ASTANA – A new edition of “Az i Ya,” the work by renowned Kazakh poet Olzhas Suleimenov, was presented at the seventh international conference The Birth of Turkic-Slavic Studies at Narxoz University in Almaty on May 27. The event marked the 50th anniversary of the book’s original publication in 1975.
Olzhas Suleimenov at the seventh international conference The Birth of Turkic-Slavic Studies. Photo credit: Bulat Utemuratov Foundation
According to the Bulat Utemuratov Foundation, which supported the publishing of the edition, Suleimenov’s work put forward a Turkic etymology for Sumerian words. It introduced a new research methodology he termed the “archaeology of the sign,” laying the foundation for Turkic-Slavic studies.
“‘Az i Ya’ is my dialogue with the silence of centuries, an attempt to read the signs left by ancestors in the fabric of meanings. Today, 50 years later, the book continues to sound, because it is not about the past – it is about the language of time, about the word that connects destinies,” Suleimenov said.
The conference featured discussions on topics ranging from the book’s censorship in the 1970s to the philosophy of the sign and musical embodiment. Participants praised the work as a marker of an era in which literature became a way of rethinking history, identity and language.
A resolution adopted at the event underscored the importance of preserving “Az i Ya’s” research and humanistic focus for future generations.
The conference attendees also saw the presentation of an archival collection from the 1970s-80s and an anniversary issue of “Prostor” magazine dedicated to the book. In addition, the Olzhas Suleimenov International Prize in Journalism was awarded in recognition of the contribution to the development of humanitarian thought and intercultural dialogue.
More than 30 renowned scientists, writers, philologists, and cultural figures from Kazakhstan, Russia, Azerbaijan, France, Türkiye, China, Israel, the United States, and Tajikistan participated in the event.
