On May 31, 2025, the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, visited the Museum and Memorial Complex of Victims of Political Repression and Totalitarianism, built on the site of the former Akmola Camp for Wives of Traitors to the Motherland (ALZHIR).
The Head of State honored the memory of the victims with a moment of silence and laid flowers at the memorial. In his address to the nation — and especially to the youth of Kazakhstan — he emphasized the importance of learning from the past while building a strong, united future.
“Our younger generation must look to the future with confidence and move forward with determination. To do this, young people must be progressive, purposeful, diligent, and responsible. It is essential that they recognize the value of sovereignty and remain ever ready to defend the independence of our country,”
— said Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.
The President underscored that the memory of the victims of political repression must be carefully preserved:
“Every year on May 31, we pay tribute to the victims of political repression and famine. We bow our heads in remembrance of those who perished in those dark times.”
He praised the work of the National Commission for Rehabilitation, noting that:
“More than 300,000 people persecuted for political reasons have been officially rehabilitated. Over 2.5 million archival documents have been declassified.”
Tokayev emphasized that no other post-Soviet country has undertaken work of such scale:
“This is a truly historic effort, unprecedented in Kazakhstan’s history. Even today, similar large-scale studies have not been carried out in other countries.”
Speaking on the importance of historical memory, the President warned against the dangers of manipulation and distortion of past tragedies:
“The memory of millions of innocent victims of totalitarianism is sacred. There is no room for historical reinterpretation or, worse, justification of a fundamentally inhumane and flawed state policy.”
He called on the nation to treat the tragedy of the 20th century as a lesson for future generations:
“Such tragedies must never happen again. It is our responsibility to ensure this. That is the true meaning of remembering the painful chapters of our history.”
At the same time, President Tokayev stressed the importance of moving beyond a ‘victim mindset’:
“We must adopt a broad, panoramic view of history. We need to overcome the victim complex — constantly looking back is a sign of weakness.”
In conclusion, the President reaffirmed the guiding principles for future generations of Kazakh citizens and leaders:
“Independence comes above all. It is vital to guard our national unity as the apple of our eye and to continue strengthening our statehood.”
The Head of State honored the memory of the victims with a moment of silence and laid flowers at the memorial. In his address to the nation — and especially to the youth of Kazakhstan — he emphasized the importance of learning from the past while building a strong, united future.
“Our younger generation must look to the future with confidence and move forward with determination. To do this, young people must be progressive, purposeful, diligent, and responsible. It is essential that they recognize the value of sovereignty and remain ever ready to defend the independence of our country,”
— said Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.
The President underscored that the memory of the victims of political repression must be carefully preserved:
“Every year on May 31, we pay tribute to the victims of political repression and famine. We bow our heads in remembrance of those who perished in those dark times.”
He praised the work of the National Commission for Rehabilitation, noting that:
“More than 300,000 people persecuted for political reasons have been officially rehabilitated. Over 2.5 million archival documents have been declassified.”
Tokayev emphasized that no other post-Soviet country has undertaken work of such scale:
“This is a truly historic effort, unprecedented in Kazakhstan’s history. Even today, similar large-scale studies have not been carried out in other countries.”
Speaking on the importance of historical memory, the President warned against the dangers of manipulation and distortion of past tragedies:
“The memory of millions of innocent victims of totalitarianism is sacred. There is no room for historical reinterpretation or, worse, justification of a fundamentally inhumane and flawed state policy.”
He called on the nation to treat the tragedy of the 20th century as a lesson for future generations:
“Such tragedies must never happen again. It is our responsibility to ensure this. That is the true meaning of remembering the painful chapters of our history.”
At the same time, President Tokayev stressed the importance of moving beyond a ‘victim mindset’:
“We must adopt a broad, panoramic view of history. We need to overcome the victim complex — constantly looking back is a sign of weakness.”
In conclusion, the President reaffirmed the guiding principles for future generations of Kazakh citizens and leaders:
“Independence comes above all. It is vital to guard our national unity as the apple of our eye and to continue strengthening our statehood.”