On December 16 in London, the British publishing house Hertfordshire Press organized an international event dedicated to Kazakhstan’s Independence Day and the 180th anniversary of Abai Qunanbaiuly’s birth. More than 80 guests from around the world, from the UK to Australia, participated, expressing their support for Kazakh culture.
Hertfordshire Press, which has specialized in translating and publishing works of classic and contemporary authors from Central Asia for nearly twenty years, held the event that brought together guests not only from England and Kazakhstan, but also from Scotland, Australia, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Russia. The event took place at two venues: Fitzroy House and the Yunus Emre Enstitüsü Turkic Cultural Center. The event was moderated by Hertfordshire Press founder Marat Akhmedjanov.
The event featured a presentation of the fourth volume of the Voices of Friends: Poetry & Art 2026 Almanac, which brings together works by poets and artists from around the world. Thirty-five authors from nine countries presented their works in this volume, highlighting the truly international scope of the project and its role as a cultural bridge across languages and national traditions.
The new edition of the almanac places particular emphasis on the work of Abai Qunanbaiuly – his poems were published both in the original Kazakh and in new, modern English translations by Kazakh diplomat Roman Vasilenko and translator Elden Sarybay, who attended the event. The careful editing of the text preserved the original’s melody and conveyed the philosophical depth and emotional power of the poet, whose ideas remain relevant worldwide. In addition to classical poetry, the almanac includes poems by Kazakh poetess Veronika Pavlova and translations of spiritual poetry into Russian by Nurym Taybek.
The new edition of the almanac was edited by David Parry, a renowned British playwright. Thanks to his professional vision and keen sense of words, the edition gained particular depth and expressiveness while preserving the spirit of cultural dialogue for which the almanac was created. The presentation was led by Marat Akhmedjanov.
Initiated by the Eurasian Creative Guild (London) in 2020, Voices of Friends: Poetry & Art became the world’s first English-language almanac of Eurasian poetry, also published in national languages. Its mission is to unite cultures through poetry and art, creating an international space for dialogue, preservation, and promotion of Eurasian cultural heritage. The almanac makes poetry accessible to a wide audience, erases linguistic and national boundaries, and strengthens mutual understanding between peoples.
In the evening, participants and guests of the event enjoyed a concert at the Yunus Emre Enstitüsü Turkic Cultural Center. A festive atmosphere, live music, book presentations, and the warmth of human interaction provided a beautiful finale to the day. The celebration of Kazakhstan’s Independence Day in London served as a reminder that Abai’s legacy continues to resonate in the global cultural space, and that modern Kazakhstan plays a significant role in international dialogue. It was especially symbolic that 10 years ago, Hertfordshire Press hosted an event dedicated to Abai’s work: in 2015, the first English edition of Herold Berger’s book “Goethe and Abai” was presented in London.
