DOMBYRA UNITY: Participants from Around the World Performed Traditional Kazakh Kyuis in Celebration of National Dombra Day

To celebrate National Dombra Day, the DOMBYRA UNITY international online challenge was organized by the Department of Culture, Archives and Documentation of the Karaganda Region, bringing together dombra performers and admirers of traditional Kazakh music from around the world. The project was initially conceived as an international creative initiative featuring artists from the Karaganda Region alongside musicians from abroad who share a passion for playing the dombra. However, the response far exceeded the organizers' expectations. Participants from the Netherlands, the United States, Belgium, Sweden, Uzbekistan, and many other countries joined the challenge, with its reach extending across nearly every continent. As part of the challenge, participants performed well-known traditional Kazakh kyuis on the dombra, recorded video performances, and shared them on social media. The initiative became an effective platform for promoting Kazakhstan's rich musical heritage and strengthening cultural ties between nations. According to the organizers, the scale of the international response surpassed all expectations. The large number of video submissions received from around the world demonstrated the growing global interest in Kazakh culture and traditional music. The DOMBYRA UNITY international online challenge became a powerful example of how music can unite people beyond borders and distances while promoting and preserving Kazakhstan's cultural heritage on the international stage.