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Independence Day (Kazakhstan)

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Independence Day
Official nameKazakh:Қазақстан Республикасының Тәуелсіздік күні
Observed byKazakhstan
TypeState
CelebrationsFireworks,Concerts, Parades
DateDecember 16
Frequencyannual

Independence Day of Kazakhstan(Kazakh:Қазақстан Республикасының Тәуелсіздік күні), is the main national holiday in theRepublic of Kazakhstan,celebrated annually on 16 December.

Significance[edit]

Main article:History of Kazakhstan

In an attempt to keep unity within the Soviet Union, the country held areferendumon 16 March 1991 and Kazakhstan voted 95% in favor of a newUnion of Sovereign States.After theaborted coup d'état in August,theSupreme Soviet (Kazakhstan)passed theConstitutional Independence Law of Republic of Kazakhstanon 16 December 1991. Despite the swiftcollapse of the Soviet Union,Kazakhstan was the last to declare its independence. The declaration was followed up by theAlma-Ata Protocolwhich would give birth to theCommonwealth of Independent States.[1][2]Independence ushered in the era under PresidentNursultan Nazarbayev,during which a newbicameral Parliamentand anew capitalwas established. Notable events that followed as an indirect result of independence include:[3][4]

General celebrations[edit]

Independence Day celebrations inNew York

The holiday is celebrated for 1 day on December 16. If the 16 December falls on a weekend, the following Monday will be a holiday.Yurts(traditional tents) are set up in many villages where local delicacies will be served.[5]It tends to be commemorated indoors due to the coincidingwinterseason.[6]TheAstana Operaorganizes concerts involving national orchestras that will perform traditional music. Manynationalistpoliticians and activists use the holiday as an occasion to accuse to theRussian governmentof attempted genocide of the ethnic population during periods such as theKazakh famine of 1932–33and thepopulation transfer of Kazakhs in the Soviet Union.[7]

Jeltoqsan commemorations[edit]

Independence Day is also used as a day of remembrance of the 1986Jeltoqsanprotests, which was the starting point of discontent against Soviet rule, on Brezhnev Square (present-dayRepublic Square) against the government ofGennady Kolbin,which began on the same day as Independence Day. By the 1980s, democratization in theSoviet Unionbegan to rise with the 1986 protests, which followed amajor unrest in Central and Eastern Europethat began inPolandthat spilled over into the individual republics.

Aqorda ceremony[edit]

A ceremony hosted by thePresident of Kazakhstanis held at theAqorda Presidential Palace,in which the president presentsorders, decorations, and medals of Kazakhstanto distinguished citizens.[8]Many Kazakhs will dress up in traditional clothes at the formal ceremony in thepresidential palace.[9]

Historical events[edit]

1996[edit]

The first independence daymilitary paradeof Kazakhstan was held onAlmaty'sRepublic Squarein 1996 timed to the occasion of the 5th anniversary of independence.[10]Minister of DefenseMukhtar Altynbayevopened the parade,[11]which also saw a cavalry squadron from theRepublican Guardmakes its debut appearance.[12]

2001[edit]

To coincide with the 10th anniversary of Independence Day in 2001, commemorative medals and coins were issued as well as festive train tour namedМенің Қазақстаным( "My Kazakhstan" ) was launched from May of that year and travelled around the country until December, stopping in places to hold events and concerts with local residents including in remote villages. The passengers on the train included famous artists, filmmakers, writers and journalists, doctors and officials, lawyers and librarians as well.[13]In late August, Kazakh border guards held a relay race along the nation's boundaries from outpost to outpost where a miniature copy of theGolden Warrior Monumentwas passed.[14]

At a solemn meeting held on 16 December 2001 inAstana,PresidentNursultan Nazarbayevpresented a speech titled "Ten years equal to a century", where he emphasised the positive results that Kazakhstan has made for the decade since its independence.[14]

2011[edit]

On 27 January 2011, PresidentNursultan Nazarbayevsigned a decree, declaring the year as the 20th anniversary of Independence Day that would be held under the motto of "20 years of peace and creation" as well as the formation of a state commission that would carry out the celebration.[15]

On 16 December, a constitutional act "On State Independence of the Republic of Kazakhstan" was adopted, which declared that the 20th anniversary celebrations took place amidst as a successful state with "a democratic, political and legal system, a stable economy and a high level of wellbeing of the population" as a "century-old dream" by ancestors that was fulfilled by Nazarbayev.[16]That same day as various celebrations were held across the country,unrestbroke out in town ofZhanaozenwhere striking oil workers disrupted a concert event held at the main square, resulting in clashes between the workers and police that led to several deaths as the unarmed protestors were gunned down, becoming one of Kazakhstan's most bloodiest event since its independence.[17]

2016[edit]

Israeli prime ministerBenjamin Netanyahuvisited in 2016 to attend the 25th anniversary celebrations.[18]

2021[edit]

For the 30th anniversary in 2021, a commission under theMinistry of Information and Social Developmentto prepare for the anniversary was established in October 2019.[19]PresidentKassym-Jomart Tokayevannounced that an amnesty will be held for those brought to criminal responsibility.[20]In January 2021, Tokayev proposed that during the celebrations, a short history of Kazakhstan should be written for a foreign audience (translated in to the languages of the world) as means of "not succumbing to the influence of alien ideology".[21]

Foreign celebrations[edit]

On the first anniversary in 1992, an orchestra of folk instruments fromSemipalatinsktook part in a ceremony hosted by the Kazakh embassy in the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall inMoscow.[22]Many celebrations in theUnited Statesare held by the diaspora in the state ofNew Yorkas well as the Kazakh embassy inWashington, D.C.[23]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^"Independence Day of the Republic of Kazakhstan".Kstu.kz.Retrieved12 January2022.
  2. ^"Independence Day 2022, 2023 and 2024 in Kazakhstan".Publicholidays.asia.
  3. ^"Kazakhstan Celebrates Independence Day, Country's Accomplishments".Edgekz.com.31 December 2013.
  4. ^"Independence of Kazakhstan:: About Kazakhstan".Orexca.com.
  5. ^"Kazakhstan Independence Day | Office Holidays".Officeholidays.com.Retrieved2017-08-31.
  6. ^Cummings, Sally N. (2013-09-13).Symbolism and Power in Central Asia: Politics of the Spectacular.Routledge.ISBN9781317987000.
  7. ^Olcott, Martha Brill (September 2010).Kazakhstan: Unfulfilled Promise.Carnegie Endowment.ISBN9780870032998.
  8. ^"Kazakhstan celebrates Independence Day".En.tengrinews.kz.
  9. ^"Independence Day Celebrated in Kazakhstan".Aglobalworld.com.Archived fromthe originalon 3 June 2021.Retrieved12 January2022.
  10. ^"Военные парады в Казахстане за 15 лет" подорожали "в одиннадцать раз".Radiotochka.kz | Новости Казахстана – события, мнения, аналитика.Archived fromthe originalon 2017-09-23.Retrieved2017-09-22.
  11. ^"Inside Central Asia".Books.google.com.1996.
  12. ^"Закон Республики Казахстан О Республиканской гвардии - Закон".Works.doklad.ru.
  13. ^Разина, Анастасия (2016-12-16)."25 лет независимости. 2001 год – приватизация Народного банка, визит Папы и появление ДВК".Informburo.kz(in Russian).Retrieved2021-09-20.
  14. ^ab"ЛЕТОПИСЬ НЕЗАВИСИМОСТИ: 2001 - В Казахстане начала формироваться рыночная экономика".Inform.kz(in Russian). 2016-11-05.Retrieved2021-09-20.
  15. ^"Об объявлении 2011 года Годом 20-летия Независимости Республики Казахстан - ИПС" Әділет "".Adilet.zan.kz(in Russian).Retrieved2021-09-20.
  16. ^"Казахстан отмечает 20-летие независимости".Tengrinews.kz(in Russian). 2011-12-16.Retrieved2021-09-20.
  17. ^"Kazakh oil strike: 10 dead in Zhanaozen clashes".BBC News.2011-12-16.Retrieved2021-09-20.
  18. ^December 2016, Malika Orazgaliyeva in International on 16 (2016-12-16)."Israeli Prime Minister Visits Astana, Strengthens Ties".The Astana Times.Retrieved2021-01-21.{{cite news}}:CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  19. ^"Commission to prepare for Kazakhstan 30th year of Independence celebration formed - Новости Казахстана - свежие, актуальные, последние новости об о всем".Kazpravda.kz(in Russian).Retrieved2021-01-21.
  20. ^"President announced amnesty in 2021 timed to 30th anniversary of Independence of Kazakhstan - Новости Казахстана - свежие, актуальные, последние новости об о всем".Kazpravda.kz(in Russian).Retrieved2021-01-21.
  21. ^kostisg (2021-01-06)."Tokayev proposes to write short history of Kazakhstan for foreign audience".Neweurope.eu.Retrieved2021-01-21.
  22. ^"Семипалатинский оркестр казахских народных инструментов" Насырларх кули "(1992) - YouTube".Retrieved2020-11-08– viaYouTube.
  23. ^"День Независимости Казахстана празднуют в США - YouTube".Retrieved2020-11-08– viaYouTube.

External links[edit]

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