Today, on November 28, an event titled "From the Ideal of Alash to Turkic Unity", dedicated to the legacy of prominent Alash Orda figures Akhmet Baitursynuly and Magzhan Zhumabay, took place at the National Academic Library of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
During the event, multivolume academic collections of works by Akhmet Baitursynuly and Magzhan Zhumabay were presented. These collections were prepared by the Mukhtar Auezov Institute of Literature and Art with the support of the Turkic Academy.
Speakers at the event included President of the Turkic Academy Shahin Mustafayev, Deputy General Director of the Mukhtar Auezov Institute of Literature and Art Elmira Omarova, prominent public figure Adil Akhmetov, Senator of the Parliament of Kazakhstan Darhan Kydyrali, Professor of L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University Serik Negimov and statesman Sauytbek Abdrakhmanov. Among the attendees were heads and representatives of diplomatic missions, scholars, public figures and members of Parliament.
Elmira Omarova presented a letter of gratitude to President of the Turkic Academy on behalf of Director of the Mukhtar Auezov Institute of Literature and Art Kenzhekhan Matyjanov. The letter expressed sincere appreciation to the Turkic Academy for its collaboration in the publication of the collections and its significant contribution to the study of the cultural heritage of prominent figures of the Turkic world.
In his speech, President of the Turkic Academy Shahin Mustafayev emphasized the importance of the legacy of Akhmet Baitursynuly and Magzhan Zhumabay for the Turkic world.
“Akhmet Baitursynuly, as the founder of Kazakh linguistics and a reformer of the alphabet, made an invaluable contribution to the development of Turkic science. His ideas on creating a common Turkic terminology and literary language remain relevant today. Magzhan Zhumabay, on the other hand, inspired unity and the awakening of national consciousness through his works, proclaiming the solidarity of the Turkic world. His poems, such as 'To the Distant Brother,' are vivid examples of the solidarity among brotherly nations,” noted the head of the Academy.
Shahin Mustafayev also highlighted that the ideal of Turkestan, pursued by the leaders of Alash, remains significant in the era of integration among independent Turkic states. He reminded the audience that in September of this year, the Unified Turkic Alphabet was adopted, an idea initially championed by Akhmet Baitursynuly and other distinguished scholars.
President of the Academy elaborated on key projects aimed at preserving and promoting the heritage of prominent figures of the Turkic world. As part of the project "The Turkic Enlightenment Movement of the 19th and Early 20th Centuries," the Academy compiles the biographies and intellectual legacies of thinkers who contributed to the progress and unity of the nation. Next year, in honor of the 190th anniversary of Chokan Valikhanov, the Academy plans to publish a collection of his selected works for Turkish readers.
Shahin Mustafayev further emphasized the Academy’s role in fostering a shared national identity by publishing works of distinguished Turkic intellectuals. He also highlighted the importance of the project "Prominent Figures of the Turkic World," aimed at educating the younger generation in the spirit of respect for shared values and closer unity.
The event was recognized by the attendees as an important step toward strengthening Turkic unity and preserving the cultural heritage of Alash for future generations.
