180th Anniversary of the Founding of Yrgyz: History, Knowledge, and Spiritual Heritage

On September 11-12, 2025, in the center of Yrgyz district, Aktobe region, jubilee events dedicated to the 180th anniversary of the foundation of Yrgyz were held. As part of the jubilee, a scientific and educational conference was organized.

At the conference, Professor of Abai Kazakh National Pedagogical University, Doctor of Historical Sciences Svetlana Odepovna Smagulova delivered an important report on the history of Yrgyz. A guest from Almaty, the daughter of statesman, Alash figure, and native of Yrgyz, Uzakbai Kulumbetov, Honorary Citizen of Yrgyz district, 93-year-old Orinsha Karabalina, gave an emotional speech, sharing numerous specific details about her father`s activities. Several other scholars also presented valuable research devoted to the history of Yrgyz.

At the conference, leading researcher of the UNESCO Chair, Gulnaz Khamidollaevna Sarsenbayeva, addressed the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, including Goal 4 - Quality

Education. G.Kh. Sarsenbayeva noted that the emergence of prominent figures from Yrgyz in the past century was linked to the fact that one of the first schools opened by Ybyrai Altynsarin in Kazakhstan was located here. She also put forward a number of proposals to improve the quality of education in the district, spoke about professional development courses offered at the Center for Pedagogical Innovations and Action Research under the UNESCO Chair, and expressed her readiness to conduct seminars and webinars in support of enhancing education quality in Yrgyz.

On behalf of Abai Kazakh National Pedagogical University, G.Kh. Sarsenbayeva presented Zhabal Shoyynbet`s book `Abai`s Doctrine of the `Perfect Human`, Abai`s Words of Edification, as well as the poetry collection of KazNPU master`s students and undergraduates `In Harmony with Abai`. The conference concluded with the presentation of the updated edition of the `Yrgyz` Encyclopedia.