July 6 is the Day of the capital in Kazakhstan. The city of Nur-Sultan turned 21 this year.
The Capital Day is a public holiday, a day off in the country. Festivals, contests, theatrical performances, exhibitions and competitions are held in different parts of the capital. Some of them have been held ahead of the Capital Day.
On the eve, in the capital’s ethno-memorial complex Atameken, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev shared in the ceremony of raising the national flag, which traditionally opens festive events timed to the Capital Day.
The Capital Day in Nur-Sultan has been celebrated since the city acquired the status of the capital in 1998. Until 2008, the holiday was celebrated at the city level on June 10, in 2008 amendments were made to the law "On holidays in the Republic of Kazakhstan", according to which it was planned to establish a new public holiday - Capital Day on July 6, due to the fact that on July 6, 1994 the resolution of the Supreme Council of Kazakhstan was adopted on relocation of the capital from Almaty to Akmola (now Nur-Sultan). The former names of the capital of Kazakhstan - Nur-Sultan were: Akmolinsk - 1830-1961, Tselinograd - 1961-1992, Akmola - 1992-1998, Astana - 1998-2019.
On March 20, the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, proposed during a joint Parliament houses session, to name the capital after Nursultan Nazarbayev, Nur-Sultan.
Nursultan Nazarbayev celebrated his birthday too. He turned 79 years old.
Reported by the Kazakhstanskaya Pravda.
