Chingiz Aitmatov Prize Awarded in Bishkek

An international conference dedicated to the 95^th anniversary of Chingiz Aitmatov was held in Bishkek. The event was attended by speakers of CIS countries parliaments, cultural figures and representatives of the academic community.

The participants of the conference were shown a movie dedicated to the great prose writer.

Speaker of the Jogorku Kenesh of the Kyrgyz Republic Nurlanbek Shakiev made a welcoming speech.

Chairperson of the IPA CIS Council, Speaker of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Valentina Matvienko noted that Chingiz Aitmatov had been a true patriot of his native country and at the same time “a true, convinced internationalist”.

According to the words of Valentina Matvienko, Aitmatov had done a lot to strengthen mutual understanding and friendship between peoples, had called for a dialogue of civilizations and had been a creator and unifier by nature.

Speaker of the Senate of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan Maulen Ashimbayev emphasized the importance of increasing interest to literature among young people that will help to form a new generation of creative intelligentsia in the CIS.

Within the framework of the conference the awarding ceremony of the Chingiz Aitmatov IPA CIS Prize took place. This year’s winner of the prize was a Kyrgyz literary critic, Vice-President of the National Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz Republic, Honored Scientist of the Kyrgyz Republic, Doctor of Sciences in Philology, Professor Abdyldazhan Akmataliev. The prize was presented by Valentina Matvienko and Nurlanbek Shakiev.

The Chingiz Aitmatov Prize was established by the IPA CIS on the initiative of the Jogorku Kenesh of the Kyrgyz Republic in 2012. It is awarded annually for achievements in the field of literature, outstanding original papers and diverse literature activities.