Articles by Aibarshyn Akhmetkali

ASTANA – Kazakhstan celebrates the Day of Lovers on April 15, also called Kozy Korpesh – Bayan Sulu Day, in honor of the iconic Kazakh love epic. February may be the time for celebrating Valentine’s Day, but since 2011, Kazakhstan has embraced Kozy Korpesh—Bayan Sulu Day in April as a distinctive alternative enriched with a…

ASTANA – A new exhibition offering a true visual feast opened at the National Museum of Kazakhstan on April 5, celebrating the museum’s 10th anniversary. The exhibition will remain open until July 31. Over the decade, the National Museum has accumulated a wealth of paintings and other art objects reflecting the rich Kazakh art history…

ASTANA – Dombra performance and meet-ups with people: artists are expressing their support for the rescuers and people affected by the flood, which resulted in the evacuation of nearly 100,000 as of April 12. 100 dombra players of Alatau folklore ensemble came together in Almaty on April 11 to perform a kui (musical composition) thanking…

ASTANA – The 13th meeting of the Kazakh-Finnish Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation was held in Astana to discuss prospects of cooperation in transport and trade on April 11, reported the press service of the Kazakh Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources. Other topics on the agenda were higher education, industry, geology, energy,…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan celebrates the 125th anniversary of the leading academic geologist and founder of the Kazakh Science Academy, Kanysh Satpayev, on April 12.  His research during the 1930s provided evidence of large copper deposits in Zhezkazgan, which played a key role in the growth of the industry, transforming Kazakhstan from an agrarian country into…

ASTANA – Three premieres and a dozen of old favorites made for a memorable gala event, Dreams Come True, at Astana Opera on April 7. The program featured the debut of the Spanish dance “Panaderos” from Alexander Glazunov’s ballet “Raymonda” along with two one-act ballet premieres by Astana Opera’s emerging choreographers: Aidan Kalzhan’s “Temptation” to…

ASTANA – Sustainability reporting with broader value and upskilling is to play a key role in sustainable development of Kazakh companies in accordance with environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards, said Vikas Aggarwal, regional head of public affairs for Europe, Eurasia, Middle East and the Americas at the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) in…

ASTANA – Days of Kyrgyz cinema opened on April 3 in Astana with “Beyish – Enenin Tamaninda” (Paradise – Under the Mother’s Feet), a heartfelt road movie that explores tender mother-son relationship on a pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca. The latest offering by director Ruslan Akun tells the story of Adil, a 35-year-old…

BERLIN – Experts discussed ways to realize Kazakhstan’s green hydrogen production ambitions by overcoming high production costs, market ambiguity, and water sustainability challenges in Central Asia during the 10th Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue (BETD) in Berlin on March 19-20.  Hydrogen, especially green hydrogen, is expected to be a critical fuel of the future, replacing natural…

ASTANA – The curators of the Kazakh pavilion have unveiled details about Kazakhstan’s participation at the coming 60th Venice Biennale, which opens on April 20, in an interview with Kazinform news agency. Titled Jerūiyq (promised land): a Look Beyond the Horizon, the project will explore a utopia rooted in Kazakh legends, symbolizing a metaphor for…

ASTANA – Vice Minister of Industry and Construction Olzhas Saparbekov discussed Kazakhstan’s potential in rare metals development at the conference on critical raw materials and trade policy, organized within the Belgian presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU) on March 26 in Brussels, reported Kazinform news agency. The Kazakh delegation, headed by Saparbekov,…

ASTANA—Kazakhstan is bringing government officials, artists, and famous athletes to the opening ceremony of the year of Kazakh tourism in China as it seeks to deepen its tourism ties with the world’s second-largest economy. Kazinform news agency reported that the opening ceremony of the year of Kazakh tourism will be held in Beijing on the…

ASTANA — Kazakhstan expands its connectivity with Central Asian countries by introducing two new flights from Turkistan to Samarkand, Uzbekistan, and Astana to Dushanbe, Tajikistan. The first international flight on the Turkistan-Samarkand route operated by Qazaq Air Airlines carried the first 66 passengers on March 22, reported the airline’s press service. This initiative aims to…

ASTANA— President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasized the strategic significance of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR) in deepening Kazakhstan’s multifaceted ties with China during a meeting with Erkin Tuniyaz, deputy secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Xinjiang Committee and XUAR chairman, on March 26 in Astana, reported the Akorda press service.

ASTANA – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev will pay a working visit to the People’s Republic of China and take part in the session of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) on March 28-29, Akorda press service reported. The visit agenda includes several meetings between the Kazakh President and the Chinese leader, heads of international organizations…

ASTANA – There is a huge potential for expanding cooperation between Kazakhstan and Cyprus, said Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos during his March 25 meeting with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in Astana, reported Akorda. The two sides exchanged views on the prospects of cooperation in trade and economics, investment and tourism spheres. According to Tokayev, over…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan commemorates the 135th anniversary of Zhusipbek Aimauytov, an esteemed novelist whose modernist vision amplified the voices of women. His birth on March 8, coinciding with International Women’s Day, seems a fateful coincidence, as his later novel “Akbilek” would champion the empowerment of Kazakh women through education. Aimauytov provoked and inspired readers with…

BERLIN – Global energy experts and policymakers emphasized the critical need for advanced economies to allocate significant investments towards the development of clean energy solutions in developing countries at the 10th Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue (BETD) in Berlin on March 19. The two-day conference gathered global energy experts and policymakers from over 75 countries to…

ASTANA – “May the dome of your yurt remain strong!” With this wish tied to shanyrak, the round crown at the top of the Kazakh yurt, Kazakhstan is celebrating Shanyrak Day on March 17, as part of the Nauryz festivities nationwide. This year marks the introduction of a new format for the Nauryz holiday in…

ASTANA – Korisu day, celebrated in Kazakhstan on March 14, holds a deep meaning and wide use in society, marking the return of spring with the practice of letting go of old grievances. Korisu, translated as greeting, is the beginning of the festive period among Kazakhs, welcoming spring and a new year that culminates in…

ASTANA—Developing the Middle Corridor is a key factor in expanding Kazakhstan’s economy and that of Central Asia, said Gaidar Abdikerimov, the Secretary General of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR) International Association. In an interview with the Astana Times, he spoke about the association’s role and contribution to boosting connectivity along the Middle Corridor. The…

ASTANA – International Women’s Day, celebrated on March 8, is a significant time in Kazakhstan’s calendar to honor female deities, reflecting the deep respect for women’s roles in society. This is exemplified by Umai, an iconic figure in Kazakh mythology known as the protector of children. The stories of supernatural women have not only supported…

ASTANA – To create space for women’s voices and stories in entrepreneurship, Shumaila Yousafzai, an associate professor in entrepreneurship at Nazarbayev University, profiled the achievements of 50 female entrepreneurs in a book titled “Trailblazers of the Steppes: Inspiring Narratives of Women in Business in Kazakhstan,” which is published in Kazakh, Russian and English languages. The…

ASTANA – Land degradation is among the biggest threats to Central Asia, making the region susceptible to drought, sand and dust storms, and overall economic decline, which demands a unified approach across the region, said the lead scientist at the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) Barron Joseph Orr in an interview with The…

ASTANA – During Kazakh Minister of Culture and Information Aida Balayeva’s working visit to China on Feb. 27, discussions centered on plans to bolster cultural collaboration between the two countries, including the establishment of a Kazakh cultural center in China, reported the ministry’s press service. Cultural relations were boosted by President Kasym-Jomart Tokayev’s official visit…