Days of history and memory of ancestors in Kyrgyzstan (07/11)

November 7 and 8 have been declared official holidays in Kyrgyzstan for the history and memory of ancestors, on which the corresponding Decree was signed by the President of the Republic on October 26, 2017.

Until the beginning of the 1990–s, November 7 — Day of the Great October Socialist Revolution — was the main holiday of the Soviet Union (which included the Kyrgyz SSR), and it was celebrated in the USSR for two whole days — on November 7 and 8. All these years, November 7th — «red day of the » — calendar was celebrated with a military parade and demonstration of workers in the central square and squares of regional cities. But the history of the holiday ended with the collapse of the USSR.

The initiative to return the holiday in independent Kyrgyzstan belongs to the parliamentary faction of the Party of Communists of the Republic. The law was adopted at the end of 2001 and for the first time the holiday, as the Day of the Great October Socialist Revolution, was celebrated on November 7, 2002 and has been held annually since then.

Traditionally on this day, on Bishkek Square named after V.I. Lenin (Old Square), rallies were held in the squares of regional centers, organized by the Communist Party of Kyrgyzstan with the laying of flowers at the monuments to the Leader of the world proletariat.

In 2003, the Lenin monument, erected in 1984 on the central square «Alatoo» in Bishkek, was moved to Old Square in front of the parliament building. A memorial dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the formation of the Kyrgyz SSR — was also restored there; the orders that the republic was awarded in Soviet times are fixed on four restored steles.

On October 26, 2017, the president of the country signed Decree « On the establishment of Days of History and Memory of Ancestors» on November 7 and 8. The document explains the reason for changing the name of the holiday.

November «7, 2017 marks the 100th anniversary of the Great October Socialist Revolution, which changed the course of history and the entire subsequent world order, — says in the decree. — For many peoples involved in the orbit of Russian influence at the beginning of the twentieth century, this event was fateful. Following the national liberation uprising of 1916, the October Revolution created the preconditions for the Kyrgyz people to revive their own statehood... However, in recent years, along with the awareness of historical mistakes made during the Soviet period, this date has lost its value».

In addition, the Kyrgyz people suffered heavy losses during the years of Stalin’s repressions, and November 8 was celebrated annually in the country as the Day of Remembrance for Victims of Political Repression, and 2017 marked their 80th anniversary.

Therefore, it was decided to tie the red date to other events that, in the opinion of the leadership of the Republic, are no less important: «Objectively assessing and paying tribute to the positive changes that took place in the life of the people of Kyrgyzstan during the Soviet period of development, it is also necessary to remember the tragic pages of history. In recent years, prominent representatives of Russian historical science have viewed the historical events of the first half of the 20th century in Kyrgyzstan in inextricable connection with each other. In order to objectively historically assess the national liberation uprising and tragic events of 1916, the February and October revolutions of 1917, the lessons and heritage of the Soviet development period, the consequences of political repression of the 20th century, as well as paying tribute to the memory of ancestors, it is decided to declare November 7 and 8 annually celebrated Days of History and Memory of Ancestors».

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