Writer Ömer Seyfettin has been commemorated in Nur-Sultan, the capital of Kazakhstan, on the 100th anniversary of his death.

The event held jointly by the International Turkic Academy (TWESCO), Yunus Emre Institute's Nur-Sultan branch and the Kazakh Language and Turkology Depart of Nazarbayev University was attended by Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to Nur-Sultan Ufuk Ekici, TWESCO President Darkhan Kydyrali, representatives of Turkish institutions in Kazakhstan, diplomats and students.

During the event, there were presentations on Seyfettin's biography, and students from Yunus Emre Institute read out excerpts from his works.

In his keynote speech, Ambassador Ekici draw attention to the significant of commemorating Seyfettin in Kazakhstan both for Turkey and for Turkic republics, noting that Seyfettin wrote his works using Turkish not containing loan wards and discussed social values of his time.

Kydyrali underlined that Seyfettin played a crucial role in the formation of Turkic identity. "Seyfettin's views were influential over Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's reforms. Just as Abai Qunanbaiuly is taught in Turkey, our youth should learn about Ömer Seyfettin," he said. Kydyrali indicated that Seyfettin's works were included in the textbook "Middle Turkish Literature," prepared by the Academy, and, thanks to this book, the writer's books would be taught at schools in the Turkic geography. "The writer was crucial in promoting our old values. Ömer Seyfettin belongs not only to Turkey, but also to the Turkic world as an author championing Turkic identity," he said.