News

Today, our university celebrated “Ak Kalpak Day,” a holiday dedicated to the traditional national headwear of the Kyrgyz people. Kyrgyz students studying at the university marked their national celebration in accordance with their traditions.

The university leadership opened the ceremonial event and delivered congratulatory remarks.

Rector’s representative Naci Genc said:

“I am very pleased that we are celebrating the ‘Ak Kalpak Day’ of the Kyrgyz Republic together at our university, which has become a center of the common Turkic world. I congratulate our Kyrgyz brothers on their national holiday!”

Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs Elmira Idrissova also addressed the audience:
“This is a shared celebration! That is the unique feature of our university. I would like to thank our Kyrgyz students for preserving their national values and proudly wearing the Ak Kalpak. Congratulations on ‘Ak Kalpak Day,’ which reflects the honor and spiritual values of the Kyrgyz people.”

The celebration continued with a festive concert program. First, the audience was presented with a video about the history of the Kyrgyz people.

On stage, Kyrgyz students performed traditional melodies on the komuz instrument, danced the national dances “Kyrgyz” and “Kyrgyz Zholu,” and sang songs such as “Muras,” “Ene Til,” “Bizdin Meken,” “Kechki Bishkek,” and “Kim Bilet” in their native language.

It should be noted that “Ak Kalpak Day” was officially established in the Kyrgyz Republic on March 5, 2016, and has been celebrated annually since 2019.

In Kyrgyz culture, the Ak Kalpak, a traditional white felt hat, is a national symbol reflecting the country’s history and identity. There is a well-known Kyrgyz saying: “If you see someone wearing an Ak Kalpak, know that he is Kyrgyz.”

During the event, different types of Ak Kalpak hats were presented, and the traditions of wearing this national headwear according to age were introduced. Visitors of the celebration learned about the importance of the Ak Kalpak for the Kyrgyz people and became more familiar with their history and culture.

The festive evening clearly demonstrated the unity and friendship among the youth of Turkic-speaking countries.