"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.