The kurultai, a time-honored and deeply rooted institution among Turkic peoples, is likewise grounded in the historical tradition among Kazakhs of a grand assembly in which khans and societal leaders made critical decisions through consultation. In the modern era, the National Kurultai (Ulttyq Quryltai) has been established as a platform for consultation and dialogue aimed at adapting this heritage to the requirements of contemporary governance. Within the framework of the reform agenda launched in 2022 by the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the Kurultai seeks to institutionalize regular consultation between the state and society, while strengthening social consensus, national unity, and inclusiveness in public policymaking. The establishment of the Kurultai can be understood as part of President Tokayev’s broader effort to transform the concept of a listening state into a permanent institutional mechanism (Akorda, 2022).
