On May 1, Kazakhstan celebrates the Day of Unity of Nations. The holiday is called upon to bring together representatives of more than 100 different nationalities who live in the republic. This day symbolizes friendship and mutual understanding. On this holiday people officially have a day off and on the stages of Kazakhstan, there are concerts and folk festivals. On the square «Мәнгілік Ел» there was an event dedicated to this holiday where well-known Kazakh and foreign artists performed. However, from the very beginning of the concert people were faced with inconveniences. People were allowed to go to an open event only on tickets and passes. Simple spectators were chased around the square “like cattle”(words of the interviewee) and allowed to the concert only after a couple of hours. “I’ve been here since 11:00 and I could not enter the concert almost 2 hours. On a half-empty area, there’s a lot of room, it’s enough for everyone. Why did not they let us in? All the mood was gone. “- says one of the spectators of the concert.
Around the event there were detachments of police who followed the order. Baytursynov street was blocked from the Amanzholov street and the Momyshly avenue, along the Tsuelsisdik avenue from Koshkarbaev street, along Kaldayakov street from the M-3 road bridge (from Syganak street) and along Nazhimedenov street from Amanzholov street. Despite the rain and windy weather, many guests could enjoy the concert and sing along with the artists on stage.
The chairman of the Ukrainian chorus “Oберег” Shimer Tamara Viktorovna gave a couple of comments on this event. “The holiday was a success; everything was colorful and alive despite the bad weather, I’m very happy to be a participant of this event, I thank our President for the wonderful holiday of the unity of nations! It is great when all nations are friendly, “- she said.
Representatives of such national associations as the Ukrainian choir, the Kyrgyz dance group, the Korean collective, the Ingush, German, Tatar, Russian, and etc. acted on the stage and congratulated the people of Kazakhstan on the occasion of the unity of nations.
Farida Karsybekova
