100th anniversary of Azerbaijan celebrated in Kazakhstan
Within this framework, a conference dedicated to the 135th anniversary of the birthday of the famous Azerbaijani author and poet Huseyin Cavid was organized in cooperation of the International Organization of Turkic Culture TURKSOY with the Al Farabi Kazak National University.
The conference hosted by the Rector of the Al Farabi Kazak National University Prof. Dr. Galymkair Mutanov gathered TURKSOY Secretary General Prof. Dusen Kasseinov along with the Vice-President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ali Hasanov, the Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Kazakhstan H. E. Reshad Memmedov and the Chairman of the Turkic Academy Darhan Kydyrali along with many poets, authors, scholars and guests from Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan.
In the speech he delivered at the conference, Secretary General Dusen Kasseinov said that since its establishment as an international organization, TURKSOY has been carrying out activities to strengthen the ties of brotherhood and solidarity among Turkic peoples and transmit their common cultural heritage to future generations while promoting it on a global scale. Mr. Kasseinov further stressed that these also include activities to introduce the culture of the people of Azerbaijan to the world and added: "Today, we are adding yet another contribution to the promotion of the culture of Azerbaijan as we are carrying out various events dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan in the Al-Farabi Kazak National University which is a famous university not only of Kazakhstan but also of Central Asia. The first of these events is the presentation of a book published in Kazak language and dedicated to the 95th anniversary of the national leader of the people of Azerbaijan Haydar Aliyev. The second event we are holding here today is the conference dedicated to the 135th anniversary of the birthday of the famous poet and playwright of Azerbaijan Huseyin Cavid and the third one is the opening ceremony of the Section of Culture and History of Azerbaijan within the TURKSOY Department of the Faculty of Oriental Studies of the Al Farabi Kazak National University.
Such major events are the results of the cooperation between staff members of the university and the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Kazakhstan. TURKSOY is always ready to contribute to activities of kindred Turkic peoples in the field of culture and art."
Mr. Kasseinov who also touched upon the struggle of the people of Azerbaijan and its declaration of independence with the establishment of the Republic of Azerbaijan which is the first democratic republic to have been established by Turkic peoples further said: "The Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan is the first democratic republic to have been established among Muslim Turkic peoples in May a century ago. Unfortunately, this republic was overthrown by the Soviet Union shortly after its establishment and was replaced by the Soviet Socialist Republic of Azerbaijan. However, the people of Azerbaijan never gave up its struggle for indepence. With the collapse of the Soviet Union in the 90ies, the new Republic of Azerbaijan was established as a continuation of the first Democratic Republic.
Since the declaration of its independence, the Republic of Azerbaijan has reached major achievements. Indeed, Azerbaijan is a founding member state of institutions and organizations which play a key role for the unity of the Turkic World such as TURKSOY, TURKPA, the Turkic Council. Sol et me once again congratulate you all on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Republic of Azerbaijan. May our country and unity be eternal. May our flag always float on the sky. May this anniversary be a happy and glorious one!".
In their speeches, the keynote speakers of the event talked about the struggle of the people of Azerbaijan for its independence as well as of the 95th anniversary of the birthday of Haydar Aliyev, the deceased President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the 135th anniversary of the birthday of the illustrious poet Huseyin Cavid who all have strongly contributed to the independence of the country.
The conferences were followed by the opening ceremony of the the Section of Culture and History of Azerbaijan within the TURKSOY Department of the Faculty of Oriental Studies of the Al Farabi Kazak National University.