On September 21, the National Archive of the Republic of Kazakhstan hosted the National Open House Day, titled “Archive and Future Generations.”

The event was attended by schoolchildren from Astana, as well as first- and second-year college and university students. Participants were introduced to the activities of the archive, observed how historical documents are preserved, and gained insight into the daily work of archival specialists.

As part of the Open House Day, a special exhibition was organized featuring documents from the collections of the National Archive. The exhibition showcased school diaries, certificates of merit, letters, and other personal documents of prominent figures, preserved in the archive’s personal collections. These documents provided today’s younger generation with an understanding of the daily lives, interests, dreams, and realities of children who lived half a century ago.

The exhibition highlighted the continuity between the children of the past era and those of today, demonstrating that although times change, the essence of a child’s dreams and their hopes for the future remains unchanged.

The special program of the event also featured the Astana Puppet Theatre. A play titled “The World of Fairy Tales,” based on a script written by archive employees, was staged for middle school students.

Children from the “Nurly Zhurek” social service center also attended the Open House Day and enjoyed the full program of the event.

Furthermore, attendees were shown video presentations regarding the archive’s activities and participated in educational quizzes dedicated to historical documents.

Another significant highlight of the event involved the children writing letters and short essays addressed to future generations. Their writings were placed in a special archival box and accepted for long-term preservation at the National Archive. These letters are intended to be reopened and read 50 years from now as a historical record left by today’s children about their era.

The “Archive and Future Generations” Open House Day successfully demonstrated that a historical document is not merely a record revealing the past, but also a legacy that preserves the history of the current generation.