Republic Day of Kazakhstan

Republic Day of Kazakhstan (Қазақстан Республика күні) is a national holiday symbolizing sovereignty in the country and is celebrated annually on 25 October. The date commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of State Sovereignty on 25 October 1990, which initiated the transition from the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic to the independent Republic of Kazakhstan; this date is officially recognized as a state holiday.

The Declaration emphasizes that, according to Article 1 of the 1995 Constitution, Kazakhstan is a democratic, secular, rule-of-law and social state, and that human life, rights and freedoms are regarded as the highest values.

Official Republic Day Celebration in Kazakhstan, 24 October 2025 (Телеканал Астана / Astana TV)

25 October 1990: The Supreme Soviet of the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic adopted the Declaration of State Sovereignty. The Declaration proclaimed sovereignty by affirming Kazakhstan’s territory, citizenship, state budget, independence in international relations and state symbols. Sovereignty and territorial integrity were emphasized in political, legal and economic terms.

18 October 1995: Five years later, by presidential decree, 25 October was declared Republic Day.

22 April 2009: By presidential decree of President Nursultan Nazarbayev, celebrations of Republic Day were suspended.

29 September 2022: By decision of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Republic Day regained its status as a national holiday.

Republic Day of Kazakhstan Promotion Video (Kazislam)

The Alash movement at the beginning of the 20th century provided a political and intellectual framework for the Kazakh people’s centuries-old aspiration for independence. These ideas later materialized into a concrete state structure with the establishment of the Kazakh Republic. Thus, Republic Day serves as a visible affirmation of the historical continuity of the freedom struggle led by the Alash intelligentsia and the enduring legacy of their intellectual heritage.

The Alash idea represents a national liberation vision at the center of Kazakh society’s political, cultural and national renewal. Its ultimate goal was the establishment of an independent state capable of self-governance. This constituted one of the first collective and organized efforts by the Kazakh people to take sovereignty into their own hands. Alihan Bökeyhan, Ahmet Baytursynov and Mirjakyp Dulatov, among other Alash intellectuals, laid the political and legal foundations of a national state inspired by European Enlightenment and democratic principles.

The First and Second Kazakh Kurultais, convened in Orenburg in 1917, marked pivotal moments in defining the institutional framework of the Alash idea. The Alash leadership’s concept of a “republic” was a governance model based on popular sovereignty and public accountability. This approach found reflection in the constitutional order of today’s Republic of Kazakhstan. Article 1 of the 1995 Constitution defines Kazakhstan as a “democratic, secular, rule-of-law and social state” and recognizes the human being, his life, rights and freedoms as the supreme value.^【1】

The adoption of the Declaration of State Sovereignty on 25 October 1990 was regarded as the first legal threshold on the path toward the declaration of independence in 1991. In this sense, 25 October as Republic Day is recognized as the starting point of the modern national state.

On 25 October, Republic Day is observed across Kazakhstan with streets adorned with flags, official ceremonies and commemorative programs.

On 25 October 2024, the traditional ceremony of raising the national flag was held at the Akorda in the capital, Astana. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev attended the ceremony and the national anthem was performed. Tokayev greeted the people, stating, “This holiday symbolizes the rebirth of Kazakhstan’s sovereignty and our centuries-old statehood.” Celebrations took place nationwide, culminating in a fireworks display in Astana.^【2】

In 2025, on the eve of Republic Day, by decision of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, state awards were conferred upon numerous citizens who made significant contributions to the country’s socio-economic, cultural and spiritual development, strengthened friendship and cooperation among peoples, and actively served the public sector.^【3】