the Kazakh side was Ergali Esbosynov, associate professor of the Department of Oriental Philology and Translation, and from the Turkish side was Dr Selenai Koshumzhu, an employee of the Turkish Consulate in Almaty and senior lecturer at the department of Turksoy at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University.

The event was opened with congratulatory speeches by representatives of the Turkish Embassy in Kazakhstan Dr Abdulmutalip Çetin and the Turkish Consulate in Almaty Dr Mahmut Agyrman. Abdulmutalip Çetin reminded that international project «Wise Men of Great Steppe» initiated by Turkish Embassy started from September 2020 with such great personalities as Hoja Ahmet Yassawi, Al-Farabi, Abai, Chingiz Aitmatov, Mukhtar Auezov. He noted that the peculiarity of today`s meeting is that it is dedicated to such a great person as Akhmet Baitursynov. Mahmut Agirman said eminent persons like Ahmet Baytursynuly have special and important place in humanitarian relations between two countries. Director of Akhmet Baitursynuly House-museum in Almaty, associate professor of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University Raikhan Imakhanbet showed the video-recording of valuable exhibits of museum and told about them. The head of the chair of Kazakh language and literature named after Academician S. Kirabayev Ilyasova Nagima made the report «A. Baitursynuly is a syncretic personality, who laid the foundation of the national humanitarian science», professor Kalybayeva Kalamkas - «A. Baitursynuly is the founder of the Kazakh theory of writing», senior teacher Bakbergenova Rosa - «Kazakh Turkic science: place and role of Ahmet Baitursynuly». The speeches of the speakers were delivered in Kazakh language and the slides in Turkish language were shown as well. The 2nd year students Ismetova Zhamilya and Dilnaz Umbet expressively read poems «Anama khat» and «Kazak kalpy» by A. Baitursynuly.

Distinguished guests of the event were Professor Yulay Shamilogly, the head of the Kazakh language and Turkology department of Nazarbayev University, Dr Osman Kabadaiy and Zheren Kabadaiy, Assistant Professor of Namik Kemal University, Dr Sonel Bosnal, who told about their scientific research related to the works of A.Baitursynuly. Organisers Yergali Esbosynov and Selenai Koshumzhu summarised the meeting and thanked the participants and speakers for their valuable scientific information.

The webinar was attended by professors, students, undergraduates and doctoral students of the Institute of Philology and Multilingual Education. The event was of great educational and scientific significance and was highly appreciated by the participants. At the end of the webinar, Mahmud Agyrman presented the speakers and organisers with letters of appreciation on behalf of the Turkish Consulate in Almaty.