Flowers laid at Abai monument in Dushanbe
Kazakhstan's embassy staff and members of the Kazakh diaspora in Tajikistan laid flowers at the monument to Abai in Dushanbe to mark the great poet and philosopher's birthday, a Qazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
In his speech during the ceremony, Kazakh Ambassador Valikhan Turekhanov said that Abai's name remains a timeless symbol of wisdom, humanism, a thirst for knowledge, mutual understanding, and spiritual harmony among nations.
"His teachings are as relevant now as ever. On the contrary, they continue to inspire the younger generation to pursue knowledge, creative work, and loyalty to high moral values," the diplomat noted.
He emphasized that the opening of the Abai monument in Tajikistan's capital in 2024 holds special historical and spiritual significance. It is a vivid symbol of friendship and mutual respect between the peoples of Kazakhstan and Tajikistan, and their commitment to shared cultural values.
"The location of the bust in the park named after the great Ferdowsi also carries special symbolic significance. If Ferdowsi is the pinnacle of the Tajik people's spiritual world, then Abai is considered the spiritual pillar of the Kazakh people. The great thinkers are united by a shared reverence for enlightenment, justice, humanism, and the power of the word," Turekhanov concluded.
Secretary of the Tajikistan-Kazakhstan Friendship Society Kairzhan Kurbonova noted that Abai is revered not only by the Kazakh people but around the world.
"Abai's philosophy is very subtle and profound. The crowning masterpiece of Abai's work is his famous 'Words of Wisdom' – a deep philosophical reflection on human nature, society, morality, responsibility, and the individual's role in life. I am delighted that our friendship society contributed to the translation and publication of this work in the Tajik language. These wise words have not lost their educational and spiritual significance even after more than a century," she underlined.
The celebration continued with performances of Abai's famous songs Közımnıñ Qarasy and Jelsız Tünde Jaryq Ai. In addition, guests and children of embassy staff recited excerpts from the great poet's works.
Earlier, Qazinform reported that President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev congratulated Kazakhstanis on Abai Day.