A post on the social network Threads has gone viral, claiming that the Kazakh embassy in the UK gave a talented pianist from the capital a chocolate bar and a figurine. The gesture sparked a strong reaction from users, reports infohub.kz.
Ablai Mustafin has been blind since birth. Unlike other pianists, he has to memorize all parts by ear, as he cannot read sheet music while playing. In late June, he won the Golden Time Talent competition in London on equal terms, representing Kazakhstan. Ablai took first place among participants from 35 countries.
On social media, the young man said that after the competition he had planned to go to the park, as London was experiencing a heatwave of +35°C. However, he and his mother were invited to the Kazakh embassy in the UK, and the outing had to be postponed. Apparently, they paid for the trip themselves, as the pianist mentions they took out a loan.
At the embassy, the musician, who represented his country, was given a Kazakhstan chocolate and a miniature of the Independence Monument from Almaty. Such treatment of a talented young man outraged social media users.
"Is it really so hard for the state to support people who bring glory to the country? Don't any deputies have spare money for a decent gift? I'm sure you will succeed in the future, and the rewards will be worth your efforts," one user wrote.
"I want to believe that the reason for such a gift is simply the embassy's banal unpreparedness, not a dismissive attitude. And that real recognition awaits you in Almaty upon your return, and that the akimat will definitely help you with housing. Because if you continue to be in need even after your victory, it will be a strong signal to all our other young talents," another user commented.
At the same time, the pianist himself sees only the positive in this situation. According to him, he liked the gift. Ablai admitted that he enjoys studying miniatures of monuments and various landmarks, so he is pleased to have the opportunity to learn about the Independence Monument of Kazakhstan.
In addition to his great musical achievements, he has also excelled in mental math. The young man has won prizes at mental arithmetic olympiads in Turkey and Germany. He also has gold medals from the prestigious sports competitions "Zhuldyzai" in goalball and togyz kumalak.
It should be noted that this year Ablai graduated from school with honors and received a grant to study at the college of the Kazakh National University of Arts as a conductor.
He lives with his mother in rented apartments. After returning from London, they had to urgently find new housing because they were evicted from their apartment in Astana. They have been on the waiting list for municipal housing since 2014, but it has not moved for years.
Earlier, Kursiv LifeStyle reported that a schoolboy from Almaty with cerebral palsy was admitted to the prestigious University of California, Berkeley.