Abish Kekilbayev

Abish Kekilbayev (Kazakh: Әбіш Кекілбайұлы, Ábish Kekilbaıuly) (6 December 1939 –11 December 2015), public and political figure, Hero of Labor, National writer of Kazakhstan, laureate of the State Prize, a philologist, academician of the Academy of Social Sciences, Emeritus Professor of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University and of the L. Gumilyov Eurasian State University.

In 1962 Abish Kekilbayev graduated from the philological faculty of the S.M. Kirov Kazakh State University.

In the Soviet period he served as the deputy minister of culture of the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic, the second secretary of board of the Union of writers, the head of department of the Central Committee of Communist Party of Kazakhstan, Head of the Records Office for Culture and Inter-Ethnic Relations of the Kazakh SSR Presidential Administration, the editor-in-chief of the Yegemen Kazakhstan newspaper, the literary employee of the Kazakh adebiety newspaper, the head of literature and art department of the Leninshyl zhas newspaper editorial office.

Abish Kekilbayev was elected Deputy of the Supreme Soviet (Council) of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the twelfth convocations, the chairman of Committee on national policy, cultural development and language of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

From April 1994 through May 1995 he was the Chairman of the Republic of Kazakhstan Supreme Soviet (13th convocation). At the same time we should acknowledge, that the Supreme Soviet of the thirteenth convocation put the prerequisites of further development of parliamentarism in Kazakhstan. Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the thirteenth convocation A. Kekilbayev noted: "Creation of professional Parliament can be called without any stretch, one of the biggest events in the socio-political life of this year. Undoubtedly, the beginning of its work will enter the Kazakhstani historic calendar as one of the notable milestones in formation of new statehood and democracy… We have never had a professional Parliament and we have to act by the method of trials and errors… Gradually goes the crystallization of powers of the Supreme Soviet, possessing new status".

On the eve of Kazakhstan independence, he was addressing the issues of Kazakh language, onomastics, national history, socio-cultural aspects and international relations.

In May 1995 Kekilbayev was appointed State Advisor to the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan. In December 1995 he was elected Deputy of the Mazhilis of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan (1st convocation), Chairman of the Committee on International Affairs, Defense and Security of the Mazhilis of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

From October 1996 through January 2002 he served as Secretary of State of the Republic of Kazakhstan. In 2002 was an Advisor to the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

In 2002 Abish Kekilbayev was appointed Deputy of the Senate of Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Senator of 2nd, 3rd and 4th convocations. A member of National Council of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Assembly of people of Kazakhstan. A member of the Organization of the Central Asian states. A member of the group of cooperation with the Congress of the US, with House of Councillors of Japan, with the Parliament of the Republic of Croatia.

Abish Kekilbayev has been awarded the Order of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev and the Order of Otan for the significant contribution to the development of Kazakhstan.

The head of state unveiled that on the eve of the Independence Day by the presidential decree Abish Kekilbayev has been awarded the Highest State Title "Kazakhstannyn Yenbek Yeri" for his services to the country and contribution to the development of culture and literature, his active public activity. The head of state personally presented him this highest honor.

The President said that he presented the title to Abish Kekilbayev at the solemn event devoted to his 70th anniversary. "His works as well as political and public activity represent his significant contribution to the strengthening of Independence, establishment of a new state, formation of high spiritual life of our society," Nursultan Nazarbayev stressed.

Kazakhstan

• Hero of Labor, 2009
• Orden Otan
• Orden of the First President - Nursultan Nazarbayev
• Medal "Astana"
• Medal "10 Years of the Independence of the Republic of Kazakhstan"
• Medal "10th Anniversary of the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan"
• Medal "In Commemoration of the 100th Anniversary of the Railway of Kazakhstan"
• Medal "10 Years of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan"
• Medal "10 Years of the City of Astana"
• Medal "20 Years of the Independence of the Republic of Kazakhstan"
• Medal "20th Anniversary of the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan"

Soviet Union

• Order of the Badge of Honour, 1981