ASTANA – Nearly 80 cycling enthusiasts participated in a traditional bicycle ride on June 3 in Burabay national park, organized by the Secretariat of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) to enhance understanding, cooperation and exchange among people and states.
CICA bicycle ride gathered around 80 amateur cyclists, representatives of diplomatic corps. Photo credit: s-cica.org.
The event coincided with World Bicycle Day, declared by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly to promote the bicycle as a universally affordable, reliable and environmentally friendly mode of transportation.
Participants were offered two distances, 19 and 38 kilometers, along the Burabay Lake cycle path.
Kazakh Foreign Ministry was represented by Deputy Foreign Minister Roman Vassilenko, Chairman of the International Information Committee Jean Galiev and other heads of structural units of the ministry.
According to Vassilenko, such events are an opportunity for the international community to unite and become stronger.
Kazakh Deputy Foreign Minister Roman Vassilenko riding a bike in Burabay National Park. Photo credit: s-cica.org
CICA Secretary General Kairat Sarybay said that informal meetings under the CICA flag are becoming an established tradition for the diplomatic corps in Astana and contribute to strengthening trust and friendly relations.
The first CICA bicycle ride was organized in 2022 on Astana’s green belt, the green forest zone planted around the capital, and gathered around 100 participants.
A big advance in cultural and sports events conducted by the secretariat came with the announcement of a walking tour with the diplomatic corps.
The tour organized by Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan with support from the CICA secretariat will start at Kolsai Lake in the Almaty Region on July 19 and finish at Issyk-Kul Lake in Kyrgyzstan on July 24.
Kazakh Foreign Ministry representatives Nikolay Zhumakanov (L) and Jean Galiev (R) during the ride. Photo credit: CICA press service.
The event is expected to strengthen cross-border cooperation between the two Central Asian states and promote tourism and investment opportunities, according to Sarybay.
Cycling, in addition to health and environmental benefits, offers an opportunity to bond and forge stronger international ties, according to the participants.
UN Resident Coordinator for Kazakhstan Michaela Friberg-Storey noted cycling contributes to the preservation of the environment. She also emphasized that CICA embodies the commitment of countries to multilateralism, peace, international security and development.
“Sport, along with the promotion of healthy human lifestyle, is also one of the means of strengthening friendship and cooperation not only among athletes but also among people and countries around the world,” said Tajikistan’s Ambassador to Kazakhstan Khayrullo Ibodzoda.
The bicycle rally is a prime example of promoting a healthy lifestyle and the tourist potential of the Burabay resort, said Aset Muzdybaev, akim (governor) of the Akmola Region’s Burabay district.
