221st Session of UNESCO executive board sees manuscript chronicle of Khans inscribed on memory of world international register
From April 2 to 17, 2025, the 221st session of the UNESCO Executive Board was held at the Organization’s headquarters in Paris, with active participation of the Kazakh delegation, El.kz cites Kazakh FM.
Speaking at the plenary meeting, the Permanent Delegate of Kazakhstan to UNESCO, Askar Abdrakhmanov, informed participants about the recent speech by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at the National Kurultai, in which the importance of continued cooperation with the intergovernmental organization in the protection of Kazakhstan’s natural and cultural heritage – including its documentary heritage – was emphasized. In this context, the Ambassador expressed gratitude to UNESCO for organizing a training seminar in October 2024 to familiarize Kazakh archivists with key aspects of the Memory of the World programme. He also stressed the importance of joint efforts to strengthen the central role of National Commissions for UNESCO within the Organization’s framework.
On the sidelines of the session, a separate meeting of the National Commissions for UNESCO Member States took place, where the Secretary-General of the National Commission of the Republic of Kazakhstan for UNESCO and ICESCO, Zhanar Shaimenova, delivered remarks. Among the items on the agenda were the presentation of UNESCO’s Education for Peace initiative and preparations for the upcoming World Conference on Cultural Policy and Sustainable Development Mondiacult 2025. President of the World Federation of UNESCO Clubs, Bolat Akchulakov, remotely presented the outcomes of the first Global Youth Forum of UNESCO Clubs and Associations, which took place on February 19-20 in Almaty.
One of the most significant milestones for Kazakhstan during the 221st session of the UNESCO Executive Board was the inscription of the manuscript Chronicle of Khans from the collections of the Gylym Ordasy library into the Memory of the World international register. Created in the 18th century in the Turkic language known as Chagatai, by an anonymous author, the document reflects traditional concepts of the genealogy of prophets mentioned in the Holy Quran, rulers of various states, as well as biographical data, historical events, and the geography of the Kazakh Steppe, Central Asia, and the Middle East. The Chronicle of Khans is a valuable cultural asset and an important source for scholars studying the history and languages of the Kazakhs and other nations.
Additionally, Kazakhstan co-authored several UNESCO Executive Board decisions during the session, covering issues such as interactive platforms for enhancing dialogue among teachers worldwide, the UNESCO Global Coalition Against Racism and Discrimination, support for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals within the Organization's mandate, small islands and developing states and others.
Subscribe to our Telegram channel and be the first to know the news!