On September 29, 2022, the Valikhanov Institute of History and Ethnology hosted an international scientific and practical conference “The main results of the development of a brief history of Kazakhstan for a foreign audience in the framework of the practical implementation of K. Tokayev’s article “Independence above all”, organized as part of the execution of the state task and the scientific project of program-targeted financing”Development of a brief history of Kazakhstan for a foreign audience”.
The conference discussed the main results of the work done by a working group consisting of leading experts in the field of historical science and ethnology, under the leadership of the Academic Institute of History and Ethnology named after Ch.Ch. Valikhanov. Along with the named parent Institute, such leading research and educational institutions as Institute of State History, Karaganda State University named after Academician E.A. Buketov, etc. under the direct control of the Committee of Science of the Ministry of Education and Science and the Administration of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
The purpose of the conference is to discuss the main results of the work done by the working group of the project under the leadership of the Academic Institute to prepare for the publication of a brief history of Kazakhstan for a foreign audience, as well as current trends in the development of historical, ethnological and anthropological science in Kazakhstan in the context of modern society’s requests for the construction of the Second Republic.
Creation of a brief history of Kazakhstan for a foreign audience within the framework of the priority direction “Scientific foundations of Mangilik El” (education of the XXI century, fundamental and applied research in the field of humanities)” defines the goals and objectives of this scientific publication, the main requirements for its content, methodology and principles, style of writing a historical text, the main results of the implementation of this priority direction of the development of historical science in Kazakhstan.
As part of the implementation of this project, a brief history of Kazakhstan has been developed from ancient times to the present day in the form of a popular science book (in three languages), written on the basis of newly identified archival documents and modern conceptual approaches. This popular science publication, prepared by domestic scientists, will fill the existing gap, consisting in the absence of short scientific publications in foreign languages for foreign audiences, satisfying the existing demand and interest.
The forum was attended by about 45 scientists – historians, ethnologists, archaeologists, etc. from different regions of Kazakhstan, as well as specialists from the Russian Federation. In particular, among the scientists of the neighboring country, it is necessary to name Vadim Markovich Rynkov, director of the Institute of History of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Historical Sciences, who maintains close scientific contacts with the leadership of the Ch.Ch. Valikhanov Institute of History and Ethnology (hereinafter – the Institute). Markets made a welcoming speech to the forum participants. The moderator of the conference was the scientific director of the program – Director of the Institute, corresponding member of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor, Ziyabek Ermukhanovich Kabuldinov.
There was also a greeting from E.A. Abil, Director of the Institute of the History of the State of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Doctor of Historical Sciences, professor, who was the author of the 3rd section of the prepared book on the invasion of Genghis Khan on the territory of Kazakhstan and the history of the Golden Horde.
As guests at the conference, Gulnara Abdullayevna Kapekova, Chairman of the branch of the NGO “Union of Scientists” in the Almaty region, Doctor of Historical Sciences, and her colleagues expressed their opinion on the importance of publishing a short history for a foreign audience, the need to highlight the tragic pages of Soviet history from a new methodological standpoint – the famine of the 1930s, etc. husband – Mukhambediya Koyanbaevich Akishev, local history journalist, co-author of the 4-volume “History of the civilization of the rebellious Steppe”, scientist-secretary of the Almaty regional branch of the NGO “Union of Scientists” of Kazakhstan.
Zh.R. Baidildeev, associate Professor of the Kyrgyz State University named after I. Arabaev in Bishkek, Candidate of Historical Sciences, presented the report “Kazakstandyn kyskacha taryhyn chet eldik auditorialarga okutuudagy Kyrgyzstandagy maseleler” in online mode. He focused on some aspects of Kyrgyz-Kazakh relations that can be reflected in a brief history of Kazakhstan for a foreign audience. The foreign participants also include R.N. Zinurov, head of the “Federal State Budgetary Institution of the Russian Academy of Sciences” in the Republic of Bashkortostan, Doctor of Law, Professor, member of the Union of Writers, Artists and Journalists of the Russian Federation from Ufa. His report “Barymta – historical and ethno-legal aspects” was based on the study of Kazakh historiography, in particular the works of Ch.Ch. Valikhanov, academician S.Z. Zimanov and others. Zh.K. Berdalina’s speech was very emotional. Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Almaty Management University (AlmaU), a public figure, as she highlighted the results of the work on the publication of her father Kolan Amanov’s book “Urey”, in which he recalled the difficult years of trials during the “Asharshylyk”. The younger generation of historians was presented with the report “The nomadic population of Kazakhstan at the beginning of the twentieth century (comparative analysis of the socio-economic situation of six regions)” M.M. Kappasova, history teacher of the Bogdanov basic secondary school of the Terektinsky district of the West Kazakhstan region.
The conference also featured reports by all the main authors of the sections of the book “A Brief History of Kazakhstan from ancient times to the present day” prepared for publication (for a foreign audience): Kabuldinova Z.E. – “Participation of Kazakhs in the “Dusty Campaign” of 1771″; Abdirova M.Zh., chief researcher of the Department of the History of Kazakhstan of Modern Times of the Institute, Doctors of Historical Sciences, Professors – “Proto-Turkic ethnic groups in world history: mysterious Sumerians, mysterious Etruscans and formidable Huns”; Ayagan B.G., Deputy Director of the Institute of State History of the KN MES RK, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor (Nur-Sultan) – “On the issue of the transfer of the capital from Almaty”; Saktaganova Z.G., Director of the Center for Ethnocultural and Historical-Anthropological Research, Professor of the Department of Archeology, Ethnology and National History of Karaganda State University E.A. Buketova, Doctor of Historical Sciences – “History of the Kazakh GULAG camps”; Torlanbayeva K.U., Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor – “Renaissance of the Great Steppe”; Temirgaliev R.Zh., historian, member of the Board of the scientific educational foundation “Aspandau” – “Kazakh-Shibanid confrontation at the beginning of the XVI century” (Nur-Sultan); Abdulina A.T., Acting Deputy Director of the Institute of History and Ethnology named after Ch.Ch. Valikhanov KN MES RK for Public Relations, Candidate of Historical Sciences – “On the issue of the emergence of zhuzes among the Kazakhs.” The speakers stressed that the main purpose of this publication is to develop objective and reliable historical knowledge from the moment of the appearance of human hominids, their development during the Stone, Bronze and Iron Ages, the formation of the union of tribes, the first Turkic khaganates on the territory of Kazakhstan, the Kazakh Khanate, Russian colonialism, the national liberation movement “Alash”, the Soviet period, independence and to the present day.
As a result of the discussion of these thematic blocks, the following resolution was adopted:
1. Count The International scientific and practical conference “The main results of the development of a brief history of Kazakhstan for a foreign audience in the framework of the practical implementation of the article by K.-Zh.K. Tokayev “Independence above all” carried out successfully.
2. To apply to the Committee of Science of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan for the translation of the popular scientific publication “A Brief History of Kazakhstan from ancient times to the present day” into the main languages of the UN (Arabic, French, Spanish, Chinese), in addition to Russian English.
3. Recommend the new edition to teachers of higher and secondary specialized educational institutions for use in the educational process.
4. To publish the materials of this conference in electronic and printed formats.
These materials of the conference are addressed to researchers of research institutes, faculty of universities of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and civil servants, as well as a wide range of readers who are interested in preserving national identity, the formation of historical consciousness.