A ceremonial presentation of the newly republished Azerbaijani edition of Mukhtar Auezov’s renowned novel “Abay” was held today at the Atatürk Center in Baku. The new edition, initiated and published by the International Turkic Academy, marks the 180th anniversary of the great Kazakh thinker and educator Abai Kunanbayev.
President of the Turkic Academy, Prof. Dr. Shahin Mustafayev delivered the opening remarks at the event. He emphasized that this publication not only restores the novel’s original literary depth, but also reflects the strengthening of cultural ties between Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan.
The novel was first translated into Azerbaijani in 1954 by Eyub Abbasov, based on the Russian version rather than the original Kazakh text. For more than seventy years, the book had not been republished, making it largely inaccessible to a broad Azerbaijani readership.
In this new edition, the Cyrillic script has been replaced with the Latin alphabet used in modern Azerbaijani, aligning with contemporary literary standards and ensuring greater accessibility for younger generations of readers.
Prof. Dr. Mustafayev expressed his gratitude to editor Farid Huseyn and all those involved in bringing the project to life.
“The publication of “Abay” in this format is not just a literary event. It is an act of cultural remembrance, a gesture of respect for our shared spiritual heritage and a contribution to its preservation. The Academy remains committed to the comprehensive study and promotion of the cultural and spiritual legacy of the Turkic peoples,” said the head of the Academy.
The event brought together a wide range of distinguished guests, including Director of the Atatürk Center in Azerbaijan Nizami Jafarov, members of the Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Kazakhstan to Azerbaijan Alim Bayel, TURKPA Secretary General Mehmet Süreyya Er, Chief of Staff of the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation Fakhri Hajiev, as well as scholars, educators and literary figures.
