ASTANA – On March 31, KIMEP Alumni Association in Astana organized a charity concert for the residents of the state Home for the Elderly and Disabled to commemorate the Nauryz holiday. The event was held against a backdrop of heavy snow, but more than 30 former KIMEP students and their friends came to perform.
Esbol Atakulov invited a resident of the Home for Elderly and Disabled for a dance.
“Those two to three hours spent with them are only a drop in the time scale, but we believe that the concert will make those elderly people smile even two or three months,” young poetess Zhanar Salybay told The Astana Times.
Sauranbayev, the dombra artist, told The Astana Times that the KIMEP students wanted to revive Nauryz traditions of serving the elderly and rejoicing on the holiday.
“In the past, young people started the Nauryz celebration by presenting special plates of food called ‘belkoterer’ to elders. Then the elders would give them a ‘bata’ (blessing). We were inspiredby this tradition when we planned our concert,” he said.
“I think traditional music will always be in demand. I want to wish our grandparents long years of living and strong health. Now we are looking forward to our next meeting,” he added.
After the concert, the grateful audience gave KIMEP students ‘bata’ (blessing) for their good intentions.
In August, the KIMEP group bought toys for patients for an Astana hospital and then visited it to meet the children there.
The KIMEP Alumni Association in Astana is a club of former KIMEP students. They organise social, charity and sporting events, support recent graduates and promote career growth.
The group is an example of the power of private individuals to change society for the good and help the unfortunate.
