"Unity, peace, interethnic consensus
and agreement in our common home – Kyrgyzstan" was chosen as the slogan for the
Assembly of Peoples of Kyrgyzstan sponsored Third Annual Kurultay" this year’s
annual meeting in Bishkek of Assembly representatives with the representatives from the
Kyrgyzstan government. The Assembly’s annual Kurultay has become the tradition.
Today, the Assembly consists of 26 national-cultural centers and public communities. All
of the national-cultural centers are involved in propagandizing their own cultures and
languages, the renaissance of national traditions, customs, and holidays, and thus are
trying to rise the national consciousness of their own diasporas and motivate the role of
ethics in society.

In 1993, representatives from 11 ethnic communities concerned with the economic crisis
and strengthening of interethnic peace in Kyrgyzstan, suggested President Akaev call a
kurultay or meeting of peoples to discuss political and public problems and collectively
find ways to deal with the economic crisis. President Akaev fully supported the idea and
the first kurultay was held on January 21, 1994. Through the Kurultay, Kyrgyzstan became
the first country in the CIS to organize an interethnic/international organization in its
republic. The first Kurultay served as an example for similar assemblies in other CIS
nations, which were organized later on Kyrgyzstan’s model. The Assembly helped
resolve natural calamities in Osh and Jalal-Abad regions and financially supported the
struggle against terrorist groups during the Batken incident last year.

President Akaev has called the Assembly of Peoples of Kyrgyzstan, "the
people’s parliament", because it is a respected public institution that provides
every ethnic group the rights and opportunities to be heard. The Assembly very closely
cooperates with the Administration of High Commissioner of OSCE and with the High
Commissioner on the affairs of national minorities in the country. Because of its role,
the Assembly is credited with the relative peace, friendship and mutual understanding that
exists in the country. The Assembly took part in the discussion and adoption of legal
projects on land reform, protection of rights of national minorities, public
organizations, and amendments to election laws. It also played a considerable role in the
adoption of the migration law and on the official status of the Russian language.

The Assembly is a consultative department on interethnic relations and national
politics for President Akaev. The Assembly awarded President Akaev with the Assembly of
Peoples of Russia gold medal for his contribution in strengthening friendship between
these two countries. Participants in the Assembly’s Third Kurultay were hoping to
hear from Akaev about his intentions toward the upcoming presidential elections that are
to take place on October 29. Although many leaders called on Akaev to run for president
again, Akaev in two speeches did not announce his intentions whether or not he would run
for president this year.

Maria Utyaganova, student, American University in Kyrgyzstan,
International Relations Department.