Today, Abai University hosted a concert of Polish vocal music entitled “I Remember Those Quiet, Bright, Golden Days.” The event was dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the beginning of the deportation of the Polish people to Kazakhstan. The concert aimed to reflect on history and strengthen mutual understanding and cultural ties between the two peoples through music.

The title of the concert was taken from the lines of the poem “Pamiętam ciche, jasne, złote dnie…” — “I remember those quiet, bright, golden days…” by Polish poet Kazimierz Przerwa-Tetmajer. The lines convey the idea that, although we cannot bring the past back, we can preserve it in our memory.

During the evening, the audience had the opportunity to enjoy performances by singer Krzysztof Czupiński-Święcicki, who promotes Polish musical culture on the international stage, and pianist and harpsichordist Stanisław Łopuszyński. The artists have been performing together since 2018 and have given concerts in several countries around the world.

At the concert, they performed works by such renowned figures as Stanisław Niewiadomski, Jan Gall, Ignacy Jan Paderewski, Mieczysław Karłowicz, Franciszek Mirecki, Stanisław Moniuszko, Frédéric Chopin, Adam Mickiewicz and Kazimierz Przerwa-Tetmajer, conveying their works to the audience with great emotion and sensitivity. The musical evening also featured various periods of Polish vocal and piano music, offering listeners a rich and diverse range of emotions.

The Kazakh and Polish peoples share a history marked by many common trials. Both peoples experienced pressure from external political forces, endured deportations and faced numerous struggles to preserve their national cultures. History also bears witness to the fact that, as a result of the repressive policies of the Soviet regime, a part of the Polish population was deported to Kazakhstan.

At the end of the moving evening of classical music, Vitaliy Swincicki, Honorary Chairman of the Union of Poles in Kazakhstan, delivered a speech and expressed his warm appreciation for the Kazakh people. In turn, the university administration thanked the Polish musicians and presented them with traditional Kazakh gifts as a gesture of hospitality and respect.

It is worth noting that Abai University maintains close cooperation with higher education institutions in Poland. Contributing to the development of strategic educational ties, Dariusz Szewczyk, Consul General of Poland in Almaty, and Vice-Consul Paweł Niedźwiecki have visited the university on numerous occasions. In addition, a joint dual-degree programme with Poland’s Pomeranian University is currently being implemented.

«Abai University» Media Center