Wednesday22 January 2025
inbusinesskz.com

"One should not pit languages against one another," Tokayev stated regarding the promotion of the Kazakh language.

Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev discussed the promotion of the state language in an interview with the newspaper "Ana Tili," as reported by NUR.KZ, citing the Akorda.
"Нельзя ставить казахский язык в противовес другим языкам", - заявил Токаев о его продвижении.

As the journalist noted, the usage of the Kazakh language has significantly expanded recently, with an increasing number of citizens who are fluent in the state language. This indicates a growing demand for the Kazakh language. Furthermore, interest in learning it is also rising abroad.

The interviewer asked Tokayev what steps need to be taken to further boost the promotion of the Kazakh language in our society.

"I agree with you, the attractiveness and competitiveness of the Kazakh language are rapidly increasing. It is encouraging that the Kazakh language is becoming 'fashionable' and relevant among the youth, and its knowledge is turning into an essential factor for professional growth and personal success for citizens. Domestic businesses are structuring their marketing campaigns with the needs and expectations of Kazakh-speaking consumers in mind. All of this clearly demonstrates the effectiveness of the state's policy in this very delicate and politically significant area," – replied the president.

He added that there are over 7,000 languages in the world, with more than 3,000 of them at risk of extinction. The Kazakh language does not belong to this group; in 2024, it ranked 79th among the most widely spoken languages on the planet.

"We must give due credit to representatives of the Kazakh intelligentsia – writers, journalists, teachers, scientists, cultural figures, and rural workers – true patriots who, during the difficult and contradictory Soviet period, essentially saved the Kazakh language from disappearing from the global linguistic map.

"To achieve even more impressive results, in addition to modernizing the scientific and educational infrastructure and improving the system of teaching the Kazakh language in schools and educational institutions, we need to address the issue of enhancing the status of teachers. It is essential to support the special fund established in 2023 on the initiative of the 'Qazaq Tili' society," – believes the head of state.

Tokayev believes that special attention should be paid to the application of digital technologies, as this will largely determine the future of the Kazakh language and, consequently, the global competitiveness of Kazakhstan.

"Our creative youth and the creative industry can play a beneficial role in the development of the state language. The government will support the growth of this promising sector of the economy. This involves creating commercially appealing, in-demand Kazakh-language content in literature, music, film, series, and computer games for both domestic and global markets.

"I have no doubt about the successful future of the Kazakh language. As the state language, it will play a special role in consolidating our people, but its promotion should not be opposed to other languages, primarily the Russian language," – the president believes.

To read the extensive interview with the head of state, which he termed a special address to the people of Kazakhstan, you can click here.

Additionally, in the interview, Tokayev also commented on rumors about early parliamentary elections in the country. According to the head of state, the media buzz on this topic is being deliberately created.

The president also addressed rumors regarding his plans to head the UN in 2026, which have led to early presidential elections in our country. He stated that his experience in the UN secretariat is more than sufficient, and he has long-term plans for the development of the country that he intends to implement.