Cultural and Educational Hall of “Abai” opens its doors in the capital of the Emirates

As a part of the celebrations of the 175th Anniversary of a great Kazakh poet, philosopher Abai Kunanbayev, the Embassy of Kazakhstan in the United Arab Emirates opened September 24, 2020 a cultural and educational hall of “Abai” dedicated to spread the legacy of the thinker. The event organized with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Sports of Kazakhstan, welcomed  many high-level representatives, including the leadership of the National Academic Library of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Writer’s Union of the Republic of Kazakhstan, fellow Kazakhstanis living in the Emirates and members of the local diplomatic corps, as well as the representatives of local culture and the press communities.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Kazakhstan to the United Arab Emirates H.E.Madiyar Menilbekov noted that the Hall of Abai opened in the embassy building, will contribute to popularizing the literary heritage of the Kazakh people among Kazakhs living abroad as well as will introduce local readers to the legacy of Kazakh classics.

The Kazakh diplomat spoke about the “Ruhani Zhangyru” program launched by the First President of Kazakhstan – Elbasy Nursultan Nazarbayev which calls for promotion of Kazakh culture and art to the global community, among them the masterpieces written by Abai. Ambassador M.Menilbekov also spoke about the article by President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev “Abay and Kazakhstan in the XXI century.” “It is our highest honor and duty to introduce the great poet Abai Kunanbayev--a tireless supporter and advocate of the new society, a representative of the global culture--to the international community as a brand of our country,” Ambassador said.

The Abai Hall will be located in the building of the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Abu Dhabi and offers its visitors works by various authors on the life and work of the poet in Kazakh, Arabic and English languages. In addition, the hall will serve as a space to organize science meetings, press conferences and many other formal and cultural events on cultural cooperation between Kazakhstan and the Emirates.