On August 19, 2025, the East Kazakhstan Regional Museum of History and Local Lore held a grand opening of the unique exhibition «Turkestan — the Light of Millennia». This event is an important project organized within the framework of the instructions of the Head of State Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on the wide promotion of the spiritual heritage of the great thinker Kozha Akhmet Yasawi.

The exhibition is the result of joint work of the National Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve «Aziret Sultan» and the East Kazakhstan Regional Museum of History and Local Lore. The main goal of the project is to introduce the public to the moral teachings and wise sayings of Kozha Akhmet Yasawi, the spiritual pillar of the Turkic civilization, and the values ​​of his Sufi school.

The exhibition combines two treasures of past centuries: spiritual and material. Spiritual light (nur) is conveyed by rare manuscripts of Kozha Ahmet Yasawi, his students and followers – Sheikh Khudaidat al-Bukhari, Sufi Allayar, Muhammad Ali as-Siddiqi and Sultan Shadi Zhangir. In addition, material light is reflected in historical ceramics and bronze candlesticks made in the Turkestan region in the 12th-19th centuries. The combination of these two elements allows visitors to feel the depth of knowledge of the past and the eternal radiance of its cultural heritage.

Visitors to the exhibition will be able to see ancient versions of «Divani Hikmet», works of thinkers who continued the tradition of Yasawi, and unique historical relics of that era. Combining historical facts, literary and spiritual heritage, poetic images, the exhibition proves that the teaching of Yasawi is the true light shining in the hearts of generations throughout the centuries.

The opening speech was given by the head of the Department of Culture of the East Kazakhstan Region Samat Bekboluly, who noted the importance of such events in the development of the cultural sphere. Then the chief imam of the region Duman Nadiruly focused on the role of the city of Turkestan and Yasawi in the spread and establishment of Islam in the Kazakh steppes. The head of the Department of Religious Affairs Zhanat Zhumagazykyzy in her speech paid special attention to the modern need to study the heritage of Yasawi and use it in the education of young people.

In addition, representatives of the intelligentsia, museum and library staff, young scientists, students, and anyone interested in history and spiritual heritage also took part in the cultural event.

At the opening of the exhibition, laureates from the East Kazakhstan region, who participated in the traditional competition «Yasauitanu-2025», enlivened the exposition with their sayings of our great-grandfather Yasaui, imbued with spiritual mystery, such as «Ua, Zharatkan», «Syn sagat», «Pәruәrdigәr».

At the end of the event, the acting director of the National Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve «Aziret Sultan» Nurlan Musagaliuly Dukenbaev thanked his East Kazakhstan colleagues for their comprehensive support in organizing the exhibition and presented printed materials of the museum-reserve, and also presented a letter of thanks to the head of the East Kazakhstan Regional Historical and Local History Museum Svetlana Konstantinovna.

The exhibition “Turkestan – Light of the Millennium” will last until September 13, 2025.

Kuanysh Iskak, organizer of exhibitions at the National Museum-Reserve «Aziret Sultan».