This year, for the fifth time, Kazakhstanis celebrated the Day of Gratitude, which was very well received by the population. In general, it’s quite a good tradition, one can say, to start many months of the year with significant holidays: January 1, March 1, May 1, December 1… And this year, on March 1, in addition to the calendar beginning of spring and the Day of Gratitude, the Orthodox Quinquagesima. But among the diversified statuses on social media, many have words of gratitude today. What could be the best evidence that a holiday has taken root?! Only that it was celebrated in different parts of the country.
Zhanseit Tuymenbayev, Deputy Chairman of the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan, led a solemn meeting in the city of Nur-Sultan on this occasion. The event was held in the capital’s House of Friendship with the participation of representatives of state bodies, republican and metropolitan ethno cultural associations of the APK, representatives of the diplomatic corps, public figures and religious leaders.
Bakhtiyar Maken. Deputy Mayor of the city of Nur-Sultan, in the opening speech noted: “On the first day of spring, Kazakhstanis celebrate a young, but a meaningful holiday – the Day of Gratitude! We give thanks for the fact that we all exist, for respecting each other, for our existence, for our single reliability, one country – the Republic of Kazakhstan. The Day of Gratitude is a day of respect for our common history, an expression of gratitude to the sacred Kazakh land, which has become a home for all citizens of the country”.
Zhanseit Tuymenbayev, Deputy Chairman of the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan, noted: “The Day of Gratitude is a symbol of the policy of peace and harmony in Kazakhstan. Thanks to this, we have developed a unique model of social harmony and nationwide unity”.
The official representative of the Roman Catholic Church of Kazakhstan at the ceremony was Tomash Peta, Archbishop Metropolitan of Archdiocese of Holy Mary in Astana and Ordinary of the Archdiocese of Holy Mary in Astana.
2020 is declared the Year of Volunteering. Also, a number of historical anniversaries and memorable dates await the country this year: the 175th anniversary of Abay Kunanbayev, the 1150th anniversary of Al-Farabi, the 25th anniversary of the Constitution, the 25th anniversary of the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan, the 75th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, which was also highlighted by the meeting organizers.
In Taraz, the regional center of Zhambyl region, on the initiative of the Office for Religious Affairs and the Centre for the Study of Religious Issues, a festive event was also held on the occasion of the Day of Gratitude.
The festive meeting was held with the participation of representatives of the clergy – Islam, Orthodoxy, Catholicism, Protestantism and other leaders of religious associations of the city.
In 2020, a different format was chosen – a tour in the ‘Shakhristan’, Historical and Tourist Center, in the pavilions of the Museum of Local History.
On this day, there was a unique opportunity to touch the history, culture and epochs of the development of this region, to learn how various nations and religions coexisted in Taraz for thousands of years in peace and harmony: Nestorians (Christianity), Muslims, Zoroastrians and Buddhists.
Thanks to archaeological excavations in the territories of both the city of Taraz and the Zhambyl regions, there are many findings that testify to the important role of the settlement in the era of the Great Silk Road. And at present, the regional center demonstrates a commitment to its deep historical cultural and spiritual heritage.
Representatives of religious associations noted that it is important to remember history, to prevent the manifestation of aggression and horrors of the 20th century, during which so many nations and nationalities experienced the oppression of the totalitarian regime, political repression, exile and deportation on ethnic grounds.
The grateful generation is the one who, knowing the past, builds a joint society with high morality, ethics, culture, spirituality and mutual respect. The preservation and enhancement of these universal values is our common mission.
