ASTANA – The Tungysh (Kazakh for “The First”) week of documentary films leading up to the celebration of the Day of the First President took place in Astana from Nov. 26 through Dec. 1.
During the presidential film festival, eight documentaries about the life and work of President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev were shown. Each day was dedicated to different stages in the history of independent Kazakhstan and the role of Nazarbayev in the country’s development. Head of the Chancery of the President and acting director of the Nazarbayev Centre Makhmud Kassymbekov opened the festival.
The festival opened with “El Anasy” (“Mother of the Nation”) and “Uzengіlester” (“Colleagues”). Toleutai Suleimenov, former minister of foreign affairs and a close colleague of Nazarbayev’s from as far back as their days working at the Karaganda metallurgical plant, came to the evening session of the opening day and took questions from the audience which included mostly students.
“He is simple and, at the same time, very charismatic. This is a man who changed history; a phenomenon. This man is friends with the presidents of great nations. He is hard working. For you young people sitting in the audience, he is an example,” Suleimenov said about Nazarbayev. He also told attendees about his diplomatic service and the work of the minister of foreign affairs.
After the film, Suleimenov gave prizes including signed copies of the president’s books and disks with movies about the president to top students.
“I am very happy to be at this event. Here, I learned a lot about our president; many facts from his personal biography that were previously unknown to me. The life of our President is an example for all of us. Thanks to his policies, our country prospers, and youth have many opportunities for self-realisation. I was awarded a book by the president today and this is a great honour for me,” Akimzhan Baltabekov, third year student at the College of Economy, Technologies and Standardisation of Food Production, said.
