On October 19, a round table was held at the Institute of History and Ethnology named after Sh.Sh. Ualikhanov. Round table topic: “Problems of preserving national identity in Kazakhstan: stages and historical experience.” At the meeting, one of the current topics of today was the preservation of national identity and national code in the period of globalization. Historians not only from this institution but also from other higher educational institutions in the country took part in the round table.
The meeting was opened by the director of the institute, corresponding member of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor Ziyabek Kabyldinov. Following him, Academician of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Professor Khankeldi Abzhanov spoke in his report about the problems of globalization and it’s troubles preservation as a nation. Those who expressed “Dombyra haram” are a consequence of not knowing their history. A scientist from Shymkent, academician of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor Bauyrzhan Baitanaev noted the Sacred objects of the country and their role in preserving the integrity of the territory of the republic. The archaeologist said, when familiarizing himself with the Tashkent archive, he found information about how the burial ground of his ancestors played an important role in determining the current area of the country. The next speaker, professor of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, academician of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan Bereket Karibaev, mentioned that “there is still a Eurocentric point of view in science that believes that in ancient Asia and Africa there were no signs of statehood.” According to the scientist, this point can be made only through proof of native history.
About 30 participants took part in the round table, among them were historians who participated remotely via the Zoom platform. One of them, Aidar Zeynelov, is a postdoctoral fellow at Istanbul University. He suggested two ideas. First, problems of terminology. Before independence, the main scientific sources were Russian researchers, but now they have been replaced by Western (European, American). The young scientist claims that despite their professionalism, foreign authors look at this through their own prism and culture. Second, make cinematography an instrument of ideology. To convey the history of the country to young people through the creation of historical films. Because among the population, only 5% of people read books. These are the poll numbers. That is, one must be able to turn historical works not only into a book, but also into a film. Aidar Amankazhiuly suggested the American experience where scientific institutions work closely with Hollywood.
“He who does not know the past knows neither the present, nor the future, nor himself,” said the French philosopher Voltaire back in the eighteenth century. At the end of the scientific meeting, it was said that these problems are relevant and should be continued among young people in order to raise them at the state level in the future.