Our ancestors' dream of a strong independent state came true - Senator A. Kekilbayev
ASTANA. October 20. KAZINFORM /Kanat Tokabayev/ "This year Kazakhstan will mark the 18th anniversary of its independence. In 1996 the country's leadership decided to remove the capital city from Almaty to Akmola. Building new city started a year later. In these 11 years our ancestors' dream of a strong independent state came true. We have erected buildings on both sides of the Ishim River. The whole world admires Astana today", Senator Abish Kekilbayev has said delivering a speech at the opening ceremony of the Kazakh Eli monument today.
He reminded of those hard periods when the Kazakhs could even lose their mother tongue, their identity.
"Today the whole world recognizes Kazakhstan. We achieved such results without conflicts, due to our patience and labor, due to our wise and forward looking leader", A, Kekilbayev stressed.