DUSHANBE, April 20, 2009, Asia-Plus — Dushanbe has hosted the Small Kurultai of ethnic Kazakhs of Central Asia’s states, Afghanistan and Iran.
A two-day event, organized by the Kazakh Embassy in Dushanbe in cooperation with the Kazakh ethnic community of Tajikistan, Baiterek, opened at the Kokhi Vahdat State Complex in Dushanbe today.
Kurultai is a political and military council of ancient Mongol and Turkic chiefs and khans. The root of the word “Kural” or “Khural” means political “meeting” or “assembly” in the Mongolian language and having also these meanings in the Turkish languages. Various modern Mongolian and Turkic peoples use it in the political or administrative sense, as a synonym for parliament, congress, conference, council, assembly, convention, gathering.
The source at the Kazakh Embassy says the Small Kurultai is held in the territory of Central Asia’s countries for the first time.
“The gathering has brought together representatives of Kazakh diasporas from Afghanistan, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan,” said the source, “Kazakhstan’s delegation participating in the event is led by the First Deputy Chairman of the World Association of the Kazakhs, Talgat Mamashev.”
A roundtable meeting has been held on sidelines of the Small Kurultai and representatives of government bodies and media attended the meeting.
On April 21, a meeting of Talgat Mamashev with representatives of the Kazakh Diaspora in Tajikistan will be held in Baiterek’s office in Dushanbe. Tomorrow, Mr. Mamashev is also scheduled to visit the city Qurghon Teppa, the capital of the Khatlon province to meet with ethnic Kazakhs living in Khatlon.
Some 1,000 ethnic Kazakhs are currently live in Tajikistan, the source said the Kazakh Embassy said.
Founded in November 2006, the public association, Baiterek, unites ethnic Kazakhs living in Tajikistan. Ms. Zaure Saminova is the chairperson of this organization.
Since 2007, the Kazakh Diaspora in Tajikistan has implemented it plans under support of the Kazakh Embassy in Dushanbe. The Kazakh language courses have been conducted here for more than two years. Not only representatives of the Diaspora but also children of Kazakh nationals working with the Kazakh Embassy and international organizations active in Tajikistan are taking these courses. They also plan to organize training courses on the Tajik and English languages as well as basic computer skills.
