Articles by Aiman Nakispekova

ASTANA – This Sunday, Dec. 15, marks World Turkic Language Family Day, a date established by UNESCO to celebrate and promote the Turkic language family spoken by more than 200 million people worldwide. The 43rd General Conference of UNESCO in Uzbekistan officially declared Dec. 15 as World Turkic Language Family Day to preserve, celebrate, and…

ASTANA – The courage of Kazakh warriors, known as batyrs, and the people’s unity were decisive in ensuring the Kazakhs’ survival during the centuries-long Kazakh–Dzungar wars, a conflict that reshaped Central Asia’s geopolitical map and posed one of the greatest tests to Kazakh statehood, said Bereket Karibayev, professor at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University and doctor…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan marked the International Day of People with Disabilities on Dec. 3, renewing attention to the everyday challenges families face in raising children with disabilities and to the growing demand for inclusive workplaces across the country.  According to the Kazakh Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, as of May 1, 2025, the country…

ASTANA – Ayash Kabdollayeva, a craft instructor from Glubokoye village in the East Kazakhstan Region, has become the world’s top female archer just a year after taking up the sport, capturing first place at the World Cup in Ulsan, South Korea. Competition in South Korea At the World Cup in Ulsan, South Korea, Kabdollayeva placed…

Editor’s Note: To mark the 15th anniversary of The Astana Times, we are launching a special series of columns written by our newsroom. Over the days, members of our team reflect on their journeys, the stories that shaped them, and the evolution of The Astana Times. We began with a column by our editor-in-chief Zhanna…

ASTANA – The No Violence Film Festival opened in Kazakhstan’s capital with a screening of “Bauyryna Salu,” marking the start of the global campaign titled 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, which launches each year on Nov. 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. The event is organized by the…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan celebrates the 140th anniversary of Mirzhakyp Dulatov on Nov. 25, an influential Kazakh poet, educator, and leader of the Alash movement. Born in 1885 in the windswept steppe of the Turgai Region, Dulatov’s childhood was marked by early loss. His mother died when he was two years old, while his father passed…

ASTANA – A rare video of Kazakh dancer Shara Zhienkulova has been discovered in the Russian State Archive of Film and Photographic Documents in Krasnogorsk, Russia, as part of the Archive-2025 state program, reported the Kazakh Ministry of Culture and Information’s press service on Nov. 13. The footage shows Zhienkulova dancing to the folk song…

ASTANA – An international team of scientists from Kazakhstan and the United Kingdom has published new research on the Semiyarka monument, also known as the City of Seven Ravines, one of the largest known Bronze Age settlements in steppe Eurasia. The site sits on a cape above the Irtysh River in the Beskaragai district of…

ASTANA – The Otandastar Scholars Forum took place at Nazarbayev University in Astana on Nov. 21, bringing together Kazakh scientists who have built careers abroad to share expertise that could support the country’s scientific and technological goals. Organized by the Otandastar (compatriots) Foundation, the event gathered more than 40 scholars from overseas and nearly 100…

ASTANA – Kazakh medtech startup Cerebra.AI is pushing the boundaries of neuroradiology with software that can detect a stroke within minutes, according to Beksultan Shakimov, the company’s chief operating officer. In an interview with The Astana Times, Shakimov explained how medtech and artificial intelligence are reshaping modern healthcare. The company hopes its AI-driven tools will…

ASTANA – Zhanerke Rakhman, a senior expert at the Center for Regional Studies and Quality of Life, highlighted the economic and cultural potential of Kazakhstan’s film industry. She described cinema not only as an art form but also as a valuable economic asset capable of attracting investment, creating jobs, and driving related industries. According to…

ASTANA – There have long been close connections, cultural exchanges, and mutual influences between the Iranian and Turkic worlds, known since ancient times as Iran and Turan, according to Galiya Kambarbekova, an orientalist and Iranian studies scholar at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University. In an interview with Kazinform, Kambarbekova discussed what information about the Kazakh steppes…

ASTANA – The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has deepened its cooperation with Kazakhstan and its Central Asian neighbors through new investment initiatives aimed at enhancing regional energy independence, green transition, and trade connectivity. In an interview with The Astana Times, EBRD Vice President Matteo Patrone discussed the bank’s growing role in advancing…

ASTANA – The Association of Museums of Almaty opened an exhibition dedicated to Kazakh traditions at the Yunus Emre Institute in Amsterdam on Oct. 31, featuring more than 70 unique artifacts from its collections, reported the museum’s press service. The exhibition serves as a significant cultural event highlighting the rich heritage of the Kazakh people.…

ASTANA – The National Bank of Kazakhstan (NBK) has raised the base rate from 16.5% to 18% in October, marking the second sharp monetary tightening this year. The move underscores growing concerns about accelerating inflation and financial stability as the economy continues to face both internal and external pressures. The Astana Times breaks down what…

ASTANA – Experts discussed the development of transport and logistics infrastructure, food security, and innovation as key pillars of sustainable economic growth during the Kazakhstan Global Investment Roundtable (KGIR) on Oct. 31 in Astana.  According to Alibek Kuantyrov, Kazakhstan’s deputy foreign minister, the country has invested more than $35 billion in transport infrastructure over the…

ASTANA – Kazakh artist Assel Sabyrzhankyzy has gained widespread attention on social media with her distinctive works, where tradition meets street art, and carpets replace the canvas. In an interview with The Astana Times, Sabyrzhankyzy revealed that her artistic language was born from a desire to connect the past and the present. For the Turkic…

ASTANA – Kazakh startup Call2action.ai, founded by Yersultan Jussakinov, has closed a $500,000 pre-seed funding round at a $6 million valuation to accelerate its expansion in the United States logistics and trucking market, reported Digital Business news agency on Oct. 28. Call2action.ai is a generative AI-powered platform that enables companies to hire employees five times…

ASTANA – The Kazakhstan Global Investment Roundtable (KGIR) opened on Oct. 31, dedicating one of its key sessions to critical minerals and the energy transition. The participants discussed how these resources are shaping global development as the world moves toward a sustainable, high-tech future. The speakers highlighted that critical minerals are becoming a major driver…

ASTANA – Türkiye has simplified employment rules for Turkic-speaking foreigners, including citizens of Kazakhstan, by reducing bureaucracy and broadening opportunities for professional activity, reported Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Resmi Gazeti (Official Newspaper of Türkiye). President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan signed a decree on Oct. 10, amending legislation that dates back to the 1980s, simplifying procedures to work in…

ASTANA – Weapons played a vital role in the life of nomadic peoples, serving not only in battle but also in rituals, social ceremonies, divination, oaths, and as symbols of power and status. They were used as rewards and even as payment for military service. Artist, ethnographer, and weapons expert Kaliolla Akhmetzhan, a member of…

ASTANA – This year marks the 35th anniversary of the Declaration of State Sovereignty, adopted by the Supreme Council of the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic (SSR) on Oct. 25. The document became the starting point in Kazakhstan’s path to independence, affirming for the first time the country’s right to determine its domestic and foreign policy,…

ASTANA – The Kazakh capital hosts the two-day Think Tank Forum on Oct. 15-16, bringing together leading scholars, diplomats, and policymakers across the globe, from the United States to Eurasia, to explore practical ways to rebuild trust and strengthen cooperation in an increasingly fragmented world. The event, organized by the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s TrustExam.ai transforms how the world takes exams with its advanced AI supervision technology. The independent startup, which has grown without outside investment, recently won a $25,000 prize at the Astana Hub Battle for its innovative approach to secure online testing. In an interview with The Astana Times, TrustExam.ai CEO and co-founder Nurali…