The Kazakhstani program of the IV International Festival of Documentary Films of the Turkic World has been launched at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University. The best works from Turkey, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Hungary, Macedonia, and Cyprus are taking part in the film festival. Films are devoted to relevant social, cultural, spiritual and socially significant topics and the education of youth.

The legend of cinema, famous actor and director Asanali Ashimov, the President of the Federation of Journalists of the Turkic world Menderes Demir and other honored foreign guests, as well as documentary filmmakers and authors of the films, representatives of public and the Media, and students of Almaty Universities attended the opening ceremony of the International Film Festival.

«It is a great honor for us to host the Film Festival, which is dedicated to the maintaining of the common Turkic heritage, the popularization of national identity and the creative integration of Turkic states. Documentary films raising important social and socially significant topics plays an important role in the formation of spiritual and moral values, worldview and life guidelines among the younger generation», - said First Vice-Rector of KazNU Mukhambetali Burkitbayev in his welcoming speech for guests and participants of the event.

He emphasized that the Film Festival is in tune with the message voiced by the First President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, in Baku (Azerbaijan) during the 7th meeting of the Cooperation Council of Turkic-speaking countries, where Elbasy highlighted the need to include activities in the fields of culture, education in the program «Turkic Vision 2040» and youth policy.

At the Film Festival, Asanali Ashimov has read heartfelt poems calling for the origins and spiritual development and wholeheartedly wished the student youth great success. «Study well! Then you will bring great benefit to yourself, and to the country, and to your people. Work, try to strive for excellence, be educated. I call you to this! » - said the master of cinema.

The President of the Federation of Journalists of the Turkic World, the Chairman of the film festival Menderes Demir thanked KazNU for the warm welcome.

«Every year the film festival expands its geography spiritually bringing our peoples together. Now it is taking place on the land of the great Turkic thinker Al-Farabi, whose heritage also unites us, and it is valuable to all mankind. In 2020, the world will celebrate its 1150th anniversary, this significant event will be surely reflected in the themes of the next film festival», - said Menderes Demir. In a solemn ceremony, he presented a special award to Asanali Ashimov for his enormous contribution to world cinema and the strengthening of cultural ties of the Turkic countries.

The film screening of the documentary student works that advanced to the final of the festival was held at the Cinema of the «Keremet» Student Service Center. Guests from the Turkic countries were acquainted with KazNU’s campus, visited the museum of the University and Al-Farabi museum, and met with students at the Faculties of Journalism and International Relations. They also took part in the celebration of initiation of freshmen into students and congratulated them by wishing creative success. The President of the Federation of Journalists of the Turkic World Menderes Demir presented the statuette to KazNU Rector Academician Galym Mutanov for his great contribution to the development of documentary films and expressed his gratitude for the support of the Film Festival.

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