BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 22. Astana organized a solemn ball (dancing event) in celebration of the Novruz holiday, TurkicWorld reports.

In Kazakhstan, this holiday is known as 'Nauryz Meiramy' and has ancient roots.
Despite the arrival of Islam, this tradition persisted among the Persians and Turkic peoples, proving its global appeal and relevance.

Kazakhstan's Foreign Ministry hosted the event, which was attended by representatives from many diplomatic missions accredited in the country.

The foyer of the Astana Opera, Central Asia's largest theater, was transformed into a Kazakh aul (a type of fortified village), complete with cozy yurts (portable, round tents traditionally used as dwellings by several distinct nomadic groups in Inner Asia's steppes and mountains), richly decorated national dishes, and traditional entertainments.

The organizers were dressed in national costumes of batyrs (historical Kazakh warriors), paluans (Kazakh strongmen), and steppe beauties.

The Minister of Culture and Information of Kazakhstan Aida Balayeva opened the event. In her speech, she emphasized that the traditions of celebrating Novruz are passed down from generation to generation by the peoples of the East.

Over time, this holiday has spread beyond its original geography and has become important on a global scale, she said.

Balayeva announced to the guests of the event that Kazakh kuis (traditional instrumental compositions) performed by the Kazakh State Academic Orchestra of Folk Instruments, named after Kurmangazy, would be broadcast on radio stations in 25 countries around the world.

According to her, this represents a significant step in the global promotion of Kazakhstan's rich cultural heritage and provides radio audiences with the opportunity to become acquainted with the sound of the dombra, the Kazakh national instrument.

The event program included musical performances by orchestras, choirs, and dances. Artists from Astana not only performed national Kazakh songs but also presented compositions from the peoples of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Türkiye. They also performed the song 'Sene de qalmaz' written by Azerbaijani composer Tofig Guliyev to the lyrics of poet Rasul Rza.

Several representatives of diplomatic missions from Spain, Türkiye, and Germany had the opportunity to immerse themselves in Kazakh culture through music.

They joined the diplomats' ensemble and, together with the orchestra, performed a national musical composition.