Astana, April 24, 2025 – The Europe Today: At the 34th session of the People’s Assembly of Kazakhstan, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev underscored the vital role of culture and the arts in reinforcing national unity and promoting the principle of “unity in diversity.”
The Head of State emphasized the need to leverage Kazakhstan’s rich cultural resources—including museums and ethnic theatres—as a means to foster social cohesion and strengthen interethnic harmony. He noted that cultural institutions such as the Alexander Pushkin, Taras Shevchenko, Fyodor Dostoevsky, and Mikhail Sholokhov museums represent invaluable components of Kazakhstan’s cultural heritage and called for their promotion through regular exhibitions in major cities like Astana and Almaty.
President Tokayev also highlighted the importance of supporting ethnocultural societies, many of which hold unique private collections of art and ethnography. He suggested that these collections should be regarded as a shared national cultural legacy and proposed further efforts to integrate them into the country’s broader cultural landscape.
In a significant cultural initiative, the President proposed the organization of a large-scale festival of theatrical art featuring Kazakhstan’s ethnic groups. The festival, to be held in Almaty, would commemorate the 30th anniversary of the People’s Assembly of Kazakhstan and showcase the diversity and talent of the country’s ethnic theatres.
Kazakhstan currently boasts a vibrant network of nine Russian drama theatres and four unique ethnic theatres, including Uighur, Korean, Uzbek, and German theatres. These institutions, President Tokayev noted, are essential platforms for intercultural dialogue and public unity.
The 34th session of the People’s Assembly—chaired by President Tokayev—continues to serve as a pivotal forum for addressing issues related to social cohesion, ethnic harmony, and national identity in independent Kazakhstan.
