There in the department of world literature is organized the book exhibition dedicated to the great classic of Persian poetry, Oriental scientist of the middle ages Omar Khayyam.

   Omar Khayyam was born in 1048 in Nishapur city. He studied in this city and after that also studied in the greatest centres of science of those times, including Balkh and Samarkand.

   He mastered the wide circle of precise and natural sciences developed in his time: mathematics, geometry, physics, astronomy, he specially studied philosophy, theosophy, Koran-study, history, law and the whole complex of philological disciplines, he was versed in native poetry, he perfectly spoke Arabic and knew Arabian literature and possessed the basics of verse-formation.

   Omar Khayyam was skilful in astrology and medical treatment and he professionally studied the theory of music.

   Approximately in 1069 in Samarkand he wrote the tractate on algebra and prior to it he had written two other mathematical tractates. In 1071 he headed the greatest astronomical observatory in Isfahan, in 1077 he finished the book on Euclid and in 1079 together with his workers he introduced the calendar which is more precise than the Gregorian one.

   In the middle of the 90—s of the XI-th century after the closure of the observatory due to the change of the rulers, Khayyam made a pilgrimage to Mecca.

   Approximately in 1097 Khayyam works as a doctor for the ruler of Khorasan. At this time he wrote his philosophical tractate in Farsi.

   The last 10-15 years of his life Khayyam spent in loneliness in Nishapur and died on December 4, 1122.

   In Europe Khayyam became known for the first time in the XIX-th century as a poet, the author of outstanding quatrains. The creative activity of Khayyam is one of the wonderful phenomena in the cultural history of the peoples of Central Asia and Iran and the whole mankind.

   By the decision of UNESCO annually in May there is celebrated the World memory day of Omar Khayyam from Nishapur – the world-known classic of Persian poetry, mathematician and astronomer, poet and philosopher. “The quatrains” are the best world edition of Omar Khayyam confirmed by the UNESCO diploma for 2006 “for the best edition contributing considerably to the dialogue of cultures”. His works in the sphere of physics, mathematics and astronomy were translated into the many languages of the world and have historical significance.

   There at the book exhibition from the fond of the National library of the RK are presented the well-known works of Omar Khayyam and literature about him in Russian, Kazakh, English, Farsi and other languages of the world.

   Dear readers! We invite you to visit the book exhibition!