MODERNISING KAZAKHSTAN’S NATIONAL IDENTITY

President Nazarbayev’s proposals regarding modernisation of the national identity are motivated by the need for enhancing the country’s ability to connect and compete more efficiently in the global arena and evolving modern economy. 1. Competitiveness: enhanced through computer literacy, education and foreign language proficiency. Pragmatism: accurate knowledge of personal and national resources, leveraging them cost-effectively to plan and drive the individual’s and country’s future. Maintaining (pride) in the national identity: without being hindered by nonconstructive, recalcitrant elements. Cult of knowledge: empowering of human talent through education, professional training, use of technology and enhancing of skill-sets. Evolutionary development of Kazakhstan: as a practical principle of ideology. Open attitude: to understand the socio-economic nuances and rapidly evolving technology; appreciating, learning, accepting and adopting best practices and advanced techniques. Besides empowering connectivity and competitiveness through the transition (of the Kazakh alphabet) from Cyrillic to Latin script, Nazarbayev has also proposed several concrete projects 6. to pragmatically enhance pride in Kazakhstan’s national identity. These include: New humanitarian knowledge: translating the world’s 100 best humanities textbooks for easier dissemination of this knowledge among local students. Tugan Zher (homeland): conducting serious study of local lore, regional history, ecology, restoration of cultural and historical monuments and cultural sites of local significance. Spiritual/ holy sites of Kazakhstan: promoting national consciousness about these historic and sacred sites, simultaneously encouraging domestic and foreign tourism. Promoting Kazakh culture: utilising the six official UN To enhance connectivity and ease of usage, Nazarbayev urged his government to develop and endorse a Latin-script version of the Kazakh language by end-2017. Kazakh language historically used the Arabic script till 1929; transitioned to Latin script from 1929 till 1940; and in 1940, Soviet authorities introduced and influenced use of the Cyrillic alphabet for Kazakh.

languages and multimedia channels to familiarise the wider world with Kazakstan’s culture and heritage. 100 New Faces of Kazakhstan: telling the story of Kazakhstan’s achievements over the last 25 years through the individual lives of 100 citizens from different regions of different age groups and ethnicity. This project would: a) show the real faces of those who helped in creating modern Kazakhstan through their intellect, hands and talent; and

This transition to Latin script is intended to reform the Kazakh alphabet and spelling rules, to allow for conformity between its phonetics and graphics. This modernisation will tap the language’s full potential as a tool of communication, besides facilitating spiritual revival and strengthening the national identity.

This reform also seeks to enhance the global competitiveness of Kazakhstan, promoting accelerated integration in the global scientific, educational, technology and communications arena, plus the digital/social environment.