The Turkish city of Istanbul hosted a conference on the role of Chinghiz Aitmatov’s legacy in promoting dialogue between cultures on March 23- 24, 2018. The event co-sponsored by the Russia – Islamic World group, IRCICA and Turkey’s Writers Union was the latest in a series of celebrations set to mark the 90th anniversary since the birth of the world renowned Soviet and Kyrgyz author.
Earlier in August of 2017, the Group staged the inaugural edition of the Aitmatov Readings: Dialogue of Cultures forum in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
IT IS SYMBOLIC THAT THE ROUNDTABLE FOCUSED ON CULTURAL INTERACTION AS ONE OF THE KEY ASPECTS IN CHINGHIZ AITMATOV’S ABUNDANT LEGACY. INDEED, PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT NATIONALITIES INCLUDING RUSSIAN, TURK, KYRGYZ, UZBEK, AND KAZAKH INTELLECTUALS CALLED AITMATOV ‘THEIR WRITER’.
It is spiritual, not biological, DNA that makes us all similar and forces people to realize that we are facing common challenges.
The event was attended by two new members of the Russia – Islamic World group – Shoazim Minovarov, Head of the Islamic Culture Center under Uzbekistan’s Government, and Aidar Aduov, Head of the International Center of Cultures and Religions at Kazakhstan’s Ministry for Religions and Civil Society.
Radik Gimatdinov, an aide to Tatarstan President and RIW Group Chairman, read out the welcoming address by Mr. Minnikhanov.
IN HIS TURN, ADVISOR TO KYRGYZ PRESIDENT SULTAN RAYEV READ OUT WELCOMING REMARKS BY SOORONBAY JEENBEKOV.
Kyrgyz painters brought a series of canvases made along the themes of Aitmatov’s works that was the visual highlight of the conference.
The brochure with the conference papers is expected to be published in Turkish and Russian and presented at the second international forum of intellectuals, Aitmatov Readings: Dialogue of Cultures 2018, in Moscow in November 2018.
GSV "Russia - Islamic world"