EMBASSY’S CONGRATULATIONS ON THE OCCASION OF DAY OF ABAI IN KAZAKHSTAN AND NATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY IN SOUTH AFRICA
As of this year, in accordance with the Decree of the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan No. 495, approved on 4 August 2020, August 10 was declared as the holiday in our country – the Day of Abai.
Throughout this year Kazakhstan, with the great and wide support by the international community, in particular, Turkic and Muslim World, alongside with the international organizations, inter alia, UNESCO, ISESCO, TWESCO (International Turkic Academy) and others, are commemorating nation-wide and globally the 175th Birth Anniversary of the founder of Kazakh written literature and its first classic, Abai Qunanbaiuly.
Ibrahim Qunanbaiuly (Abay), 1845-1904, was also a great patriot, public figure, reformer statesman, representative of the enlightening Islam and consummate fighter for the prosperity of his fellow compatriots. His leadership is compared to that of Madiba.
The leaders of the Kazakh Patriotic Movement ‘Alash’ in the first quarter of XX century saw him as their inspiration and spiritual predecessor. Abay used to love to repeat the words of the Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.): “A good man is one that benefits the people”.
He was also known to be a great Kazakh poet, composer and philosopher. Kazakhs revere Abay as one of its major folk heroes to enter into the national consciousness of his people. He won extraordinary authority and popularity, which was previously unknown in the Country of Great Eurasian Steppe – another name for Kazakhstan. His oeuvre (creative works and activities) became the spiritual legacy of Kazakhstan and enriched its nation and culture.
Before him, Kazakh poetry was oral, echoing the habits of nomadic people of the veldts. In his elegant verses and prose, which express great patriotism, Abay raised acute topics of Kazakh mode and way of life, morality, law, and national education of that time. Whereupon he never lost faith in the strength of the Kazakh people and stemmed out its folk culture.
Kazakhstan and the entire world community is celebrating Abay’s 175th Birthday Anniversary exactly today.
Yet, he was born on 10 August 1845 in East Kazakhstan Region, in a religious Muslim family of Kazakh aristocrats. His father was Qunanbay Hajji, Senior Sultan of Qarqaraly, while his ancestors dominated in that part of Kazakhstan as governors and judges.
HAPPY ABAI DAY, DEAR FELLOW KAZAKHSTANI COMPATRIOTS!
On the other hand, on 9-10 August this year South Africa is celebrating National Women's Day, it’s official public holiday. The day commemorates the 1956 march of approximately 20,000 South African women of all races to the Union Buildings in the country’s capital, Tshwane (Pretoria) to petition against the country’s pass laws that required South Africans defined as “black” under The Population Registration Act, to carry an internal passport, known as a pass, that served to maintain population segregation, control urbanisation, and manage migrant labour during the apartheid era. The first National Women's Day was celebrated on 9 August 1995.
National Women's Day draws attention to significant issues African women still face, such as parenting, domestic violence, sexual harassment in the workplace, pornography, unequal pay, and schooling for all girls. It can be used as a day to fight for or protest these ideas. Due to this public holiday, there have been many significant advances and positive changes. National Women's Day is based around much of the same principles as International Women's Day, and strives for much of the same freedoms and rights.
We believe that the National Women’s Day is the RSA’s brightest holiday of the most noble, valuable, precious, and beautiful citizens in South Africa.
On this special day, the tradition of treating women with great honour and consideration, showing them special respect, and congratulating them at the incredibly special, highest possible level is becoming a good habit.
In fact, this holiday has outstanding significance, because a woman is the basis of the family. And she is a beacon of peace and tranquillity not only in the family, but also in society as a whole.
In this regard, we would like to quote the famous Kazakh proverb: “A woman shakes the cradle with one hand and the world with the other”.
At the same time, the wise and sage Kazakh poet and philosopher Abai Qunanbaiuly once said:
“A woman is like a flower. We cannot imagine our life without our good women that always doing their best to support us, men, and children. So, our life is impossible without them”.
Yet, we would like to summarize our felicitation with the following words of wisdom by H.E. Mr. Nursultan Nazarbayev, the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Leader of our Nation:
“A woman is infinitely powerful. All the most significant changes, as our history teaching us, are made by women or for women”.
HAPPY NATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY, DEAR FELLOW SOUTH AFRICANS!