Bust of Alikhan Bukeikhanov joins the IPA CIS collection

The inaugural ceremony of the donation of the bust of Alikhan Bukeikhanov, member of the First State Duma of the Russian Empire from the Semipalatinsk region, to the IPA CIS by the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan took place in the Tavrichesky Palace.

The event brought together the following parliamentary leaders from the IPA CIS Member Nations: Chairperson of the IPA CIS Council Valentina Matvienko, Speaker of the Milli Mejlis of the Azerbaijan Republic Oktay Asadov, Vice Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia Hermine Naghdalyan, Speaker of the Council of Republic of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus Mikhail Myasnikovitch, Speaker of the Senate of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kasym-Zhomart Tokaev, Speaker of the Majilis of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nurlan Nigmatulin, Speaker of the Jogorku Kenesh of the Kyrghyz Republic Chynybai Tursunbekov, Vice Speaker of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova Vladimir Vityuk, Speaker of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Vyacheslav Volodin, Vice Speaker of the Majlisi Namoyandagon of the Majlisi Oli of the Republic of Tajikistan Akramsho Felaliev, as well as the CIS MPs, the Secretary General of the IPA CIS Council and guest participants of the meetings held as part of the IPA CIS autumn session.

Speaker of the Senate of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kasym-Zhomart Tokaev opened the ceremony. He highly appreciated the creation in the Tavrichesky Palace of the bust gallery of those who had been at the origin of the Eurasian parliamentarianism. He recalled that the 150th anniversary of Alikhan Bukeikhanov was celebrated in 2016 under the auspices of UNESCO.

Chairperson of the IPA CIS Council noted that Alikhan Bukeikhanov was an outstanding statesman of Kazakhstan who put enormous efforts in protecting the freedom and equality of his people. “Today’s event continues this wonderful tradition. It is good that we remember our shared history, try to preserve and use it for the benefit of our present”, said Valentina Matvienko.

In 2014 the delegation of the Azerbaijan Republic presented to the IPA CIS a bust of Alimardan bek Topchibashev, the father of Azerbaijan parliamentarianism and a member of the First Russian Duma. In 2015 the ceremony of unveiling the bust of Chairman of the First State Duma Sergei Muromtsev was held in the Tavrichesky Palace.