On the Day of the Khakass Language, on September 4, 2026, a presentation of the translation of the Book of Genesis into the Khakass language took place at the N.G. Domozhakov National Library in Abakan. The event was co-organized by the Institute of Bible Translation, the Institute of Humanitarian Studies and Sayano-Altai Turkology of the N.F. Katanov Khakass State University and the N.G. Domozhakov National Library.
The event was opened by Archbishop Jonathan of Khakass and Abakan, who stressed that the presence of the Holy Scriptures in their native language is a prerequisite for the full-fledged cultural and spiritual development of the people. The bishop noted the historical significance of the Cyrillic script, which underlies the Khakass language, and congratulated everyone on the publication of the book as the second major stage after the publication of the New Testament.
Director of the Institute of Humanitarian Studies and Sayano-Altaian Turkology, Doctor of Philology, Professor T.G. Borgoyakova stressed that the presentation is taking place within the framework of the International Decade of Indigenous Languages (2022-2032), announced by the United Nations, and corresponds to the objectives of the state language policy of the Russian Federation. She noted that the translation of the Bible introduces the Khakass language into a new significant sphere — religious, allowing believers to read the Word of God in their native language.
V.O. Aliyev, a representative of the Institute of Bible Translation and coordinator of the Khakass project, said that the Book of Genesis has been published in 500 copies in the diglotta format (with a parallel Russian Synodal translation). The electronic version is already available on the institute's website, and there are plans to create an audio version and a mobile application. V.O. Aliyev spoke about the difficult process of translating the Bible and thanked the team of translators and editors, as well as announced preparations for the publication of the Book of Exodus and, in the future, the books of Ruth, Esther and the Psalter.
"""""" Translator G.N. Litvinenko spoke about her participation in the project since the 1990s, about the difficulties of conveying abstract theological concepts ("repentance", "baptism") and about finding optimal linguistic solutions using the phrases "The Spirit of God hovered over the water" and "firmament in the middle of the water" as an example. She stressed that high-quality translation requires a deep understanding of both the source text and the capabilities of the native language, as well as the active use of a living folk word.
An approbator from Gorno-Altaysk, M.P. Chenkurov, spoke about the important role of approbation in the translation process.: Collecting feedback from native speakers of different ages and dialects allows you to make the text as understandable and accessible as possible. He shared his experience working on Altai and Khakass translations, and encouraged everyone to participate in further checks of the translation texts.
Senior researcher at IGISAT KHSU named after N.F. Katanov, Candidate of Philological Sciences A.V. Huseynova presented a scientific report on the peculiarities of translating foreign cultural realities into the Turkic languages of Southern Siberia. She traced the history of Orthodox texts in the Khakass language — from the first translation of the Creed in 1876 to modern editions — and showed by examples (monetary units, cloth names, Feast of Tabernacles) that modern translators focus not on the literal transmission of words, but on the semantic accessibility of the text, which facilitates perception for the reader.
During the discussion, the participants touched upon the issues of selecting respondents for testing, spiritual training of translators, and the need for reference materials (maps, genealogies, dictionaries). M.M. Chebochakova, head of the language sector, spoke about cooperation with IT specialists to create a Khakass dictionary for Yandex Translator, one of the parts of which was based on words, taken from the translation of the New Testament, which clearly demonstrated that the Khakass language is alive and capable of developing, enriched with new terms and meanings.
V.O. Aliyev stressed that the task of the text is not to stoop to the level of the reader, but to raise it, requiring patience, thoughtfulness and gradual development. He also recalled that work on the project is ongoing, and the organizers are open to specific comments that will help make future editions better.
The presentation was attended by scientists, teachers, students, representatives of the clergy, authorities, mass media and culture. All the speakers agreed that the publication of the Book of Genesis in the Khakass language is a significant contribution to the spiritual and cultural space of the republic, to introducing new generations to the biblical history and universal values, as well as an important step in preserving and developing the Khakass language itself, its vocabulary and raising its status in society.