The ECO Cultural Institute, in cooperation with the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Iran, held a ceremony titled "The Image of Abai's Thought in the Mirror of ECO" on Monday, August 24, 2026, at the International Conference Hall of the Institute, with the presence of ambassadors of ECO member states, officials, and a group of researchers.
According to the information portal of the ECO Cultural Institute, Mr. Mohammad Hassan, President of the ECO Cultural Institute, at the beginning of the speeches, emphasizing that Hakim Abai Qunanbay is a thinker at the regional and global levels of the ECO beyond the geographical borders of Kazakhstan, described his thoughts as a living response to the questions of contemporary humanity. Referring to the foundational concept of the "Perfect Human" and the importance of distinguishing between knowledge and wisdom in Abai's perspective, he stated that the genuine revival of society requires the inner renewal of human beings, the strengthening of ethics, and the connection between tradition and modernity in order to further strengthen convergence among brotherly nations in the ECO region.
Subsequently, H.E. Dr. Ontalap Onalbayev, Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan, paying tribute to the scholarly and literary stature of Hakim Abai, introduced him as the founder of modern Kazakh literature and a world-class thinker whose thoughts on education, science, labor, and justice continue to guide today's society. Pointing to the spiritual sources influential on Abai's thought, he emphasized that the legacy of this great philosopher is a shared treasure for all of humanity and a solid bridge for strengthening cultural and human ties.
The scholarly segment of the meeting continued with the presentation of specialized viewpoints by experts. Professor Islam Chamani, Head of the Turan-Iran Scientific Research Center at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, in his speech, considered the establishment of Abai's school of thought based on rationalism and the union of intellect and ethics, emphasizing that from his perspective, the foundation of religion rests upon love for God, love for humanity, and love for justice. Furthermore, Dr. Mehram Kurbanbek-kyzy Kulbayeva, Head of the Department of Folklore and Poetry at the Chingiz Aitmatov Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of Kyrgyzstan, examined the status of Hakim Abai in consolidating Kazakh-Kyrgyz literary ties and the influential role of the collection "Words of Wisdom" in awakening social consciousness.
Following that, Dr. Mohammad-Amin Shahjouei, Assistant Professor at the Institute for Humanities and Cultural Studies, analyzed Abai's intellectual heritage from the perspective of the ethics of the "Other" and the concept of empathy, considering human prosperity to be contingent upon openness toward truth. Then, Professor Norbay Jabarov, Vice Rector of the Alisher Navoi Tashkent State University of Uzbek Language and Literature, examining the tradition of Alisher Navoi in Abai's works, stated that both great thinkers, by honoring the mission of speech, aimed for the moral and spiritual evolution of future generations.
In the concluding part of this ceremony, which was moderated by Dr. Zahra Aslani, following the screening of a documentary film introducing the life and thoughts of Hakim Abai courtesy of the Embassy of Kazakhstan, the cultural gift-presentation ceremony was held. In this segment, a "Chapan" (traditional Kazakh attire) was presented by the Ambassador of Kazakhstan to the President of the ECO Cultural Institute. Additionally, the "One-Page Book", a work by Mr. Mehdi Mirazimi, was presented to the participating ambassadors and guests of the meeting.