Over 50,000 people join Abai Day celebrations across Kazakhstan

The Zhidebai-Borili Museum-Reserve in Semey presented manuscripts, archival documents, and memoirs reflecting the poet’s era. A separate exhibition explored Abai’s image in the visual arts. The program also featured a literary quest and the Abai Song Festival, combining the museum’s historical heritage with contemporary formats for engaging audiences.

The National Museum hosted a thematic tour and a museum lesson dedicated to Abai’s life and ideas. At the Abylkhan Kasteyev National Museum of Arts, children were introduced to the poet’s legacy through works by Kazakh artists. Meanwhile, an exhibition exploring the relevance of Abai’s ideas to modern Kazakhstan opened at the Otyrar Museum-Reserve.

One of the largest events was the musical and poetry evening Abai Alemi (World of Abai) in Almaty, which attracted more than 20,000 residents and visitors. The event also featured the premiere of the documentary film AlgashqyKitap (First Book), which tells the story of the first collection of Abai’s works, published in 1909.

The celebrations also continued abroad, including in Beijing, where a roundtable titled Abai - An Outstanding Personality was held at the Kazakhstan Cultural Center in cooperation with the Embassy of Kazakhstan in China and the Jintai Museum. Particular attention was given to the longstanding contribution of Chinese scholars, writers, and translators to the study and promotion of Abai’s works.

Abai region hosted the Abai Joly – 100 Miles (Abai’s Path - 100 miles) ultramarathon and the national aitys Adamzattyn Abaiy.

The capital Astana hosted a forum of young writers, while Almaty, Shymkent cities and regions held Abai’s Readings, theatrical performances, exhibitions, concerts and educational projects.

Earlier, it was reported that the Abai Library Project won the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation program.