April 18th is the International Day of Monuments and Historical Places!

This day was founded in 1982 by the Assembly of the International Council for the Protection of Monuments and Sites (ICOMOES), which in turn was created by UNESCO. This day has been recognized since April 18th, 1984. 

The motto of the International Council on Monuments and Sites became “Preserve our historical motherland”. This holiday is tasked with turning people’s attention to the problems of preserving and defending cultural heritage. 

Kyrgyzstan is, without a doubt, rich with such sites and monuments. Within the country there are more than 5,000 archeological and architectural monuments, the oldest of which date back to the Neolithic Era! 

These are such sites as the Burana archeological-architectural museum complex that comprises the minaret known as Burana and three mausoleums; the Mausoleum of Manas that is one of a number of sites from the era of the Great Silk Road; the Uzgen historical architecture complex that includes 3 mausoleums from the classical Qarakhanidera; and the Shah Faisal Mausoleum or the SafedBulon monument, which are considered among the masterpieces of ancient Kyrgyzstani architecture. There are a multitude of such historical monuments in our republic.

In Bishkek there are more than a few memorials and monuments in Oak Park of the capital’s central square, and the National History Museum is a true treasury. 

And it is here, in Oak Park, the National History Museum and the central square that the Education Festival will be held on May 18th and 19th. Here there are open-air sculptures, memorials to great people, monuments that mark historical milestones and events such as the Red Army Memorial in Oak Park and the Common Grave and Obelisk for the red army soldiers that fell in the battle for Soviet power, and the Eternal Flame in honor of those that fell in the Great Patriotic War (World War II), and the Friendship of the Peoples’ Monument commemorating the 100th anniversary of Kirgizia’s voluntary union with Russia, and the Monument to Labor Glory in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Kirghiz SSR and the Kirghiz Communist Party. There are also monuments to Lenin, Marx, Engels, Manas, KurmanjanDatka, Frunze, Bokonbaev, Panfilov, Derzhinski, Auezov and many others. 

The EDUCATION FESTIVAL isand excellent way to become reacquainted with the history of one’s own people and land as well as an interesting and enjoyable way to spend your free time by taking part in the various interactive components of the EDUCATION FESTIVAL.