Armenians in Kazakhstan

The resettlement of Armenians in Kazakhstan began in Soviet times and has 2 stages. The first is related to the centralized direction of specialists to the most important five-year construction projects. The second - with the forcible, repressive resettlement of Armenians from Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan and other regions of the USSR. There were 2 waves of deportation - in the late 30s and 50s. The number of Armenians in Kazakhstan - 14758 people (1999)

The number of Armenians in the East Kazakhstan region is 829 people. The first public association of Armenians in the republic appeared in Alma-Ata in 1991. The Armenian diaspora in Kazakhstan is an original part of the population that has preserved its language, customs and ceremonies, holidays, its national cuisine and musical culture. Especially favorite national holidays were “Dzhangulum” (flower festival), “Holiday of motherhood and beauty” (April 7), “Vartevar”. The Armenians are very reverent about the celebration of the Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Genocide (April 24) and the Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Earthquake (December 7).

It is difficult to imagine the ethnocultural history of the Armenian people without the history of the diaspora, which now accounts for more than half of its total number. Historically, the Armenian Diaspora - Spyurk was formed as a result of national and religious persecution, mass persecution and forced displacement from Armenia. This forced migration was caused by the numerous wars that the people had to endure in ancient times, and especially in connection with the Arab conquest (VII century) and the invasions of the Seljuk Turks (XI century). Socioeconomic and cultural factors also played a role in migration. In connection with the events in Transcaucasia, as well as with the devastating earthquake in the republic (December 1988), the number of Armenians in different parts of the CIS has increased significantly, mainly due to forced migrants, including refugees.

Due to historical, economic and political reasons, they migrated from their native lands to Central Asia. Many came to Turkestan as merchants, others as prisoners. During the time of totalitarianism, Armenians were among the repressed peoples (1938-1949), forcibly displaced to Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan. This is evidenced by historical sources.

Kazakhstan is a large multinational republic. Representatives of more than 100 nationalities live together with Kazakhs under peaceful skies on its territory. With the declaration of independence, a sovereign country seeks to provide the necessary conditions for the realization of the interests of all ethnic groups. The chairmen of the Armenian communities of Almaty and Kostanay are permanent representatives in the Assembly of the Peoples of Kazakhstan, which acts as an advisory body to the President of the Republic and promotes the development of the ethnic identity of the peoples living in it. The Armenian community is an inseparable part of the people of Kazakhstan with equal rights and duties.

The diaspora currently numbers 20-25 thousand people. In major cities, nine of its national-cultural centers are registered. Communities hold events dedicated to events and memorable dates of national history. Sunday Armenian schools operate in Alma-Ata, Aktyubinsk, Pavlodar, Kostanay. The largest community (3–3.5 thousand people) lives in Alma-Ata. She was allocated a land plot for the construction of the church. However, due to lack of funds, construction has not yet begun.

Today, Armenians living in the republic work as fruitfully as their grandfathers and great-grandfathers. Among them there are prominent scientists and educators, industrialists and businessmen, workers in science and higher education, and well-known representatives of culture and art. Some members of the community shine in traditional areas, such as winemaking, as well as in banking and journalism. Three deputies of Armenian nationality were elected to the maslikhats of the republic.

Despite the geographical distance from Armenia and the lack of direct air links with it, many Armenians maintain close contacts with relatives and friends remaining in their homeland. At the official level, communications are carried out through the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia in Alma-Ata - diplomatic relations between the two countries were established on August 27, 1992.

In September 1999, Armenian President Robert Kocharian visited Astana as part of an official visit, where he met with representatives of the diaspora. Later, on behalf of the president, the Armenian ambassador presented the Almaty city community with national musical instruments, books, video and audio materials about their historical homeland.

On February 9, 2001, the Armenian Ambassador to Kazakhstan, Mr. Eduard Khurshudyan, held a meeting with representatives of the Armenian communities of the republic. The meeting discussed the possibility of uniting the efforts of the Armenian communities in the region in preserving the national culture, language and traditions, as well as strengthening ties with their historical homeland, and other problems were resolved. Representatives of the communities shared information about the national and cultural life of the Armenians, noted certain difficulties with teaching the Armenian language at Sunday national schools: there are not enough books, manuals in their native language. The community is sincerely grateful to everyone who helps it.

At the meeting, it was decided to hold such meetings regularly, create a joint information and analytical center, exchange information on the situation in Armenia, in the region, etc. In addition, the main events were agreed to celebrate the 1700th anniversary of the adoption of Christianity by Armenia as the state religion. In connection with this date, it is planned to organize photo exhibitions and exhibitions of drawings about Armenia, plant trees, publish documentary materials about L.I. Mirzoyans, organize concerts and theatrical performances of creative groups, open and consecrate khachkars in Alma-Ata and Astana.

Having gone through incredible difficulties and hardships, at the cost of the lives of their sons and daughters, the Armenian people survived, revived and entered the 21st century, striving for the future, genetically and spiritually enriched by the difficult and rich heritage of historical memory.

Citizens of Armenian descent live and successfully work in Kazakhstan. They play an important role in the life of the state and make their worthy contribution to its development and prosperity. Their role in this process is irreplaceable.

On December 31, 2018, in the Ancient Rome restaurant of the city of Karaganda, which is owned by the Armenians, a Kazakh guy was killed during a fight. This murder caused a wide resonance and caused the assault by a group of Kazakhs on January 2, 2019, as well as a rally of 200-300 representatives of Kazakh nationality near the Department of Internal Affairs of the Karaganda region demanding fair punishment for the murderer and transparent investigation. ^[2]

• Kazakh-Armenian relations
• Armenian Diaspora