Capital City Day is an official holiday celebrated on July 6 in Kazakhstan. It was founded in 2009 to honour Nur-Sultan (formerly known as Astana), the capital of Kazakhstan. Additionally, the festival coincides with the birthday of former President Nursultan Nazarbayev.
On July 6, 1994, the Supreme Council of Kazakhstan enacted a resolution moving the nation’s capital from Almaty to Akmola. The city of Akmola was renamed Astana and elevated to capital status on May 6, 1998. The government enacted legislation making Capital Day a state holiday on July 18, 2008.
The background of Capital City Day
Capital City Day, also referred to as Day of Nur-Sultan (Astana), is a Kazakhstan public holiday celebrated on July 6. Capital City Day commemorates the relocation of the capital of Kazakhstan from Almaty to Astana. In March of 2019, Astana was renamed Nur-Sultan in honour of former president Nursultan Nazarbayev, who resigned after 30 years in office.
Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, it was declared that the capital would be relocated to Akmola, the historical capital of Kazakhstan. As a consequence, Kazakhstan’s capital was moved from Almaty to Akmola on July 6, 1994. On May 6, 1998, Akmola, which in Kazakh means ‘white grave’, was renamed Astana, which means ‘capital city.’
On the 10th anniversary of Astana in 2008, July 6 was proclaimed a national holiday. Nursultan Nazarbayev, the former president of Kazakhstan, was born on July 6. Nur-Sultan is the second-largest city in Kazakhstan and is located in the Akmola region, but it is administered separately from the region due to its capital status.
Astana began commemorating Capital City Day almost immediately after becoming Kazakhstan’s capital, but it wasn’t until 2009 that the entire nation began doing so. The original date of June 10 was based on when Astana’s actual status as the capital city was enacted, while the revised date of July 6 is based on when the decision to move the capital to Astana was accepted.
Capital City Day is intended to celebrate Kazakhstan’s independence and culture despite its appellation. The stark contrast between Astana’s skyscrapers and the vast pastoral plains with few settlements for hundreds of miles in every direction serves as a reminder of the country’s diversity.
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CAPITAL CITY DAY ACTIVITIES
Participate in numerous events
Various cultural and public celebrations, as well as athletic competitions, are traditionally held across the nation. Attend a local event if you can.
Talk about it on social media
Share your day’s discoveries and reflections on social media to raise awareness and stimulate conversation. Utilise the appropriate hashtags.
Joyously dance
The Astana Opera hosts live performances by national orchestras performing traditional music. It is the ideal opportunity to take in some quality theatre.
5 FASCINATING FACTS ABOUT KAZAKHSTAN
It was formerly known as Akmolinsk, a name derived directly from the Kazakh word Akmola, which means “holy site” but translates as “white tombstone.”
Kazakhstan is an intercontinental nation.
Even though horses are still ingested as food in Kazakhstan, they are revered.
The meaning of Astana in Kazakh is “capital city.”
Kazakhstan has no direct access to the ocean, as it is completely landlocked.
CAPITAL CITY DAY DATES
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | July 6 | Thursday |
| 2024 | July 6 | Saturday |
| 2025 | July 6 | Sunday |
| 2026 | July 6 | Monday |
| 2027 | July 6 | Tuesday |
