Al-Farabi’s heritage united researchers in Europe and Kazakhstan

ALMATY. KAZINFORM - As part of the celebration of the anniversary of the great philosopher Abu-Nasyr al-Farabi, the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Switzerland, the University of Zurich, the Kazakh National University named after al-Farabi, with the valuable support of the embassies of Kazakhstan in Vienna, Berlin and Rome, this week held an international online lecture on the topic «Contribution Abu-Nasyr al-Farabi in the Science and Culture of Europe» with the involvement of participants from four European countries, Kazinform has learnt from the Kazakh MFA.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic this format turned out to be the most acceptable and safe for all participants.

The main listeners of the lecture were students of the specialized faculties of KazNU named after al-Farabi, the University of Zurich, the University of Vienna, Sapiens University of Rome, the University of Padua, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich and Humboldt University of Berlin.

The event brought together a number of leading modern researchers of al-Farabi, such as Prof. Ulrich Rudolph from the University of Zurich, whose works on al-Farabi are known to the entire community of orientalists, Prof. Rudiger Lohlker from the University of Rome, who raised an interesting topic on music therapy of al-Farabi and its applicability in modern practices, Prof. Cecilia Bonadeo from the University of Padua, Professor Fabio Grassi from the Sapienza University of Rome and others.

In his welcoming speech, the President of the University of Zurich, Professor Michael Schaepman, noted the interesting idea that the legacy of al-Farabi, like many centuries ago, continues to contribute to the establishment of cultural and creative exchange among the academic circles of Europe and Asia today. He stressed that the event will give impetus to the exchange of knowledge and experience in the field of orientalism and anthropology between the University of Zurich and Al-Farabi KazNU.

The First Vice-Rector of Al-Farabi KazNU Mukhambetkali Burkitbayev noted that the celebration of the 1150th anniversary of the great thinker al-Farabi under the patronage of UNESCO is important from the point of view of the socio-political modernization of modern societies within the framework of the legacy left by this great scientist.

The main lecturer, the Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy of KazNU named after al-Farabi, Professor Aliya Massalimova, in the conclusion of the lecture, noted the following: «Al-Farabi made a great contribution to many fields of science: metaphysics, ethics, physics, astrology, psychology and music. Each area was a topic for further research. His main tools, with the help of which he opened the world of knowledge, were logic and ethics. For him and for his successor Avicenna, logic and ethics represented an accurate method of reasoning that could be equally applied to all sciences and theology for the search for truth».

Summing up the lecture and discussion, Professor Rudolph noted that the philosophical legacy of al-Farabi is the discovery of a new humanitarian, ethical, dialogical and rational ideology of the 21st century. His teaching is a model for improving our world. This means that studying the philosophy of the past is not just an academic pursuit, but a great inspiration for modern humanity.

The topic of the lecture aroused active discussion and keen interest of the audience. Today we can say that the heritage of the great al-Farabi is the property of the whole world and the pride of the Kazakh people.