Happy Kazakhstan Independence Day! Celebrated annually on December 16, today is the national holiday of Kazakhstan. However, If December 16 falls on a weekend, the following Monday will be a holiday.
This is a two-day celebration with December 17 also a holiday. The holiday period may also be extended in some years with a third day depending on which days of the week December 16 falls.
The holiday marks the independence of Kazakhstan on December 16, 1991 following the collapse of the Soviet Union.
HISTORY
Historically the Kazak region had been an area populated by nomadic tribes.
In the 18th century, the Russia Empire made advances into the region, controlling the whole of Kazakhstan by the middle of the 19th century.
After the Russian revolution in 1917 and the creation of the Soviet Union, civil war erupted in the region with various attempts to bring the people in the region together. Finally, in 1936, the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic was formed.
Following the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, Kazakhstan adopted the constitutional law on the independence of the Republic of Kazakhstan on December 16, 1991.
Kazakhstan was the last of the Soviet republics to declare independence, four days after Russia, meaning that for a short period of time, Kazakhstan was the entire Soviet Union.
Nursultan Nazarbayev was elected the First President of Kazakhstan. He held office from April 24, 1990 until his formal resignation on March 19, 2019.
Did you know?
With an area of 1.052 million mi², Kazakhstan is the world's largest landlocked country by land area in the world!
Today is also a time to remember the victims of the events of December 1986.
Resentment against the replacement of the First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Kazakh SSR Dinmukhamed Konayev, along with Gennady Kolbin from the Russian SFSR, erupted into mass demonstrations by young ethnic Kazakhs in December 1986.
Government troops suppressed the unrest, resulting in the deaths of several people and the incarceration of many demonstrators.
HOW IS KAZAKHSTAN INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATED?
Kazakhstan Independence Day is marked by festivities in the presidential palace and many Kazakhs will dress up in traditional clothes. Kurts (traditional tents) will be set up in many villages where local delicacies will be served.
"The Independence Day is an epoch-making and the most important holiday for all Kazakhstanis," the Head of State said in his congratulatory speech on the eve of the national holiday in 2018.
"Twenty-seven years ago we have made a fateful decision, we have embarked on the way of sovereign development and building the independent country," the President said.
"The era of independence unveiled boundless perspectives and unique opportunities for development and growth.
We have created an efficient system of state administration meeting modern global challenges. We have earned respect and confidence of the entire international community thanks to our shrewd and open policy," the Head of State stressed.
Today, the country commemorates the fulfillment of its people’s long-cherished dream of having an independent state.
#KazakhstanIndependenceDay
@BoratSagdiyev
@BoratMyName
@astanatimes
@officeholidays
@GoogleDoodles
@nichecinema
