ASTANA – It is March 22 and preparations are wrapped up for the Nauryz holiday at homes and public squares across Kazakhstan. Grand concerts, traditional feasts, music and games are all important aspects of celebrating Nauryz. But beyond the festivities also lies a holiday rooted in humanity’s pursuit of unity, renewal and peace.
Nauryz outdoor celebrations always attract large number of people, despite cold weather in Astana. Photo credit: Astana akimat (city administration)
“Unity and peace have always been the most important values of our country. It is gratifying that people in Kazakhstan welcome this spring holiday together, regardless of ethnic and religious differences,” said President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, addressing the public in Astana on March 21.
The word, Nauryz, means ‘new day’ in Persian. With roots dating back more than 3,000 years ago to the Zoroastrian era, Nauryz marks the arrival of spring and falls on the day of the vernal equinox, a moment when day and night are in balance.
In Kazakhstan, Nauryz has been celebrated for ten days since 2024. This extended celebration, known as Nauryznama, introduces a new format for one of the country’s most significant holidays.
Each day in this ten-day celebration reflects a specific value or theme cherished by the Nauryz holiday – from charity initiatives and cultural events to national clothing and environmental campaigns.
Much like New Year’s celebrations, Nauryz is a time for reuniting with family and friends, cleaning homes, exchanging warm wishes, and offering forgiveness. On this day, people great one another by saying “Nauryz meiramy kutty bolsyn!” (Happy Nauryz!) or “Ak mol bolsyn!” (May there be abundance!). A person can reply with “Birge bolsyn,” which means “The same to you.”
Grand celebrations
For Bolat Nassygazy, an educator from Astana, Nauryz is all about the festive atmosphere on the city’s main square.
“I have had it since childhood. I remember going out with my parents to celebrate. We’d watch traditional dancing and singing, of course, hear Roza Rymbayeva’s [a prominent Kazakh singer] songs, and enjoy kozhe [traditional Nauryz dish] and bauyrsaks [a traditional fried dough delicacy],” he said in a comment for this story.
Nassygazy discussed a vibrant Nauryz celebration organized at the school where he works – an event filled with music, traditional costumes, national dishes and performances that brought students and teachers together.
“We organized different stations where students had a chance to try some hands-on activities, particularly felting, making qamshy [a traditional Kazakh whip], making zhent [a traditional Kazakh sweet], and then making different Kazakh ornaments,” he said.
There was also a display of national dishes. He said celebrations like this help students appreciate the meaning and value behind national traditions.
“The kids were really enjoying. Through this thoughtful organization and different activities, students are delving into this atmosphere, the vibe of Nauryz celebration and embedding the Kazakh values in their identity,” he said.
National games are essential part of the Nauryz celebrations. Photo credit: Astana akimat
He said there are students of different nationalities in his school, and some of them may have never had a proper introduction to Kazakh culture. Through these kinds of events, they get to explore and experience traditions firsthand.
“It develops intercultural understanding. Obviously, it is a community type of celebration, so it develops community spirit,” he added.
Sharing food, playing traditional instruments, and taking part in creative activities—they all contribute to a sense of generosity, harmony, and connection.
Nauryz and peace
Aizat Arystanbek, an education researcher based in Astana, draws a compelling connection between Nauryz and the way Kazakh cultural traditions reflect the principles of positive peace, a concept she and her colleagues have been exploring in their research.
“What makes these traditions powerful is that peace isn’t treated as something distant or formal. It’s alive in the way we welcome each other, listen, share, and work through challenges –day after day. Qonaqasy [hospitality in Kazakh] teaches openness, empathy, and embracing diversity. In Kazakh culture, every guest is welcomed, regardless of background. Offering the best seat, the warmest meal, and genuine attention reflects the practice of active listening and inclusion – making space for every voice,” said Arystanbek.
Astana’s akimat (city administration) distributed freshly baked bauyrsaks to people on March 20. Photo credit: Astana akimat
Another tradition is asar, which refers to collective assistance.
“It reflects social cohesion and conflict prevention. When neighbors come together to build a house or help in times of need, they practice collaboration, trust, and shared responsibility: key elements of peaceful, resilient communities,” she added.
Her favorite tradition, she notes, is bata beru, which means giving blessings.
“It’s not a formality. It’s a moment of heartfelt advice, a way to calm and guide, to remind us to move with kindness and intention. Almost like mindful communication wrapped in tradition,” she added.
The same values, she noted, are woven into countless Kazakh proverbs, an oral tradition passed down through generations, which she humorously describes as “TED talks from the ancestors, but shorter.”
“We’ve been connecting these traditions to the positive peace framework – seeing how they naturally encourage active listening, diversity, collaboration, inner peace, and ecological care. It’s a reminder that peace isn’t something grand or unreachable. It’s already here: in the ways we show up for each other, every day,” she said, calling on people to think of how can they promote peace not only globally but in their daily actions.
Kazakhstan hosts more than 1,500 events nationwide during the Nauryznama from March 14 to 23. Photo credit: Astana akimat
Values that resonate globally
Lynne Parmenter, a professor at the Graduate School of Education at Nazarbayev University, recalls the first time she celebrated Nauryz in Kazakhstan in 2013.
“It was only a few weeks after I first arrived in Kazakhstan, and it was the first GSE [Graduate School of Education] Nauryz celebration. My husband and 4 younger children were there too. It was the first time any of us had drunk kumys [mare’s milk], and only my husband liked it, so he drank mine and the children’s as well,” she told The Astana Times.
“What really stood out was the warmth and kindness and hospitality of everyone, and the enjoyment of celebrating together,” said the professor.
When asked whether there is anything like Nauryz in her cultural background, Parmenter said there are no holidays exactly like Nauryz in the United Kingdom and Japan. However, there are similar celebrations.
“In Japan, New Year is the holiday when families gather and eat special food [o-sechi-ryori], which has symbolism for prosperity, long life, peace and so on, similar to kozhe. In the U.K., for many people, Christmas is the time to gather together as a family and celebrate. I think all cultures have some form of celebrating connection, togetherness, new beginnings and hope, all of which are important for peace,” she added.
