Postcard from Bishkek

People often ask me about how I keep track of all the special days and anniversaries that feature in my postcards … and the answer is that I try to keep a diary of them.

Actually, the diary has a lot of other entries … but here I have extracted the entries that have some specific connection with the International community or to Kyrgyzstan

I must confess that I am not that good at keeping it up to date … every time I come across a new date or Commemorative Day, then I should reach for the computer and load the diary file to make an addition … but more often than not I happen to be away from my desk and the computer and so the new entry gets put onto one side and eventually over looked.

Then again, we don’t know, (I can’t find), all of the dates … as a result the selection is quite eclectic … there is a lot missing and sometimes, when I go back to look over the list, I ask myself, “why on earth did I include that entry?” … so,  if anyone wants to help me fill in the gaps I will be very grateful.
The entries take the form:

Date

• Public Holidays
• Special Days such as Professional Holidays
• International Commemorative Days – those officially recognized by the UN – which means they are normally marked in Kyrgyzstan
• Other miscellaneous anniversaries or commemorations
• The day in History – events connected with Kyrgyzstan, mainly Births and Deaths

Moveable feasts – where the dates change from year to year – are in italics. 

 

May 1st

• Labour Day (Holiday) - variously known as May Day and International Workers Day
• 1908 – Birh of the poet Temirkulov Umetaliev
• 1912 - Birth of the academician of Kyrgyz NAS, the doctor of philosophy, the professor, A.A.Altmyshbaev
• 1926 - construction on Dom Druzhba begins
• 1936 – Birth of the akyn and the translator Bilim Karagulov
• 1937 – Birth of the poet Mariyam Bularkieva
• 1941 – Birth of Muham Isaev, the prose writer
• 1945 – Birth of the publicist,  and literary critic Sovietbek Baigaziev

May 2nd

• World Asthma Day – 1st Tuesday of May
• 1927 - Start of the first cloth factory by a name of K.Gotvald constructed by Czechoslovak co-operative society “Intergelpo”

May 3rd

•  World Press Freedom Day - recognized by the UN

May 4th

• International Firefighters Day
• Star Wars Day

May 5th

• Constitution Day (Holiday)
• Orthodox Easter - the date is fixed by a complicated formula based on the lunar calendar and the Spring Equinox.  
• International Midwives Day
• 1904 - Birth of Klavdia Antipina, a Russian ethnographer who documented Kyrgyz traditional nomadic lifetyle
• 1930 – Birth of the writer Mukhtar Borbugulov
• 1931 – Birth of Kyrgyz national actor, Estebes Tursunaliev
• 1936 – Birth of musicologist, Balbay Alagushev
• 1993 - Kyrgyzstan adopts its first Constitution

May 6th

May 7th

• Communication Workers Day (Professional Holiday)
• World Asthma Day – 1st Tuesday of May
• 1971 – Death of the manaschi Sayakbai Karalaev
  

May 8th

• World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day

May 9th

• Victory Day (Holiday)
• Europe Day
• Bike to work Day – or May 17th
• 1902 - Birth of M.Baetov, known Kyrgyz melodist and the singer, the national actor of Kyrgyzstan
• 1905 – Birth of the writer Aitkulu Ubukeev
• 1970- The opening of the memorial “Eternal Flame” in honor of the fallen in the Great Patriotic War.

May 10th

• Tax Free Day for Kyrgyzstan – on average, people have now earned enough since the beginning of the year in order to pay off their annual tax bill
• 1941 –  Start of construction of the Bolshoi Chui Canal.
• 1993 - Introduction of the national currency, theSom

May 11th

•  World Fair Trade Day – 2nd Saturday of May
• 1906 – Birth of the children’s poet I.B.Zemliak
• 1926 - The city of Pishpek is renamed Frunze
• 1973 - Death of the ballerina Bubusara Beishenalieva

May 12th

•  World Migratory Bird Day – recognized by the UN and UNEP
• International Nurses Day
• 1937 - Birth of poet Sharshenaly Abdyldaev
• 1937 – The premiere of the first Kyrgyz musical drama “Altyn kyz.”

May 13th

• 1878 – Pishpek becomes the administrative Centre – replacing Tokmak

May 14th

• Roditelskoye Dehn - Parents’ Day – the second Tuesday after Easter.
• 1912 - Birth of the Kyrgyz national writer, the winner of the state award of the USSR, T. Sydykbekov
• 1921 – Birth of the akyn and the prose writer, Talantbek Baigabylov

May 15th

• International Day of Families - recognized by the UN
• 1890 - Birth of the linguist Konstantin Kuzmich Yadukin
• 1925 – Birth of the poet Sooronbai Djusuyev
• 1935 – Birth of the critic and the literary critic, Kambaraly Bobulov
• 1944 – Death of the writer Mukai Elebaev

May 16th

• 1910 - Birth of the poet Djoormat Bokonbaev, (after whom the village of Bokonbaeva is named)

May 17th

• World Telecommunication and Information Society Day – recognized by the UN and ITU
• World Day to combat Hypertension
• World AIDS Vaccine Day
• Bike to work Day – or May 9th
• International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO)
• 1926 – Birth of the ballerina Bubusara Beishenalievawho appears on the 5 som banknote
• 1966 – anti police riots in Bishkek

May 18th

• International Museum Day
• International AIDS Candlelight memorial
• 1906 – Birth of the Dungan poet and the prose writer, Iasyr Shivaza
• 1936 – First concert by the Orchestra of Folk Instruments
• 1944 – Tatars forced repatriation to Central Asia

May 19th

May 20th

• World Metrology Day
• 1902 - Birth the composer, the National artist of Kyrgyzstan, the winner of the state award by a name of Toktogul, V.G.Fere

May 21st

• World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development – recognized by the UN

May 22nd

• International Day for Biological Diversity – recognized by the UN
• Harvey Milk Day
• Bahai revelation announced
• 1931 – Birth of the akyn and the prose writer Tash Miyashev

May 23rd

• 1964 – Death of the poet and playwright Raikan Shukurbekov
• 1979 – Death of the writer Tazabek Samanchin

May 24th

May 25th

• Last Bell
• Geek Pride Day
• Day of Vesak – Buddhist Festival – Full Moon in May
• Beginning of the Week of Solidarity with the Peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories
• 1925 - The Kara Kyrgyz Autonomous Oblast becomes the Kyrgyz Autonomous Oblast
• 1932 – Birth of the writer Shatman Sadybakasov

May 26th

May 27th

•  1902 - The basis of Issyk-Kul regional library established

May 28th

• Border Guards Day (Professional Holiday)
• 1937 - Death of St. Irakliy (by the Julian Calendar)

May 29th

•  International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers – recognized by the UN

May 30th

• 1922 – Birth of Dair Asanovich Asanov – Hero of the Soviet Union

May 31st

•  World No-Tobacco Day – recognized by the UN and WHO

 

Notes

• Orthodox Easter - the date is fixed by a complicated formula based on the lunar calendar and the Spring Equinox.   - This year it falls on May 5th.
• World Asthma Day – 1st Tuesday of May – This year it falls on May 7th
• World Fair Trade Day – 2nd Saturday of May – This year it falls on May 11th
• Roditelskoye Dehn - Parents’ Day – the second Tuesday after Easter – This year it falls on May 14th.
• Day of Vesak – Buddhist Festival – Full Moon in May – This year it falls on May 25th

 

 

 

Tags: Calendar, For_the_Record