Abay Centre opened at Baku State University
The ceremony was attended by Rector of the Eurasian National L. Gumilyov University Bakytzhan Abdraim, Rector of the Baku State University (BSU), academician Abel Maharramov, Head of the Department for Internal Policy of the Presidential Administration Darkhan Mynbay, Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Azerbaijan Serik Primbetov as well as representatives of the education ministry, deputies of the Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan and foreign ambassadors accredited in the country.
The Centre which is going to launch Kazakh language lessons for Azerbaijani students has been provided with computers, TV sets, language laboratories, and all necessary educational materials.
Taking the floor, Rector of the Baku State University Abel Maharramov said: "We are closely watching the development of Kazakhstan and we are sincerely glad of the achievements of our neighbor in political, economic and cultural spheres. I am confident that the Kazakh people have the same fraternal feelings towards the Azerbaijanis. Opening the H. Aliyev Centre at the Eurasian National University in Astana is a bright example of it".
"The name of Abay Kunanbayev - the famous son of the Kazakh nation - is well known the worldwide. It is not accidental that year 1995 was announced by the UNESCO The Year of Abay. Abay was a great thinker, philosopher and enlightener. Reading the works by medieval poets Nizami and Fizuli, he not only disseminated the Oriental culture among the Kazakhs, but also translated the works by Byron, Goethe, Pushkin and Lermontov into the Kazakh language. There is a famous quote of Abay: Don't be the son of your nation, Be the son of the mankind". To date we see that he could be not only the son of the Kazakh people, but the son of the mankind", the Rector highlighted.
"I am very pleased that the Abay Centre has been opened at our University. All those who wish to study the history, culture and language of the Kazakh people will come here. We have much to do for strengthening and developing our fraternal relations in future", A. Maharramov resumed.