«My goal is to create poems – a collection of finely crafted words»: congratulations to foreign students of BNTU on Abai Day
Today, on August 10, the Republic of Kazakhstan celebrates the Day of the great poet, thinker and educator Abai Kunanbayev. He was born on this day in 1845 into the family of the ruler of the Tobyktu clan at the foot of the Shyngystau Mountains. Abai became the founder of Kazakh written literature, leaving behind an invaluable legacy – about 170 poems and the famous «Words of Instruction».
Students of the Faculty of International Cooperation decided to join in the celebration and recorded a video in which they recited his immortal lines (the poems «The Language of Love – a Language Without Words…», «The Joy of Life, O Heart, Drink», «A Poem Is a Leader Among Words» from the collection «Selected Poems»).
Kazakh students are regular participants in university events: they showcase their traditions, recite poems in their native language, and introduce us to the rich culture of their country. One event that particularly stood out was the roundtable dedicated to the 180th anniversary of Abai, which was held at BNTU in June of last year – then we heard a heartfelt recitation of the poet’s poems and learned a lot about his philosophy.
Our university has had the Abai Center for the Kazakh Language, History, and Culture for many years, and one of its main goals is to promote Kazakh culture by organizing competitions, festivals, exhibitions, and other events—for example, the International Navruz Festival, which is held to celebrate the spring renewal in Kazakhstan.
«Read Abai, study his legacy, for it contains the wisdom of our people!» our student from the Republic of Kazakhstan urges. Observing how respectfully Kazakh students treat their culture, we ourselves begin to understand and appreciate Abai’s wisdom more deeply, as well as his “Words of Instruction” and poems, which have been translated into many languages around the world.
On Abai’s birthday, we want to thank our Kazakh friends for sharing their amazing culture with us. Thanks to them, we learn that Abai’s wisdom extends far beyond the borders of Kazakhstan: his works have been translated into dozens of languages, and his philosophical reflections on goodness, knowledge, and humanity are understandable to everyone, regardless of nationality.
Happy holiday, dear friends! May Abai Day remind us all of the power of words, knowledge, and friendship between peoples. Thank you for sharing your creativity with us and making our student life brighter!
