130th anniversary of great manaschi Sayakbai Karalaev celebrated in Hungary

10:56, 11 декабря 2024, Bishkek - 24.kg news agency

A solemn event dedicated to the 130th anniversary of the outstanding Kyrgyz manaschi Sayakbai Karalaev was held in the Hungarian city of Lakitelek on December 6-7. The press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported.

As part of the celebration, a flower-laying ceremony took place at the monument to Sayakbai Karalaev, opened in 2023. This is the first monument to the great storyteller outside Kyrgyzstan. Manaschi Rysbai Isakov and Nurbek Talantbekov performed excerpts from the Manas epic.

The Deputy Speaker of the Hungarian Parliament Sandor Lezsak, the Ambassador of the Kyrgyz Republic to Hungary Talantbek Kushchubekov, the Deputy Minister of Culture of the Kyrgyz Republic Gulbara Abdykalykova, the Secretary General of TURKSOY Sultan Raev and representatives of the scientific community made welcoming speeches.

In their speeches, they noted the significance of the Manas epic as a unique cultural heritage that unites peoples and inspires generations. They also told about Sayakbai Karalaev’s contribution to the preservation and popularization of the epic, emphasizing the international interest in Manas as a symbol of the rich history and spirituality of the Kyrgyz people.

Performances by Kyrgyz students studying under the Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship program gave a special flavor to the event. They made a presentation about the culture of Kyrgyzstan, performed Kyrgyz national dances and musical pieces on the komuz.