On October 26, 2022, in the conference hall of the Institute of State History of the Science Committee ofMinistry of Science and Higher Education of Republic of Kazakhstan, a presentation of the layout of the book “A Brief History of Kazakhstan from Ancient Times to the Present Day (for a foreign audience)” was held in front of domestic and foreign diplomats, organized by the Institute of History and Ethnology named after. Ch.Ch. Valikhanov together with the Institute of State History (Astana) as part of the execution of the state assignment and the scientific project of program-targeted funding “Development of a Brief History of Kazakhstan for a Foreign Audience”.

As you know, on January 5, 2021, a program article of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan K.-Zh.K. Tokaev “Tauelsizdik barinen kymbat” (“Independence above all”), in which attention was drawn to the need to write a brief history of Kazakhstan for a foreign audience. This academic publication, prepared from the standpoint of new conceptual approaches and based on an analysis of historical sources newly identified in foreign archives and libraries, will allow a qualitative review of many debatable problems, and will also make a significant contribution to the formation of objective knowledge about the millennia-old history of the Kazakh people in the context of world history.

Since July 2021, the Institute has started implementing the scientific and technical program for 2021–2022. “Developing a Short History of Kazakhstan for a Foreign Audience”. The Institute gradually carried out work within the framework of the project: formed a working group to develop a brief history of Kazakhstan for a foreign audience from 8 leading historians, approved the structure of the book based on repeated discussions of the options for structures received from leading domestic historians (in total, about 15 options for the structure were received); carried out scientific foreign and domestic business trips to collect the necessary material, published preliminary research results in the form of articles, including in rating domestic and foreign scientific journals, held a methodological round table and two conferences – republican (2021) and international (2022), publishing collections of materials.

Currently, work has been completed on the preparation of a layout of a popular scientific publication in Russian “A brief history of Kazakhstan from ancient times to the present day (for a foreign audience)”. The book was double-blind reviewed by leading historians, supplemented by peer review by experts of our Institute, and the final editorial processing of the text was carried out by the famous author of popular science books on the history of Kazakhstan – R.D. Temirgaliyev. Reviews of foreign experts were received: T.A. Abdyrakhmanov, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor (Kyrgyzstan); V.I. Kozodoy, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor (Russia); Panto D., Ph.D., Professor (Poland).

The event 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 head Institute, such leading research and educational institutions as the Institute of State History, the Karaganda State University named after Academician E.A. Buketov, etc. participated indirectly in the implementation of the project (through their employees). under the direct control of the Science Committee of the Ministry of Science and Higher education and the Administration of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Purpose and objectives of the presentation:

• Informing representatives of the domestic and foreign diplomatic service about the publication of a new popular scientific publication “A Brief History of Kazakhstan from ancient times to the present day (for a foreign audience)” in Kazakh, Russian and English at the end of 2022 to form objective knowledge among foreign citizens about the multi-thousand-year history of the Kazakh people in the context of world history;

• Summary and discussion of the main results of scientific research on topical issues of the history of Kazakhstan, popularization of the national history in the scientific and educational environment for strengthening the unity of the Kazakh people based on the awareness of the many thousands of years of the historical past and the vectors of development at the present time.

The history of Kazakhstan as an independent and full-fledged state has always interested neighboring countries and foreign researchers. The focus of their attention was on problems, starting from the moment of the formation of the union of tribes on the territory of Kazakhstan to the historical processes taking place in the modern state. If we turn to foreign academic literature, there is no summary work on the history of Kazakhstan, but only research on problem blocks of different historical periods. Among the studies of foreign scientists, it is worth highlighting works on the history of Central Asia, in which the history of Kazakhstan is considered in the general context of the historical process in the region and geopolitics, and studies devoted directly to the history of Kazakhstan. Therefore, many issues of the history of Kazakhstan remained out of the field of view of foreign researchers.

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 Konstantin Vladimirovich Cherepanov, Candidate of Historical Sciences (Omsk, Russia). The scientist acted as a reviewer of the book and expressed his opinion about the new popular science publication from the point of view of a foreign reader. Diplomats from the Republic of Kazakhstan, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan were invited separately.

The presentations were made by the following participants:

1. Orynbekov Duman Rymgalievich – Deputy Chairman of the Science Committee of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan;

2. Mukash Yerzhan Serikovich – Ambassador at Large of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan;

3. Kozybayeva Makhabbat Malikovna – Director of the Institute’s branch in Astana, Ph.D;

4. Kabuldinov Ziyabek Ermukhanovich – Director of the Institute of History and Ethnology named after Ch.Ch. Valikhanov, corresponding member of NAS RK, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor (scientific supervisor of the project);

5. Abil Yerkin Amanzholovich – Director of the Institute of the History of the State of the Science Committee of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor (author of the 3rd section of the book);

6. Ayagan Burkitbai Gelmanovich – Deputy Director of the Institute of the History of the State of theScience Committee of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor (author of the 8th section of the book);

7. Kapekova Gulnara Abdullayevna – Chairman of the branch of the NGO “Union of Scientists” in Almaty region, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor (book reviewer);

8. Cherepanov Konstantin Vladimirovich – Candidate of Historical Sciences (book reviewer);

9. Abdulina Aksunkar Tursynovna – acting Deputy Director of the Institute of History and Ethnology. Ch.Ch. Valikhanov CS MNVO RK for Public Relations, Candidate of Historical Sciences (project coordinator);

10. Temirgaliev Radik Zheksenbaevich – historian, member of the Board of the scientific educational foundation “Aspandau” (author of the 4th section of the book and special editor).

Moderator of the conference, Director of the Institute’s branch in Astana, Ph.D. M.M. Kozybayeva made a proposal to foreign diplomats to translate the book “A Brief History of Kazakhstan from ancient Times to the present day (for a foreign audience)” into their native languages, which will affect the strengthening of friendly relations at the interstate level and lead to closer intercultural dialogue.