7th International Scientific Seminar – “Reading Abai: The History and Prospects of Kazakh Culture in the Eurasian Space”
The 7th International Scientific Seminar has concluded. This year's edition held a special significance — it was dedicated to the 180th anniversary of the birth of Abai Kunanbayuly, a Kazakh poet, thinker, and reformer, as well as the 10th anniversary of the partnership between Pomeranian University in Słupsk and Abai University in Almaty.
The event was organized by the Institute of Philology and the Abai Center for Kazakh Culture and Science at the Department of Modern Languages of Pomeranian University in Słupsk. The seminar was held under the honorary patronage of the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Poland.
The seminar gathered many distinguished guests from Poland and Kazakhstan — scholars, representatives of cultural institutions, and students. Speakers during the plenary session included:
- Professor Galina Nefagina – Chair of the Organizing Committee,
- Professor Andrzej Urbanek – Vice-Rector for Education,
- Professor Saule Abisheva – Abai University,
- Dr hab. Kazhybek Erden Zadauly – President of the International Academy of the Kazakh Language,
- Joanna Nasyrov – Honorary Consul of Kazakhstan in Gdańsk.
One of the key highlights of the program was the screening of the anniversary film “United by Abai”, directed by. Maxim Ponomarenko, PhD, which depicted the history and significance of cooperation between the two universities. The presentation of the current activities of the Abai Center, delivered by its coordinator and PU doctoral student Amankul Kazmagambetova, also drew great interest.
The artistic part of the event included a performance featuring the traditional Kazakh instrument — the dombra — as well as recitations of Kazakh poetry.
The seminar also included two thematic sessions (in-person and online), during which more than a dozen scholarly papers were presented. The topics covered areas such as literature, folklore, linguistics, education, and the cultural identity of Kazakhstan.
The presentations sparked lively discussions and provided an excellent opportunity for scholars from diverse academic backgrounds to exchange experiences.