The seventh of May for Kazakhstan is not a simple day, not just a day off. That is the Day of Kazakhstan’s Defenders. For 26 years, every year on 7 May, the millions of Kazakhstan people congratulate all served and serves, and all the defenders of the country. The date of the Kazakhstan’s Defenders Day is directly related to the fact that in 1992 on May 7, President of the Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev signed a decree on the establishment of the national armed forces. Traditionally, on this day the President solemnly confers military ranks and awards to servicemen. In 2012, the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan adopted a bylaw, according to which May 7 is declared a public holiday and is a day off.
To this day it is customary to congratulate not only active militaries, but also those who have served. Thus, in the morning of May 7, thousands of Kazakhstan people congratulate their grandfathers, fathers, brothers and uncles on this day. For many, the seventh of May is analogous to the eighth of March, therefore congratulations and gifts receiving even the part of the male population, which the army bypassed.
It is noteworthy, that the Day of Kazakhstan’s Defenders is celebrated in country on the same scale as the Victory Day on May 9th. The capital of Kazakhstan – Astana is used to host a large – scale parade of army and military equipment on the 7th of May. The parade is aimed at honoring and demonstrating the Day of Kazakhstan’s Defenders clearly shows and proves that Kazakhstan has an military which will and already protecting the country. While, the Victory Day reminds that the Kazakhstan people have always bravely defended their homeland and fought for the peace we do have now.
Diana Temirova
