20/02/2026
The New Constitution Supports Creativity and Innovation
An open TEDx-style forum titled “The New Constitution and National Values” was held at the Palace of Students with the participation of young people from across the region. The event brought together respected speakers from various fields who actively contribute to public life.
Among the speakers were Deputy Akim of the region Zholdas Batyrkhan; Rector of Aktobe Regional University named after K. Zhubanov, Laura Karabassova; Chair of the Zhastar Rukhy youth wing of the Amanat party, Akerke Iskanderova; as well as deputies and students.
The main purpose of the forum was to comprehensively explain the content of the constitutional reform, demonstrate its impact on the country’s development, discuss changes aimed at strengthening statehood, and encourage civic engagement among young people.
In his address, Zholdas Batyrkhan focused on the key directions of the constitutional reform and emphasized the historical significance of adopting the new Constitution. He noted that the referendum announced by the Head of State, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, reflects the urgent need to modernize the Basic Law.
“Every state has its own development path and its own Constitution. We have ours as well, but laws must evolve with the times. The 1995 Constitution could not fully account for the realities of the digital era, cybersecurity challenges, and the growing influence of social media. Today, everyone carries a small computer in their pocket — a smartphone. The digital space creates both opportunities and new risks. New phenomena such as cyberbullying have emerged. Therefore, the draft of the new Constitution pays particular attention to digital security, family and marriage, as well as civic responsibility,” said Zholdas Batyrkhan.
The speaker also addressed the principles of domestic policy and national values adopted on November 5 last year, highlighting three key principles.
“The first principle is independence and patriotism — values shared by all. The new Constitution places special emphasis on the concepts of independence and sovereignty, reaffirming their importance.
The second principle is unity and harmony. As a Kazakh proverb says, ‘One quarrel brings consequences for many days.’ Where there is harmony, there is prosperity. The new Constitution defines unity and integrity as a fundamental basis of society.
The third principle is law and order. Respect for the law and maintenance of public order must become an unwavering principle for every citizen,” he stated, also elaborating on the importance of diligence, professionalism, creativity, and innovation.
He further emphasized that Kazakhstan ranks among the leading countries in terms of digital development and cited the innovative achievements of young people as a vivid example.
Laura Karabasova, as a member of the Constitutional Reform Commission, highlighted the openness and broad public dialogue surrounding the draft Basic Law and stressed the strategic importance of education and science:
“There are 23,000 researchers, 47,000 teachers, more than 9,000 postgraduate students, and about 700,000 students in the country. This represents tremendous national potential in a country that highly values education. The recognition of science and education in the Constitution is important not only for this community, but for the entire nation. These are truly people-oriented reforms,” Karabasova noted, urging young people to actively participate in the referendum and clearly communicate the meaning of the reforms to others.
The forum also featured First Deputy Prosecutor of the region Talgat Alibayev; Deputy Head of the Regional Police Department Ardana Saimaganbetov; journalist Aliya Ashim; and Director of Orda FM radio station Aikerim Yesenali, who discussed the legal and social aspects of the constitutional reform.