A bust of Abai Kunanbayuly has been unveiled at Villa Grazioli Park in Rome. The opening ceremony was attended by Kazakhstan’s Minister of Culture and Information Aida Balayeva, Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Italy Yerbolat Sembayev, members of the official Kazakh delegation, and representatives of Italy’s cultural community.
Speaking at the ceremony, Balaeva emphasized that Abai is a key spiritual figure for the Kazakh people whose works focus on humanism, justice, education, and hard work. She noted that the installation of Abai’s bust in Rome symbolizes a cultural bridge between Kazakhstan and Italy and reflects the strengthening partnership between the two countries.
“In recent years, relations between our countries have gained strong momentum. Last year's official visit of the President of Kazakhstan to Italy, as well as the visit of the Prime Minister of Italy to Kazakhstan, elevated our cooperation to a new level. The visit of the President of Italy to Kazakhstan in September opened new horizons and resulted in important negotiations. Today’s unveiling of the Abai monument is a continuation of the agreements reached — a symbol of friendship and mutual respect between our peoples,” said Aida Balayeva.
Monuments and busts honoring Abai are installed in major cities around the world, including Tashkent, Moscow, Beijing, Cairo, Budapest, Ankara, Istanbul, New Delhi, Geneva, Paris, Sarajevo, Berlin, Seoul, Baku, Rio de Janeiro, and others.