On February 9, 2023, in the hall of the Literary Academy of the National Library of the Republic of Kazakhstan, a poetry evening «Men kimnin kazynasyn urlap edim» was held, dedicated to the birthday of the famous poet Mukagali Makatayev.

The purpose of the event: Through the poet's work, to instill in the younger generation a love for poetry, to develop their creative abilities.

Mukagali Makatayev is a Kazakh poet, writer and translator. Laureate of the State Prize of Kazakhstan. He was born in 1931 in the village of Karasaz, Raiymbek district, Almaty region. In 1948 he graduated from a boarding school in the village of Narynkol. The first poems of 17-year-old Mukagali were published in 1948 in the newspaper «Soviet Border».

In 1962, he moved to Almaty and began to get involved in literary activities. In 1954-1962 he worked as an announcer on the Kazakh radio, in 1962-1972 – head of the department of the newspapers «Socialist Kazakhstan», «Kazakh adebieti», magazines «Madeniyet zhane turmys», «Zhuldyz», in 1972-1973 – literary consultant of the Union of Writers of Kazakhstan.              

Author of books: «Ilyich» (1964), «Armysyndar dostar» (1966), «Karlygashym keldin be?», «Moor» (1970), «Akkular uyyktaganda» (1973), «Shuagym menin» (1975), etc. Russian and foreign literature were translated into Kazakh, including Russian poets A. Pushkin, N. Nekrasov, A. Blok, the American poet U.Whitman, the Italian poet D. Alighieri, the English writer W. Shakespeare, etc.

His name is placed next to the names of Abai, Auezov and other classics of Kazakh literature. Makataev lived a short but bright life, leaving his descendants an extraordinary poetry full of national flavor.              

The evening was moderated by poet Murathan Shokan, a member of the Union of Writers of Kazakhstan, the head of the Literary Club «Zhas Kalam».             

Performed: Darubai Mamytuly, a relative of M. Makatayev, reader of the library Kalizhan Zhunusov, deputy director of the Almaty railway transport Rafkhat Akhmetov.

The poems were read by: students of the Almaty railway Ramadan Kairatuly, Bekbolat Estiyar, Sulu Tursynkul, Ermek Duysenbai, Bolat Akzhal, Toktarbek Nurbek, college teacher Zhuldyz Toktarbai, reader Kadyr Koishibek, etc.             

Participants: poets, writers, university students, library readers, etc.