Abai & Savitsky: Eurasian Voices Reach the British Library
For the first time, two anniversaries – those of Abai Kunanbayev and Igor Savitsky – are honoured in a single volume of the ‘Voices of Friends 2026’ almanac.
Ahead of Nowruz, the British Library will receive copies of the new issue of the international almanac, Voices of Friends: Poetry & Art, prepared by Hertfordshire Press. This edition is dedicated to two great anniversaries: the 180th anniversary of the birth of Abai Kunanbayev and the 120th anniversary of Igor Savitsky. On this day, British Library will become a place where literature and art unite readers, artists, and researchers from different countries.
Established in the tradition of international cultural dialogue, the Voices of Friends almanac brings together the works of poets and artists from around the world. The third volume features contributions from 34 authors – poets, artists, and thinkers from nine countries (the United Kingdom, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Belarus, Ukraine, Russia, Germany, Israel, and Georgia). Texts are published in ten languages, highlighting the project’s international scope and its openness to cultural dialogue. The third edition was edited by David Parry, a renowned British playwright. Thanks to his professional vision and keen sensitivity to language, this issue has acquired a particular depth and expressiveness while retaining the spirit of cultural dialogue for which the almanac was created.
Special attention in this new edition is given to the work of Abai Kunanbayev – his poems will be published both in the original Kazakh and in English translation, making them accessible to a wide international audience thanks to the translations by Roman Vasilenko and Yelden Sarybay. Their nuanced work with the text preserves the melody of the original, conveying the philosophical depth and emotional power of the poet whose ideas remain relevant to the entire world.
Alongside Abai’s poetry, a significant part of this anniversary issue is the visual dimension – the legacy of Igor Savitsky, the man whose efforts preserved unique avant-garde works. In honour of his 120th birthday, for the first time in the almanac, reproductions of the most valuable paintings from his legendary Nukus collection will be featured. Thus, the almanac unites two powerful cultural currents – literary and artistic – creating a holistic picture of Eurasian heritage and allowing readers to engage with the poetry and art that continue to inspire the world.
Initiated by the Eurasian Creative Guild (London) in 2020, Voices of Friends: Poetry & Art became the world’s first English-language almanac of Eurasian poetry, also published in national languages. Its mission is to unite cultures through poetry and art, creating an international space for the dialogue, preservation, and popularisation of Eurasian cultural heritage. The almanac makes poetry accessible to a wide audience, transcends linguistic and national boundaries, fosters mutual understanding among peoples, and inspires an awareness of our shared human connection through the art of word and image. The almanac is available for purchase on Amazon.
