President of Kyrgyzstan Alzambek Atambayev hopes to establish collaboration with ASU

On coming back from International Forum “Altai Civilization and Related Peoples of Altai Linguistic Family” under the patronage of the President of Kyrgyzstan Alzambek Atambayev, Doctor of History, Professor of the Department of Oriental Studies at Altai State University Julia A. Lysenko told the journalists of Altaiskaya Pravda about the prospects for development of cross-border scientific society.

– We know that Kyrgyzstan and Altai are tightly bound with each other in terms of genetics and culture. What role does Altai State University play in the development of the two countries’ relations? What about research of history and culture of Altai peoples at the flagship university of Altai Krai?

– Scientists and lecturers of ASU received personal invitations from organizers, which was natural enough, as the university has been actively cooperating with the leading scientific, educational and cultural centers of Kyrgyzstan in the recent years. These establishments primarily include Jusup Balasagyn Kyrgyz National University, B.N. Yeltsin Kyrgyz-Russian Slavic University, Osh State University, and Jalal-Abad State University. Let’s recall the II Asian Student Forum that took place in September 2015 on the shore of Issyk-Kul Lake in Kyrgyzstan. This grand-scale event was organized by efforts of Altai State University and Kyrgyz-Russian Slavic University, while participants included representatives on 8 countries: Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, China, Mongolia, Tajikistan and India. 8 universal platforms on different areas of student activity were organized and successfully realized back then. Students and experts discussed social standards in education, compared educational systems of their countries. Last year the Faculty of History of ASU and Balasagyn Kyrgyz National University organized roundtable on relevant directions and prospects for cooperation in science and education between Russia and countries of Central Asia on the premises of Altai State University. The event was confined to the 100th anniversary of liberation movement of peoples from Asian borderlands of the Russian Empire in 1916. Currently ASU realizes two projects supporting the Russian language in former Soviet countries in the framework of bilateral cooperation.

– What meeting of the forum did stick in your memory the most?

– On the last day of the forum, on 24 July 2017, we met with the President of Kyrgyzstan Alzambek Atambayev. The key issues under discussion were prospects for research of Altai civilization, and expansion and strengthening of contacts between two world’s leading scientific and educational centers in Altaistics. The President and authorities of Muras State Foundation for Historical and Cultural Heritage of Kyrgyzstan People have great plans. In particular, it is supposed to make the international forum annual, expand the geography, and carry out the forum’s events in countries, where people of Altai linguistic family live. In the long view, there is a plan to establish an institute for Altaistics and coordination board based on the institute in Bishkek.

– What prospects for collaboration with Altai State University does the President of Kyrgyzstan see?

– I was invited as a coordinator to one of the forum sections entitled “History, Archaeology, Ethnography”. However, the main reason for my participation in the meeting was that I represented Altai Krai. The President is planning to attract universities and research centers of Altai Krai and Altai Republic in order to study Altai civilization. Alzambek Atambayev specified that a major part of Altai peoples lived in Russia, so realization of his plans was possible only with the participation of the Russian Federation. He took strong interest in Altai State University, our scientific developments in the fields of archaeology, linguistics, history of Turkic people, Museum of Archaeology, as well as our university’s experience and capabilities in organization of academic events. He dreams of visiting Altai. Another cherished dream of his is to install a monument to Manas in his homeland – Altai. I hope I managed to convince Alzambek Atambayev of the fact that ASU is a worthy site for running scientific event on the highest level. We talked about organization of an international scientific forum on Altaistics for young scientists in the foreseeable future. The President was interested in this idea, he promised to render us financial support.