Book ‘The Phenomenon of Qurultay’ presented in Ankara

The 400-page scholarly work was previously presented to readers in Almaty and Astana. The book has been published in Kazakh, Turkish, Russian and English. It draws on historical manuscripts examining the origins of the Qurultay and its role in the region’s political life.

The Turkish-language edition was published with the assistance of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) of Türkiye, through its Directorate of Relations with Turkic States.

The event brought together members of the diplomatic corps, Turkish scholars and Kazakhstanis residing in Ankara. The presentation was followed by an expert discussion on the historical significance of the Qurultay and its relevance to contemporary political processes.

Kürşad Zorlu, Vice Chairman of Türkiye’s Justice and Development Party, noted that the Qurultay represents an important part of ancient Turkic history and traditions of state governance. According to him, renaming Kazakhstan’s parliament the Qurultay symbolizes a return to historical roots and underscores the continuity of the country’s political institutions.

One of the book’s authors, public figure Omarkhan Oksikbayev, emphasized the importance of reviving this tradition. He also highlighted President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s initiative to establish the National Qurultay in 2022 and the subsequent development of the institution into a Parliament.

The authors plan to continue studying historical sources and prepare further research. The book is currently being presented at several higher education institutions across Kazakhstan. Future presentations in Azerbaijan and European countries are also under consideration.

According to the authors, the project aims to draw international attention to the history of Kazakh statehood and the evolution of traditions of public representation.

Earlier, Qazinform reported Turkic world scholars discussed cultural heritage preservation in Bishkek.