Altai Civilization in the Tian Shan
On October 26, the two-day I International Congress-Exhibition “The Russian Word in the Dialogue of Cultures of Russia and Kyrgyzstan” concluded at the Kyrgyz-Russian Slavic University, organized by Altai State University in collaboration with KRSU.
Officially speaking, this project was implemented with the active participation of Kyrgyz governmental structures and the public as part of the Russian federal targeted program “The Russian Language” for 2016-2020.
Unofficially, it can be said more simply. Another grand celebration of friendship between Kyrgyzstan and Russia has taken place. The cooperation between Russian studies scholars from both countries has strengthened.
One of the active participants in yesterday's event was Guljigit Soronkulov, an associate professor at the Ishenaly Arabayev Kyrgyz University, the leading Pushkin scholar in Kyrgyzstan and one of the authoritative Pushkin experts worldwide. Guljigit Umarovich presented a whole series of monographs on Kyrgyz Pushkiniana.
This Pushkiniana from the land of Ala-Too was prepared by Soronkulov together with the late founder and editor-in-chief of the journal “The Russian Language in Schools of Kyrgyzstan,” Lev Sheyman, who held that position from 1958 to 2005 (a record of continuity in the USSR and CIS). The development of the Pushkin theme in Kyrgyzstan continues successfully.
At the solemn opening of the congress-exhibition, Edward Krustkaln, the head of the Rossotrudnichestvo representation in Kyrgyzstan, spoke, emphasizing the special significance of the event aimed at strengthening humanitarian ties between Russia and Kyrgyzstan. Edward Krustkaln particularly highlighted the role of the Altai region and Altai State University in preserving the Russian language, Russian education, and traditions of Russian culture in Kyrgyzstan.
This was also mentioned by the head of the Altai delegation, Larisa Nehvyadovich, dean of the Faculty of Arts at Altai State University.
It is important that Kyrgyz students now have more opportunities to study at the highly regarded Altai State University in Russia and other universities in Altai.
The rector of KRSU, academician Vladimir Nifadyev, particularly emphasized that the study of the so-called Altai Civilization, the ancestral home of many peoples of Eurasia, is now being strengthened, initiated by President Almazbek Atambayev.
There were no uninteresting reports or presentations at the congress-exhibition. The strict organizing committee accepted only materials that were interesting to both scholars and, importantly, the general public. So which reports and presentations turned out to be the most interesting? There were quite a few.
This includes the presentation by the chief editor-compilator, Doctor of Philological Sciences Dmitry Mariyn from Altai State University, of the 9-volume collection of works by the great native of the Altai hinterland, Vasily Shukshin, a favorite among Russians and Kyrgyzstanis.
The presentations by KRSU Professor Mamed Tagaev titled “The Russian Language as a Way of Life for Kyrgyzstanis” and by the dean of the Humanities Faculty at KRSU, Amangeldy Bekbalaev, titled “The Role of the Slavic University in Promoting the Russian Language in Kyrgyzstan” were also interesting and highly informative, featuring their significant thematic highlights.
The text proposed by the head of the Department of History and Theory of Literature at KRSU, Doctor of Philological Sciences Bakhtiyar Koichuev, is even titled like a song: “Russian Literature Under the High Terem of Ala-Too.”
The celebration of Kyrgyz-Russian friendship was a great success. Accordingly, it was agreed to make such celebrations regular. If we are to be friends, let’s be friends!