Kazakhstan national and state holidays

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:44

Together with gaining independence, the country also formed its own holiday calendar. If you ask yourself what kind of holidays are in Kazakhstan, then we can say that there are those that have remained from the once united country, but most are new holidays of the state. In accordance with labor law, national and state holidays are non-working days. As in Russia, if a holiday falls on a weekend, it is transferred to the next day.

Two New Years

The country still widely celebrates the New Year, although there are no longer big Christmas holidays, they rest only on January 1 and 2. Although the country is now predominantly Muslim, Orthodox Christmas is considered a public holiday.

The real New Year comes to the country on March 21-23, when Nauryz Meirami is celebrated, which has become a public holiday in Kazakhstan. This custom dates back several centuries, even in pre-Islamic times, manyEastern peoples celebrated it as the resurrection of nature after a long winter. Nauryz was banned for a long time and only in 1991 was again recognized as a holiday in Kazakhstan, and since 2009 it has been celebrated for three days. The President of the country congratulates the people, other representatives of the executive and local authorities also take part in the celebrations. Folk festivals, festive fairs, competitions in national sports are held in the cities of the country. In accordance with age-old customs, people visit their parents and communicate with friends. According to ancient traditions, it is customary to forgive old grievances and help the poor. Everyone congratulates each other on the birth of spring, saying: “Koktem Tudy!”. Nauryz has become the most beloved holiday in the Republic of Kazakhstan over two decades.

Women's Day

As in many countries of the post-Soviet space, International Women's Day on March 8 remained a holiday in Kazakhstan. As before, many organizations organize events dedicated to women. Although the holiday began as a day of struggle for equal rights for women, it has long lost its political overtones. Now it's just a day dedicated to all women, when love, beauty and kindness are sung. All over the country, men give flowers and gifts to their beloved girls and wives, mothers and daughters.

Unity Day

Kazakhstan is a multinational country with representatives of about 150 nationalities. In 1995, May 1 became a holiday in Kazakhstan, now it is the Day of Unity of the People, and not Labor Day. From next year it became widelybe celebrated with festive processions, festivals, concerts at which representatives of the peoples living in the country perform. Unity Day is designed to strengthen interethnic ties, promote an open dialogue between representatives of different peoples living in the country. In many settlements of Kazakhstan, colorful performances of folklore groups representing cultural national centers are held. Fairs have become traditional, where products and souvenirs are sold, tasting of dishes of the peoples living in Kazakhstan is offered.

Victory Day

The military parade in Kazakhstan takes place on May 7, the Defender of the Fatherland Day, which is a public holiday in Kazakhstan. On this day, back in 1992, the President of the country signed a decree on the creation of national armed forces. On the holiday, the assignment of the next ranks and awards to the Kazakh military also takes place.

Also on the eve of Victory Day, which is celebrated on May 9, charity events are held, events are held to honor war veterans and invalids, heroes of the home front and persons equated to them. Many educational and cultural organizations hold conferences and meetings dedicated to the memory of war heroes. On this holiday, solemn meetings and concerts are held in Kazakhstan. A mandatory event is the laying of wreaths at the memorial of the Eternal Flame, which is in every big city in the country. During the war years, about 1.4 million people (70% of the male population of the country) left the country for the front, of which more than 400 thousand people died. ATIn recent years, mass processions of the Immortal Regiment began to take place in Kazakhstan, as well as throughout the world. Only in the capital of the country on the day of this state holiday of Kazakhstan, more than 7 thousand people marched with portraits of their relatives - participants in the war.

Independence holidays

The national holiday of Kazakhstan - Independence Day - is celebrated on December 16th. On this day in 1991, the Supreme Council, then still a Soviet republic, approved the law on state sovereignty and independence. Exactly one year later, President Nursultan Nazarbayev signed a decree and a constitutional law on the independence of the Republic and state sovereignty of Kazakhstan. It was the last Soviet republic to declare its independence. On the days of the holiday in Kazakhstan, folk festivals and festive events, solemn concerts, competitions and festivals are held in cities and villages. Politicians, outstanding figures of art, culture and sports are awarded on the holiday. Also by this date, amnesties are made for prisoners.

Other holidays

In 1995, a national referendum adopted the Constitution of Kazakhstan, which proclaimed the country as a democratic, legal, secular and social state. Since then, August 30 has been an official holiday in Kazakhstan - Constitution Day.

The Capital Day has been celebrated since 1998, when it was moved from Alma-Ata to Astana. In 2008, a law on the holiday was passed, and now it is widely celebrated inAstana July 6.

In 2011, a decision was made on a new public holiday - the Day of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, which is celebrated on December 1, in recognition of the outstanding merits of Nursultan Nazarbayev in state building.