Center for Regional Studies held international round table devoted to the outstanding turkologist Akhmet-Zaki Validi Togan

 The Center for Regional Studies of Turan University, together with the Foundation for Culture of the Turkic Peoples “Turan Duniyasi”, held an international round table entitled “The contribution of Akhmet-Zaki Validi Togan to the study of the history and culture of the Turkic peoples. The purpose of the round table was to discuss the rich scientific heritage of the world-famous Bashkir historian and Oriental studies scholar Akhmet-Zaki Validi Togan, the significance of his works for the intellectual history of Central Asia. Akhmet-Zaki Validi Togan has written more than 400 scientific works on the history and culture of the Turkic peoples, including the generalizing works “History of the Turks”, “Introduction to the general History of the Turks”, “Modern Turkestan and its recent history”. Thanks to his findings and research, many previously unknown manuscripts were introduced into scientific circulation, which played an important role in the development of Turkology and preservation of spiritual heritage of the Turkic peoples. Akhmet-Zaki Validi Togan’s name is immortalized in a number of key sites, primarily in Ufa, the capital of the Republic of Bashkortostan in the Russian Federation: the largest national library in Ufa, scientific institutes, educational institutions, as well as urban sites such as streets and monuments bear his name.

The Round table was opened by the Vice-rector of Turan University for Strategic Development, Science and Innovation, Professor D.I. Razakova, Director of the Graduate School of International Relations and Diplomacy Dr. N.K. Nyshanbayev. The participants of the meeting were greeted by A. Nurmanov, public activist and poet, and Chairman of the Foundation for Culture of Turkic Peoples Professor Akhmet Dogduran.

Papers delivered at the Round table included those by A. Khamrayev (Chief Research Associate  of the Institute of Literature and Art named after M. Auezov),  R. Bukanova (Professor of Kokshetau University named after Sh. D. Ualikhanov), Professor Tugrul Keskin (Visiting scholar of the Center for Regional studies of Turan University), N.Ayupov (Head of the Department of History of Altai State Medical University), A. Makhsutov (MA student of the Institute of social sciences at Istanbul University), Kh. Khamrayev (Dr. of Political science) and Ablet K. Kamalov (Professor of Turan University). The round table was attended by researchers from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, teachers and students of Turan University. The meeting became an important platform for academic dialogue, exchange of views and strengthening cooperation between researchers from different countries. The resolution of the Round table noted the need to translate the works of Akhmet-Zaki Validi Togan into the Kazakh language and suggested petitioning the Akimat of Almaty and other government agencies to assign the name of the Bashkir Turkologist to one of the streets of the city. The Round table was organized within the framework of the program “Cultural Space of Central Asia” implemented by the Center for Regional Studies at Turan University under supervision of Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor Ablet K. Kamalov. The Round table was co-organized by ‘Turan Duniyasi’ Foundation for Culture of the Turkic Peoples led by K. Makhpirov.