Kazakhstan to Reissue Epic Poem Celebrating Cultural Bonds with Azerbaijan

Kazakhstan is set to release a new edition of Appak-Name, the 1973 epic by national writer and State Prize laureate Kalizhan Bekkhozhin, aiming to revive cultural ties and celebrate the shared literary heritage of Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan.

The announcement was made by Bekkhozhin’s son, renowned Kazakh journalist Yerlan Bekkhozhin, The Caspian Post reports, citing local media.

“The new edition of Appak-Name is intended to introduce younger generations to my father’s literary work and, through it, shed light on the legacy of great Azerbaijani figures such as Nizami Ganjavi,” Yerlan Bekkhozhin said. “This is crucial today-we must understand the history of our brotherly nation.”

The updated edition will feature a modern design and be published with a large print run to ensure wide distribution.

Originally written in 1973, Appak-Name tells the story of the legendary Azerbaijani poet Nizami and a Kipchak girl named Appak, portraying a symbolic union between two cultures. Kalizhan Bekkhozhin (1913-1990), considered a pillar of Kazakh literature, authored more than 40 epic poems. His plays were staged across Kazakhstan’s major theaters, and he is also remembered for his literary translations-most notably his 1979 Kazakh rendition of Nizami’s Seven Beauties (Haft Paykar).