Online Kazakh language courses for compatriots who want to learn their mother tongue were opened in Turkey, Russia, the U.S., the UK, Belgium, Germany, France, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine, Mongolia and Belarus. The Otandastar Foundation project was launched in 2019. According to its spokesperson Didar Bolat, the number of those who want to speak Kazakh is increasing every year. At present, 31 online classes in 12 countries run on an ongoing basis. In addition, seven countries offer offline classes as well.
“Preparations have been underway since 2019 during which we conducted a study on the knowledge of the Kazakh language in several states. As a result, it was decided to open Kazakh language classes in 24 cities in 12 countries. In 2020, we launched our own training program, delivering equipment to all of these locations. About 1,000 Kazakh lessons were conducted in these two years and about 2,500 children took part in them. Kazakh language classes are held two to three times a week for four hours a day. They are held jointly in Kazakh-Russian, Kazakh-English, Kazakh-Turkish and Kazakh-Persian languages. It started when we managed to cover the Iranian-Afghan states,” said Didar Bolat, Advisor to President of Otandastar Foundation.
The Otandastar Foundation is aimed to support Kazakh cultural centers abroad, as well as to develop and expand humanitarian and business ties with Kazakh associations and other public associations of compatriots. In total, in 2021, the Foundation held more than 40 events with the participation of over 4,500 Kazakhs from 20 different countries.
Translation by Assem Zhanmukhanova
Editing by Saule Mukhamejanova
