Azernews.Az

The 7th International Festival titled “Korkut and the Sounds of the Great Steppe,” dedicated to the folk and musical art of Turkic peoples, has opened at the “Dede Korkut” Memorial Complex located in the Karmakshy district of the Kyzylorda region, Republic of Kazakhstan. The Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation and the Akim of the Kyzylorda region jointly organized the event, Azernews reports, citing local media.

According to the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation, nearly 200 artists from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Türkiye, Uzbekistan, Tuva, and Altai are taking part in the festival. The event is dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Kyzylorda’s designation as the capital of Kazakhstan (1925–1927).

The primary purpose of the international event is to promote the rich culture, national music, and spiritual values of the Turkic peoples, as well as to foster international cultural relations.

At the solemn opening ceremony, President of the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation Ms. Aktoty Raimkulova and Head of the Department of Culture, Archives, and Documentation of the Kyzylorda region Mr. Zhanmurat Seilov congratulated the festival participants and wished them success.

During the evening celebration, renowned performers of traditional music from various Turkic countries delighted the audience with their unique performances.

The following day, as part of the international festival “Korkut and the Sounds of the Great Steppe,” a scientific and theoretical conference titled “The Heritage of Dede Korkut: Common Epic Values for the Turkic World” was held.

The conference brought together the President of the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation, Aktoty Raimkulova, Akim of the Kyzylorda region Nurlibek Nalibayev, as well as leading scholars and experts in culture, history, and literature from across the Turkic world.

The event aimed to comprehensively discuss the significance of Dede Korkut’s legacy and epic traditions in the spiritual and cultural life of Turkic nations, to promote scientific research, and to strengthen international cooperation.

During the conference, participants exchanged views on the historical roots of the Dede Korkut epic, its role in the Turkic world, and its reflection in contemporary culture and literature. Scholars presented the results of their recent research and shared modern theoretical approaches to studying the Dede Korkut heritage.

In her remarks, Aktoty Raimkulova welcomed the participants and emphasized the importance of preserving and promoting Dede Korkut’s great legacy on a global scale.

The conference featured scientific presentations, panel discussions, and the launch of the first volume of the “Turkic Heroic Epic” series within the framework of the “Turkic Folklore Heritage” Anthology Project.

At the conclusion of the event, Honoured Artist of Kazakhstan, Associate Professor of the Kazakh National Academy of Arts named after T. Zhurgenov, Uljan Baybosynova, performed excerpts from the “Koroglu” poem and several traditional pieces from the Syr Darya region.

The international conference was recognized as an important platform for strengthening the unity and interconnection of epic creative traditions in the Turkic world, as well as a significant step in preserving and promoting the spiritual heritage of the Turkic peoples.