«Association of Historians of Kazakhstan» is a community of scientists whose interests cover the region of Central Asia. In 2002 the Institute of History and Ethnology, MES RK, was initiator of the creation of this non-governmental organization, Public Association «Association of Historians of Kazakhstan». This initiative received wide support among Kazakhstan’s historians.
«Association of Historians of Kazakhstan» represents not only professional scientists-historians, lecturers of educational institutions, but also all those who are interested in national history.
The organization is supported by membership fees, sponsor financing from international and republican organizations as well as other voluntary investments.
«Association of Historians of Kazakhstan» recognizes the high role of the History in formation of democracy in our society. Historical education in Kazakhstan’s educational institutions should provide the promotion of democratic reforms, contribute to formation of sentiment of patriotism among Kazakhstan’s people.
President Nursultan Nazarbayev’s concern on the situation with history education proves that it is necessary to begin development of a new policy of history teaching in secondary schools and universities. The need for this is a consequence of those still continued discussions of pseudo-scientific community in the periodical press which has an attempt to use the History as a convenient tool to achieve its ultimate goals. Unfortunately, often professional historians became spectators of these disputes.
Activity of the community of Kazakhstan’s professional historians is aimed to improve the current situation around the historical science and public perceptions about our past, to complete the need of Kazakhstan’s society in history education and, above all, to raise the status of the historical science in society using the History as a mechanism of formation of such concepts as citizenship, democracy and patriotism among Kazakhstan’s people.
Members of the «Association of Historians of Kazakhstan» recognize that modern national history as any science, first of all, should work for the society. History should teach us how to be citizens of our state and accomplish world outlook functions. Modern historism is a civil equality based on patriotism and solidarity of the past and the present.
The «Association of Historians of Kazakhstan» invites all historians to take part in initiated historical discussions: a concept in science mustn’t be considered as sacred and unquestionable as it identifies authoritarian condition of science. Historical research is one of many variants of interpretation of the past. Investigation of the history should provide the sense of the presence of the past in the contemporary world; a historian has to avoid historical researches dedicated to the facts. The «Association of Historians of Kazakhstan» recognizes that only scientific dispute could teach how to move away from current false dichotomy in historical post-totalitarian science.
