Articles by Rufiya Ospanova

ASTANA – Travel itineraries for the guests of EXPO 2017 will be ready by the end of this year, announced Deputy Chairman of the Astana EXPO 2017 National Company Vera Kobalia at the recent opening of the Kazakh pavilion for EXPO 2015 in Milano, Italy.  “We believe that it is necessary to offer specific tours…

SINGAPORE – “New Silk Roads: Painting Beyond Borders,” the first exhibition of Central Asian artists, was showcased April 21 in Icon Gallery here. The event was organised by ENE Central Asian Arts with the support of the Kazakh Embassy in Singapore and Lassale Singapore University of Art. The exhibition showed 37 works, including those of…

ASTANA – The third international classical music festival and young pianist contest directed by Denis Matsuev, a world-famous musician and People’s Artist of Russia, will take place from April 24 to May 2. The contest will begin with the semi-finalists because the first qualifying round has already taken place via video. Participants will perform a…

ASTANA – The Kazakhstan International Travel Fair (KITF), the largest tourism forum in Kazakhstan, is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year. Celebrations will take place from April 22-24 at the Atakent Kazakhstan Centre of Business Cooperation in Almaty, the organisers announced. Tourism is seen as a priority industry and indicator of sustained economic development everywhere…

ASTANA – The national Samruk Kazyna Sovereign Wealth Fund has allocated about 600 million tenge (US$3.3 million) to implement an action plan and campaign to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the victory in World War II. The programme includes creation of a unified information online platform containing the history of the war, contribution of the…

ASTANA – Deputy chairpersons of the Kazakh National Chamber of Entrepreneurs (NCE) Gulnar Kurbanbayeva and Nurzhan Altayev explained the key novelties of the law, amendments and additions to certain legislative acts to improve the business environment in Kazakhstan during a Jan. 16 media briefing in the Central Communications Services (CCS). The law, as well as…

ASTANA – A new series of postage stamps designed by orphans to be used by Kazakhstan’s postal service were unveiled on Jan. 14 during a ceremony at the Children’s House orphanage. The four stamps titled “Paintings of Children,” which were produced under the subject heading “Heroes of Kazakh Fairy Tales,” were unveiled by the Committee…

The Atyrau Paralympic wheelchair volleyball team won bronze at a Dec. 1 international tournament in Germany and player-coach Bauyrzhan Takhauov was voted captain of the team. The Atyrau Paralympians, a wheelchair volleyball team, took part in the traditional tournament, the Cup of Leipzig. Teams including winners of the Paralympic Games, World and Asian Championships, Egypt’s…

ASTANA – Construction for Affordable Housing 2020, the national housing programme, will begin Jan. 1, First Deputy Prime Minister Bakytzhan Sagintayev announced at a Nov. 20 meeting of the National Coalition of Democratic Forces “Kazakhstan 2050.” “We are now working on a new mechanism for the sale of houses and the corresponding changes to the…

ASTANA – At a Nov. 6 meeting of the Senate (the upper chamber of parliament) chaired by Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the chamber ratified an agreement between Kazakhstan and China on the management and operation of the joint combined Dostyk Water Systems on the Khorgos River. Kazakhstan and China will create a joint service responsible for operating…

ASTANA – At a Nov. 8 press conference and Shabyt gala concert for the 17th International Festival of Creative Youth held in the Palace of Peace and Accord, the names of the winners of the international festival were announced. During the competition’s five days, 495 participants showed their skills and competed for the title of…

ASTANA – Earth is our Home, the programme for Kazakh water resources management, was launched on Oct. 8. As part of this project, international organisations represented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Kazakhstan and the Coca-Cola Company, with the support of the Kazakh Ministry of Agriculture, made a commitment to assist in addressing…

ASTANA – President Nursultan Nazarbayev congratulated the winners and finalists of the Mereilі Otbasy (Happy Family) national contest on Sept 19. The Bimakhambetovs from South Kazakhstan were named best family. The Bimakhambetovs are a large family of eight children, 33 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. The President presented the winners the keys to a domestically produced…

ASTANA – Kulanshi, the Centre for Contemporary Art, opened its annual exhibition “MADE IN ASTANA” Sept. 11 with the participation of 28 young artists and the support of the city’s department of culture. The purpose of the project is to popularise the creativity of young Kazakh artists. According to a summer creative competition, the youth…

ASTANA – Sergey Prokofiev’s ballet, “Romeo and Juliet” will be presented to the metropolitan audience on Sept. 19 with the star of the National Opera of Bordeaux, France, Roman Mikhalev playing Romeo. Kazakh star and leading soloist Madina Basbayeva, who will play the role of Juliet, was choreographed by Charles Jude. The ballet will be…

President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev launched two new rail lines, Zhezkazgan-Beyneu and Arkalyk-Shubarkol, at an Aug. 22 event held on the central square of Zhezkazgan. A teleconference with the main stations in  the Kostanai, Kyzylorda, Aktobe, Mangistau and Karaganda regions was also held and station management gave readiness reports. Congratulating all people of Kazakhstan, the…

ALMATY – The interactive exhibition “Van Gogh Alive” opened in early August in the Dostyk Plaza Shopping and Entertainment Centre in the Grande Exhibitions Hall. Paintings by the famous artist Vincent Van Gogh are represented with the latest technology and the help of the 40-projector system Sensory 4to create a multi-screen show. This exhibition presents…

ASTANA – The “Memories of Hiroshima and Nagasaki” exhibition, which depicts the devastation of those atomic bombings and is dedicated to 23rd anniversary of the closure of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site in eastern Kazakhstan, opened here on Aug. 6. “It is a great honour for us to hold the exhibition in Kazakhstan, because the…

The “Road to School” campaign to provide support for schoolchildren from low-income families and orphans in the Pavlodar region began on Aug. 1 and will continue until Sept. 30. This year’s campaign is being conducted under the heading “Give the Good to Children” and is expected to provide a total of 86.6 million tenge (US$475,668)…

ASTANA – The “best family of Kazakhstan” within the competition Mereilі Otbasywill be determined Sept. 12, announced Makhabbat Bekbossynova, chairwoman of the National Commission for Women, Family and Demographic Policy under the President, at a recent Central Communications Service (CCS) media briefing. “The regional round of the competition took place May 23. It identified the…

In comparison to 2013, Kazakhstan improved its position by five points in the Global Innovation Index (GII) ranking, reported the press service of the Economic Research Institute of the Ministry of Economy and Budget Planning. “According to the 2014 survey, Kazakhstan took 79th position, improving its position by five points compared to last year. On…

ASTANA – The nation’s capital celebrated Astana Day on July 6 with several days of festivals and concerts by world renowned and national singers and bands, including Akon, A’STUDIO, Mezzoforte, Level 42 and many others. The event is held annually to celebrate Astana as Kazakhstan’s capital. Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev gave a speech during this…

ASTANA – The government presented its report, “New Industrialisation of Kazakhstan: Results of Half Year of 2014,” to President Nursultan Nazarbayev at a July 2 event. Before the meeting, the head of state visited the exhibition of the same name located in the newly built Norman Foster-designed futuristic Nazarbayev Centre which hosts the Library of…

ALMATY – Towards a Dream, the second nationalfootball championship among orphans heldJune 17-20, provided an opportunity foreight teams from all regions of Kazakhstan to fight for the main prize – a trip to Milan. Football teams from Astana, Almaty, Karaganda, Pavlodar, Aktobe, Taraz, Kostanai and Semey met inthe city’scentral stadium. The opening ceremony of the…

ALMATY – Almost every fashionista has arenowned Leather Satchelin her closet, as thepopularity of the bags is really high.Stylish and comfortable satchelsare equally chosen by both men and women, because books, documents and even laptopscan easily fit in them, and their appearance allows picking up a variety of looks that are topical now. Leather Satchel…

ASTANA – South Korean President Park Geun-hye paid an official visit to Kazakhstan within her Central Asian tour on June 18-19, focusing mainly on expanding economic ties and realising her vision for a barrier-free Eurasia. At a bilateral meeting of the two presidents on June 19, the main directions for discussion were strengthening high-level contacts…

Kazakh alpinist Maksut Zhumayev, whoclimbedMount McKinley, the highest point in North America, shared his impressions with his compatriots June 14at a meetingat the Kazakh Consulate Generalin New York City. Zhumayev discussed what inspires climbers to conquer new heights, despite the difficulties of hiking as well as methods of preparation for new climbing. He also confirmed…

ASTANA – The capital birthday’s sweetest event,the Festival of Astana Confectioners, will take place July 4, at 10 a.m.in Congress Hall and is expected to attract more than 20 candy companies, according to organisers preparing the celebration to note Astana’s 16th anniversary. The Confectioners Festival is held to promote confectionery skills and increase the level…

ASTANA – At a June 5 roundtable held in the United States diplomatic office in Kazakhstan,the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for non-proliferation and theU.S. representative to the International Science and Technology Centre (ISTC) Simon Limazh discussed new technologyand the new ISTC headquarters in Astana,amongst other issues. “There are strong links between the research and…

ASTANA – Providing young families with a place to live is one of the tenets of the Affordable Housing 2020 programme. The programme began accepting applications at Centres for Population Services (CPS) on June 2. “The selection will be made on a point system. It allows or 20 points to be accrued for the first…

ASTANA – On the eve of International Children’s Day, the State Language Development Foundation donated Kazakh-language books and CDs to children from new kindergarten No. 76. According to the press office of the State Language Development Foundation, global and Kazakh classic literature, encyclopaedia for preschool and school-age children, children’s literature and fairy tales in Kazakh…

ASTANA – The international conference ASTEX 2014 opened on May 19 and brought together foreign speakers that included heads of large companies, investors, business trainers, players in the global Internet business and analysts. At the opening ceremony, Askar Zhumagaliyev, Chairman of the Kazakhstan Agency for Communications and Information, addressed the audience on behalf of Prime…

The Taman Ismail Marzuki concert hall in Jakarta hosted on May 13 the ceremonial opening of Days of Culture of Kazakhstan in Indonesia. Within the Days of Culture, a gala concert with the participation of leading art masters of Kazakhstan, a photo exhibition and a film festival featuring “The Path of the Leader” and “Zhauzhurek…

ASTANA – Over the past decade, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has supported important social changes. In building a new socially conscious government, the UNDP has worked to assist Kazakhstan in building a breakthrough model of state management where the interests of consumers of state services are treated with the utmost importance. A new…

The upcoming FIFA World Cup in Brazil and the future of “sport diplomacy” were among the main topics of the 77th Congress of the International Sports Press Association (AIPS), held from April 28-30 in Baku, Azerbaijan. A delegation from the Kazakhstan Sports Press Association (KSPA) headed by KSPA President Ilyas Omarov, Vice President Pavel Tsybulin…

ASTANA – The international women’s forum, “G-Global – the Role of Women in the New Economy,” will be held within the Astana Economic Forum (AEF) on May 21-22. The programme of the forum includes two sessions: “Leadership of Women in Political and Economic Life” and “The Role of Central Asian and Afghan Women in the…

ASTANA – President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Takehiko Nakao signed a new framework agreement on co-financing with Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Karim Massimov on May 4 at the opening ceremony of the 47th Annual Meeting of the ADB Board of Governors in Astana. According to the agreement, signed in the presence of Kazakh…

ASTANA – The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is providing assistance to Kazakhstan to implement resource-saving technologies and the principles of green economy through technical assistance for project preparation for the rehabilitation of heating networks in Karaganda. This assistance was provided for in the Country Strategy Partnership between Kazakhstan and the ADB for 2012-2016. This project…

ASTANA – In autumn 2013, Ilyas Omarov, a diplomat with more than 20 years of experience became a chair of the Sports Press Association of Kazakhstan (SPAK). For nearly nine years he worked as a press secretary of the Foreign Ministry of Kazakhstan. Nesip Zhunusbayev, the former SPAK chair, a renowned journalist became its honorary…

ASTANA – The Believe in Wonder charity fund and the Astana Department of Education, in cooperation with the Khan Shatyr Mall, held an event on April 19 to raise awareness about children with disabilities. The event is called My World is Behind the Window and involves sending 26 teachers from the city’s department of education…

Archaeologist Bekmukhanbet Nurmukhanbetov, a member of the expedition that discovered the famous “Golden Man,” announced recently that the Saka mounds in Issyk will soon be open to the public. Nurmukhanbetov said that there are more than 100 Saka mounds and ancient Rahat and Orikty settlements in Issyk. Most of the mounds have not yet been…

The most recent round of negotiations on Kazakhstan’s accession to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) with the United States, this time focused on harmonizing measures regarding plant and animal disease control, took place in Washington, D.C., on March 4-6 with the participation of Kazakh Minister for Economic Integration Zhanar Aitzhanova. The negotiations took place without…

From April 21-27, a major international powerlifting tournament, the Open Asian Powerlifting Championship, will be held for the first time in Almaty. Athletes from more than 10 countries have already confirmed their participation in the event. Men and women of all ages, from juniors to veterans over 70 years of age, will take part in…

Almaty students of tourism will have the opportunity to work as guides on public transport telling passengers about the sights and history of the cultural centre of the country. “This year, our city was chosen as the cultural centre of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), and we have lots of things to say to…

The Tour d’Azerbaijan cycling race, consisting of 150 racers from 22 countries, will take place May 7-11 in Azerbaijan. This year’s participants hail from Austria, Britain, China, France, Germany, Ireland, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Luxembourg, Romania, Russia, Slovenia, Sweden, Turkey and Ukraine, and as well as other countries. An Australian team will also participate in the Tour…

ASTANA – Britain’s Senior Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Baroness Sayeeda Warsi visited Astana April 14-15 for high level and wide ranging talks with Kazakhstan officials, resulting in the signing of bilateral agreements expanding the legal basis for British military-related transit from Afghanistan. Following talks with Foreign Minister Erlan Idrissov at the…

ASTANA – The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) project to achieve gender equality has been promoting family values, the representation of women in decision-making positions, distance employment and other related goals in Kazakhstan since 2012. Rashida Naubetova, the project’s manager, spoke to The Astana Times about the goals and achievements of the project. How was…

ASTANA – The second Astana Smart Technologies Exhibition (ASTEX-2104) and conference will take place in the run up to the 7th Astana Economic Forum (AEF) on May 15-16. The international exhibition will be held by the Information Communications Development Corporate Fund of Kazakhstan, chaired by Silicon Valley innovator Sanzhar Ketebekov, and will include heads of…

ASTANA – United Nations Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Religion and Belief Heiner Bielefeldt, who was invited by the Kazakh government to observe the status of religious issues in the country, shared his opinions and recommendations at an April 4 press conference. “During the process of preparing the official report, I realised that what I…

Kazakh violinist Aida Ayupova and pianist Gulzhan Uzenbayeva will give a concert titled “An Evening of Chamber Music” on April 5 at the Astana Opera Chamber Hall. The concert will be held with support from the International Foundation Congress of Spiritual Concord. Violinist Ayupova and pianist Uzenbayeva will perform together one of the most famous…

ASTANA – Aigerim Beketayeva, leading soloist of the Astana Opera, will perform with People’s Artist of Russia Boris Eifman’s troupe on a tour that will take them to Budapest in early April and to London’s Coliseum Theatre from April 15-19. Eifman, director of the St. Petersburg State Academic Ballet Theatre, was deeply struck by Beketayeva’s…

ASTANA – The first G-Global International Summit of Journalism will be held May 20-23 as part of the Seventh Astana Economic Forum (AEF). The summit will examine the role of journalism in global crises, as well as innovations in media, the development and status of tools for working with vast and complex economic data and…

ASTANA – The secondary school in Vyacheslavka Village in the Arshaly District in the Akmola Region supports Kazakhstan’s efforts for a green economy and has mobilised resources to demonstrate water sanitation and hygiene (WASH) practices in schools using renewable energy sources. The school’s 120 students and 25 teachers have been working with the Akbota NGO…

ASTANA – There is still a lot of work to be done in getting Kazakhstan’s mediation services up to par. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Kazakh government have introduced a mediation system in the courts and it is already having a visible impact on the country, Gulmira Tulesbayeva, the project manager, told…

ASTANA – The Embassy of India in Kazakhstan celebrated ITEC Day 2014 (Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation) on March 18. More than 120 people attended the event, including ITEC Alumni, senior officers from the Kazakhstan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, representatives from the Ministry of Finance, Kaztromprom and Kazakh defence organisations and members of the media,…

ASTANA – Nauryz is the celebration of the New Year on the solar astronomical calendar for Persian and Turkic peoples. Nauryz is also a national tradition in Kazakhstan, restored to its full glory during the late 1980s. The origin of this holiday, which has no direct relationship to Islamic traditions, is rooted in the pre-literate…

The first international tour of the Astana Opera opened at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia on March 8 with a performance of “Atilla” by Giuseppe Verdi. Mariinsky Theatre Maestro Valery Gergiyev conducted the performance with Italian production director Pier Luigi Pizzi of the Teatro Dell Opera di Roma. Bulgarian performer Orlin Anastassov played…

ASTANA – The capital of Kazakhstan hosted a seminar March 11-12 on the contribution of Resolution 1540 (2004) in regional and global disarmament and non-proliferation dedicated to the 10th anniversary of the resolution in the “Central Asia +” format. The Kazakhstan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) and the…

Kazakhstan introduced its pavilion on March 5 at ITB Berlin 2014, the world’s largest international tourism fair and the pavilion went on to win the third place among all participating states. This year, the exhibition centre Messe Berlin is hosting stands from more than 180 countries, firms and organisations. Kazakhstan traditionally presents its pavilion at…

ASTANA – A benefit evening for young Astana poet Aliya Demeisenova was held in the capital’s Black Duck restaurant on  Feb. 22. Poetry readings have been held every month at the Black Duck and in other venues in Astana for the better part of a year. This one, “Let Me Fly,” featured paper planes with…

ASTANA – The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is working with the national government on a joint programme to improve the competitiveness of the East Kazakhstan region through the implementation of innovative approaches to the planning and delivery of social services. The programme covers projects intended to improve access to social and economic services for…

The government of Kazakhstan and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) are working together to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by creating a model for modernising inefficient district heating and other systems in Kazakhstan’s small cities. Alexander Belyi, a UNDP manager of the joint project, which is 80 percent funded by the government of Kazakhstan, spoke…

ASTANA – Astana’s Shezhire Gallery and the Women of the Steppe Public Foundation brought together Kazakhs and foreigners in Astana at the Ramada Plaza Hotel on Feb. 10 for a lesson in making felt products. Zamzegul Oralbayeva, who led the class, is president of the Women of the Steppe and a member of Kazakhstan’s artists’…

ASTANA – Young entrepreneur Anastassiya Kalinina fulfilled a childhood dream on Dec. 15, 2013 to help women look slim and beautiful when she opened Kazakhstan’s first Slimclub wellness studio. Slimclub is a part of a Moscow-based chain with more than 90 clubs in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). The clubs stress a healthy lifestyle…

ASTANA – With lighting expected to grow from 13 percent of Kazakhstan’s energy consumption today to 36 percent by 2015, the country is looking for energy efficient lighting solutions. The Ministry of Industry and New Technologies of Kazakhstan and the United Nations Development Programme’s Global Environmental Facility (GEF) are working together on a project, “Promotion…

ASTANA – Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and New Technologies Asset Issekeshev on Jan. 29 held a meeting on the Abu Dhabi Plaza project, which is implemented under the agreement of President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev with the leadership of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The meeting discussed the work plan for 2014…

KOKSHETAU – Thirty tourism-related organizations in the Akmola region will have the opportunity to compete in this year’s “Best Winter Tourism Project” competition, according to a Jan. 15 announcement by the Akmola region akimat (regional administration). Tourist sites will submit proposals in the categories of best tourist route and best winter recreation information and advertising…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev during a Jan. 21 meeting with Astana EXPO 2017 National Company Board Chairman Talgat Yermegiyayev directed that the construction of EXPO 2017 facilities be used to develop local entrepreneurship. “Construction of large EXPO 2017 complexes should be used for development of small and medium-sized businesses. Primarily, Kazakhstan construction companies…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan will take part in the 34th International Tourism Exhibition FITUR Jan. 22-26 in Madrid, according to the press service of the Committee of Tourism Industry of the Ministry of Industry and New Technologies of Kazakhstan. FITUR is one of the largest tourism industry events in Spain and is held in IFEMA, Madrid’s…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev signed a number of bills into law on Jan. 14, including a bill ratifying an agreement authorizing the construction of a school in Kyrgyzstan dated Aug. 22, 2012 and the minutes of amendments made to it. The agreement covered the construction of a school for 900 schoolchildren in the…

AKTAU – A bitumen plant capable of processing 1 million tons of oil and producing about 400 tons of high-quality bitumen officially opened in Aktau on Dec. 20. President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev took part in the opening via teleconference. The Caspi Bitum joint venture, which built and owns the plant, is one of 34…

ASTANA – The Sixth Winter Charity Masquerade Ball, one of the capital city’s most prestigious annual events, held Dec. 7, 2013 in Astana, raised more than 13 million tenge for children in local orphanages and local families in need. Over the past five years, the Winter Charity Ball has contributed more than $120,000 to local…

ASTANA – The Kazakh language is being tested as part of Google’s translation service thanks in part to the efforts of Beeline Kazakhstan and WikiBilim Public Fund. Rauan Kenzhekhanuly, Chair of the Board of Trustees of WikiBilim Public Fund, said that including Kazakh in the Google translate system will be an important step in the…

ASTANA – Residents and guests of Astana have the opportunity to get acquainted with the life of French statesman, military leader and emperor, Napoleon Bonaparte at an exhibition, which was opened on Dec. 19 in the Palace of Independence by the Akim (Mayor) of Astana, Imangali Tasmagambetov. The exhibition called “Napoleon: Life and Legend” is…

ASTANA – At the joint session of the Parliament of Kazakhstan on Dec. 20, members considered President Nursultan Nazarbayev’s proposal to send Kazakh officers to United Nations missions in Haiti, Western Sahara, Cote d’Ivoire and Liberia. Twenty officers, who will have observer status in UN peacekeeping forces, will be sent in groups of five. It…

ASTANA – Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Erlan Idrissov reported on the preliminary results of the Foreign Ministry’s activity in 2013 focusing on relations with key international partners, trade and investment cooperation , the need to develop cooperation with new  countries in Latin America and Africa and other topics at the Central Communications Service…

ASTANA – A United Nations Development Programme’s “Wider Europe: Aid for Trade for Central Asia, South Caucasus and the Western CIS” project funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland supports small and medium-sized businesses in the region as a way to support human development. The project, which began in October 2009 and will…

ASTANA – The Independence Day celebrations in the capital began with an address by President Nursultan Nazarbayev on Dec. 14 and the presentation of state awards to a number of prominent figures in Kazakhstan’s cultural, scientific, health, education, business, military and other spheres for their significant contributions to the socioeconomic and cultural development of the…

Astana – The Keruen Mall cinema hosted a preview of the historical four part movie Bauyrzhan Momyshuly on Dec. 4. It was filmed by renowned Kazakh director Akan Satayev. Aidos Ukibayev, Chairman of the Board of Khabar, and actors who performed the leading roles Yerkebulan Daiyrov (Bauyrzhan Momyshuly) and Assel Sagatova (Zhamal – wife of…

ASTANA – An exhibition of carpets woven in traditional Kazakh designs was held Nov. 26 at the Rixos Hotel to help showcase Kazakh culture to the diplomatic community. Carpets from the 18th and 19th centuries were presented from the personal collections and antique shop of Berik Alibay. Serik Babirov, owner of a private handmade carpet…

ASTANA – Host Kanat Omar, a Kazakh poet, read his own original works to art and poetry lovers at the Cablegram benefit poetry reading at the Black Duck restaurant on Nov. 30. The event was the first of its kind in the poetry marathon that has been going on since March. The event was broadcasted…

ASTANA – President Nursultan Nazarbayev visited the new building of the Nazarbayev Centre on Dec. 1, which is the Day of the First President of Kazakhstan. The Nazarbayev Centre is a public multifunctional scientific, analytical, humanitarian and educational institution. During the visit, Nazarbayev familiarised himself with the building and the purpose it serves. He congratulated…

ASTANA – Young violinist Yerzhan Kulibayev has already won five prizes in international competitions in Russia, Germany, Portugal and Argentina. The musician, who lives in Spain, spoke to The Astana Times about his work and his philosophy. When did you first realise that you wanted to become a violinist? It’s a funny story: I have…

ASTANA – President Nursultan Nazarbayev held a meeting on the future of Astana on Nov. 27, noting that a recent visit to Astanagenplan inspired him to think deeper about the city’s future. “The city’s population is increasing and is currently 900,000. We originally planned to achieve this mark between 2020 and 2030. In this regard,…

Director Vladimir Kirajiyev of Bulgaria, who works in Austria, visited Astana Opera to see the largest theatre in Central Asia, built in just three years. He spoke with The Astana Times about his impressions. How did you decide to be a director? In my family we had no musicians. My father was an engineer, my…

ASTANA, Nov. 26 – With more than half a million square kilometres of steppe traversed by important bird and mammal migration routes, Kazakhstan is a globally significant area of biodiversity, and carries a weight of responsibility for its protection. In addition to its other landscapes and native animals, Kazakhstan is the home of 90 percent…

The SharZhum Resort Centre in the Akkol district of the Akmola region is only 108 kilometres from Astana, but offers views of a pine forest from every room as well as summer and winter outdoor activities. The forest surrounding the alpine-style resort offers guests opportunities for camping, fishing, mountain biking or just swinging in a…

ALMATY – The 20th anniversary of the introduction of Kazakhstan’s national currency was celebrated at an international conference in Almaty attended by Kazakh politicians and representatives of the national and global financial sector. “The introduction of our own currency in 1993 has become the most important factor in the success of Kazakhstan’s financial system,” Kairat…

Kazakhstan Minister of Defence Adilbek Dzhaksybekov met U.S. Secretary of Defence Chuck Hagel on Nov. 14 at the Pentagon to discuss military cooperation between the two countries, focusing particularly on the U.S. assistance for Astana’s efforts to build a completely professional army over the next few years. “The United States is a strategic partner for…

ASTANA – Leaders of the Civil Alliance of Kazakhstan and officials of the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, among others, discussed the interaction of civil society and the green economy, EXPO 2017 and the State Programme of Accelerated Industrial and Innovative Development at the Nov. 15 session of the sixth Civic Forum in Astana.…

Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed or approved numerous bilateral cooperation agreements during their meeting at the 10th annual Forum of Interregional Cooperation of Kazakhstan and Russia on Nov. 11 in Yekaterinburg. The main document signed by the two leaders is the Treaty on Good-Neighborliness and Alliance in the 21st Century,…

ASTANA – Cihan Sultanoglu, Regional Director for Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and UN Assistant Secretary General, visited Kazakhstan on Oct. 22-25, on the eve of the organisation’s 20 year anniversary of activity in Kazakhstan. During the visit, Sultanoglu met representatives of Kazakhstan’s government, including…

ASTANA, Nov. 6 – One of Astana’s most popular entertainment venues, the Eight Drops karaoke club, is also an incubator for the capital’s creative talent and a place to gain experience in creative professions. Galiya Kassymova and Askar Suleymenov, both customers-turned-employees, spoke with The Astana Times about their work at the club. Kassymova started coming…

ASTANA, Nov. 4 – Innovation is happening in Kazakhstan and productivity in the country’s manufacturing sector has increased two times faster than in Russia’s and five times faster than in Ukraine’s, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and New Technologies Asset Issekeshev wrote in a recently published report summing up the implementation of the…

ASTANA – The Ministry of Defence of Kazakhstan concluded a contract on Oct. 24 with Airbus for the delivery of two new Airbus Military C295 tactical transport aircraft, as well as spare parts and maintenance services. Minister of Defence Adilbek Dzhaksybekov noted that the signature of the contract for delivery of the aircraft is an…

President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan voiced concerns about the process of integration at the meetings of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council and the Council of Heads of States of the CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) during his working visit to Minsk from Oct. 24-25. The president noted the importance of the meeting to jointly address…

ASTANA – A charity lunch for 50 pensioners and people with disabilities from the Yessil district of Astana was organised at the Al-Farabi restaurant on Oct. 17 with the support of Astana’s Rixos President hotel. Fifty residents of the district registered with the Voluntary Association of Disabled People in Yessil District, the Silent World public…

ASTANA – The fourth round of two-day negotiations on a new enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) between the European Union and Kazakhstan started on Oct. 9 in Astana.

The chief negotiators at the meeting were Gunnar Wiegand, director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia at the European External Action Service (EEAS), and Alexey Volkov, deputy minister of foreign affairs of Kazakhstan and national coordinator for relations with the EU.

“We resumed negotiations on a new enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement and had a productive working session today. These negotiations are based on 20 years of mutually beneficial cooperation, respect and trust. We can build on the will of both sides to intensify our cooperation, as expressed by Presidents Barroso and Nazarbayev in June 2013, and re-confirmed two days ago by Minister of Foreign Affairs Idrissov, who called for the soonest possible conclusion of the agreement,” Wiegand said at the meeting.

Pretoria hosted the third round of political consultations between the Foreign Ministries of Kazakhstan and South Africa co-chaired by Kazakhstan Deputy Foreign Minister Kairat Sarybay and Deputy Foreign Minister of South Africa Ibrahim Ibrahim on Oct. 10. The agenda of the meeting included preparation and organization of the first state visit of President Nursultan Nazarbayev…

ASTANA – At the plenary session of the Mazhilis (the lower chamber of Kazakhstan’s Parliament) on Oct. 9 chaired by Speaker of the Chamber Nurlan Nigmatulin, a package of new bills and tax and budget amendments were approved. The amendments include rules in pursuance to the orders given to the government as part of the…