On April 17, 2024, in the hall named after N.Dauletova of the National Library of the Republic of Kazakhstan, a round table was held on the topic «Sirek kitaptar men kolzhazbalardi zhinau, Aktau zhane zertteu» dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the birth of Maksut Shafiga, an Oriental scholar, researcher and translator of ancient manuscripts from Chagatai into Kazakh. The event was organized jointly with the M.O. Auezov Institute of Literature and Art of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The purpose of the event is to celebrate the contribution of the scientist in the collection, study and translation of rare manuscripts, to discuss the problems of reading and researching manuscripts and rare publications stored in Kazakhstan.

The moderator of the round table was Honored Worker of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Corresponding Member of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Doctor of Philology Kenzhehan Matyzhanov Slyamzhanovich.

 Director of the National Library of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Chairman of the Kazakhstan Library Union Ospanova Bakytzhamal Kairbekovna made a welcoming speech.

The event was attended, made presentations and shared memories of working together with Maksut Shafigi: Director of the Center for Textual and Manuscript Studies at the M.O. Auezov Institute of Literature and Art, Rakish Zhumashai; scientists:Tlepov Zhumat, Kerim Shamshadin, Buldybai Anarbai, Zaikenova Ruda, Yesenzhan Dina, Tusupova Alma; leading researcher at the M.O. Institute of Literature and Art. Auezova Saken Sailbek, Head (2001-2014) of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Service of the National Library of the Republic of Kazakhstan Askarbekova Nabat, head (2011-2022) of the Central Scientific Library of the Republican State Enterprise «Gylym Ordasy» Kaymakbayeva Karlygash, who noted the invaluable contribution of the scientist in the study of unique manuscripts.

K.S. Matyzhanov touched upon the problem of preserving ancient books and manuscripts located on the territory of Kazakhstan. Director of the Department of Science and Innovation of the Egyptian University of Islamic Culture Nur-Mubarak Paltore Yһtiyar noted the need to create a Catalog of lithographic books in Arabic, stored in the rare fund of the National Library of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Lecturer at the Faculty of Oriental Studies of the Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Candidate of Philological Sciences Kambarbekova Galiya spoke about the need to study the manuscript collection of the National Library of the Republic of Kazakhstan, shared plans to create a Kazakh Association of manuscript researchers based on the National Library of the Republic of Kazakhstan and work on their study, cataloging and preservation. Galiya Kambarbekova donated to the fund of the National Library of the Republic of Kazakhstan an electronic version of the manuscript of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi «Divani Hikmet», obtained from the rare fund of the Central Library at the University of Tehran of Iran, the National Library of Haji Hussein Malek, the Mejlis of Iran, the Leiden Library and the National Library of France.

Also, the scientists at the round table particularly focused on the issues of creating a Unified catalog of manuscripts stored in Kazakhstan.

Within the framework of the event, a scientific exhibition from the fund of the National Library of the Republic of Kazakhstan «Ult rukhaniyatyn shyrakshysy» was organized. The exhibition featured textbooks, books and scientific articles by Maksut Shafigi, published under his editorship, compilation and translation, including the first textbook «Arab Tili» for Kazakh schools, the multi-volume «Babalar sozi».

Daria Nurmukhambetova, an employee of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Service, introduced the exhibition.