Dombra Craftsman Preserves Soul of Kazakh Music in Every String (Video)
ALMATY – Zholaushy Turdugulov is one of a handful of traditional dombra craftsmen who preserve the traditional craft of instrument-making and know how to skillfully bring the best sound out of dombra, a two-string Kazakh instrument that is deemed the soul of Kazakh culture. Dombra is essential to the heritage of the Kazakh people. Its…
New Book Unveils Kazakh Tribal Legacy, Breaks Myths and Preconceptions
ASTANA – Amid growing demand for national identity reflection and reassessment, the new book “Tamga: History of Kazakh Tribes” written by historian Radik Temirgaliyev presents an opportunity to explore Kazakh tribal heritage beyond myth and preconceptions. The finely crafted historical book was presented on Dec. 12 in Astana during a meeting with the author organized…
Altyn Tugyr Awards Celebrate Kazakhstan’s Excellence in Traditional Sports
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Association of National Sports awarded the exceptional athletes who have achieved success on the national and international levels in 10 national sports nominations at the 10th anniversary Altyn Tugyr (Golden Foundation) awards on Dec. 21 in Astana. The National Sports Association, launched in 2004, was set up to promote traditional Kazakh game…
New Qalam Platform Makes Central Asian History Available to Everyone
ASTANA – Qalam, a new online historical and educational platform, offers wider access to Kazakh and Central Asian history, making it easier for audiences to engage and interact with materials, said the editor-in-chief and historian Zhar Zardykhan during the presentation on Dec. 19 in Astana. In the absence of consistent access to museums and libraries, online…
Uzbekistan’s Saxaul Plantation Initiative at Aral Sea Serves as Beacon of Hope (Video)
MUYNAK, UZBEKISTAN – Uzbekistan’s ambitious saxaul plantation initiative is instilling optimism among scientists and residents of the dried-up Aral Sea basin that it will help to mitigate the increasing number of dust storms in Central Asia and avert related health risks. On a recent press trip to Muynak, once a thriving seaport of 25,000 people,…
Kazakh Traditional Milk Tea Cherished in China
ASTANA – Kazakh traditional milk-based tea holds a special place among people in Chinese Xinjiang province, which traditionally has a large population of Kazakhs, according to the video broadcasted on the Central People’s Radio, reported Kazinform news agency. The one thing that Kazakhs could beat the Chinese at is preparing the perfect tea, or shai,…
Investment Headquarters’ Meeting Marks Decisive Shift in Format
ASTANA – The Investment Promotion Council (Investment Headquarters) held its first regular meeting on Dec. 13 in Astana under a new format following the signing of a Presidential decree that granted them unprecedented authority, reported the Prime Minister’s press service. Chaired by Kazakhstan’s First Deputy Prime Minister Roman Sklyar, the meeting’s primary agenda was to…
Turkmenistan’s Anev Named Cultural Capital of the Turkic World in 2024
ASTANA – Turkmenistan’s Anev city has been selected as the next Cultural Capital of the Turkic World for 2024, following the Shusha city in Azerbaijan on Dec. 11, reported Kazinform news agency. The idea to establish the Cultural Capital of the Turkic World was introduced in 2010 at the International Organization of Turkic Culture (TURKSOY)…
President Tokayev Highlights Kazakhstan’s Favorable Investment Climate at Altyn Sapa Awards
ASTANA – Kazakhstan provides attractive investment opportunities with a rapidly expanding business and industrial sector, said President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at the Altyn Sapa (Golden Quality) and Paryz (Duty) award ceremony on Dec. 12 in Astana, as reported by the Akorda press service. Altyn Sapa and Paryz are annual awards recognizing entrepreneurs who have significantly contributed…
Kazakhstan to Apply Australian Success in Livestock and Agriculture
ASTANA – The Kazakh delegation headed by Deputy Prime Minister Serik Zhumangarin visited Australia to study the best practices in animal husbandry and agriculture on Dec. 11, reported the Prime Minister’s press service. Australia is one of the top exporters in the world, taking the lead in both lamb and beef exports. The nation’s products…
Saiga Antelope Moves from Critically Endangered to Near Threatened Category on IUCN Red List
ASTANA – The status of Saiga antelope (Saiga tatarica) in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List has been changed from critically endangered to near threatened on Dec. 11, marking a success in conservation efforts, announced a group of organizations involved in the effort. The saiga population in Kazakhstan has recovered from…
Kazakhstan Aligns Human Rights Strategy with Sustainable Development, Says Ombudsman in Geneva
ASTANA – Kazakhstan has developed a wide-ranging human rights strategy that aligns with the objectives of sustainable development, said Human Rights Commissioner Artur Lastayev during the Contribution of National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development conference on the sidelines of the Human Rights 75 high-level event on…
French Artist’s Photo Exhibition Gives Unique Snapshot of Kazakh Regions
ASTANA – French multidisciplinary artist Adèle Jelansky presented a photo exhibition, the result of her six-month creative photography residency in Kazakhstan, at the National Museum of Kazakhstan on Dec. 7. The new exhibition of 45 photographic collages, which is on display until Jan.7, 2024, takes viewers on a journey with the photographer: from Almaty to…
Key Kazakh Officials Adress Human Rights Progress at International Conference
ASTANA – Key representatives of government and human rights protection institutions have addressed Kazakhstan’s efforts in implementing human rights and key insights during the international scientific and practical conference organized by the Human Rights Commissioner’s Office on Dec. 7 in Astana. The two-day conference chaired by Kazakhstan’s Human Rights Commissioner Artur Lastayev precedes a milestone…
Kazakhstan Marks 135 Years of Amre Kashaubayev, Folk Singer Who Awed Paris
ASTANA – Kazakhstan is celebrating the 135th anniversary of Amre Kashaubayev, a folk singer who captivated audiences in Europe by bringing his native dombra from a Kazakh village to the world stage at the Paris Expo in 1925. It is not only remarkable that an artist from a remote Kazakh village could introduce the European…
Earth-Responsible Agriculture: Uzbek Farmers Lead in Land Restoration Practices
SAMARKAND REGION – Uzbek farmers’ approach to farming shows that degraded lands can be made more productive through achievable changes in practices and technology that “do not cost the earth.” A group of journalists, including The Astana Times correspondent, visited several farms and fields near the Samarkand Region as a side event of the 21st…
Golden Eagles, Falcons, and Tazy Dogs Shine at Traditional Hunting Festival
ASTANA – The eagle hunting festival gathered the finest among 40 golden eagles, 10 falcons, and 40 dogs of the Kazakh Tazy breed to promote traditional hunting practices that once flourished here in Bozanbay village of the East Kazakhstan Region on Nov. 25, reported the region’s press service. Following its debut two years ago, the…
Kazakhstan and Togo Seek Alliance in Grain Export, Mining and Digitalization
ASTANA – Kazakhstan explores grain export, mining, and digitalization implementation opportunities with Togo, as was announced at the joint press briefing with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and the Togolese President Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé on Nov. 28 in Astana, reported the Akorda press service. “Strengthening cooperation with African countries is one of the main directions of Kazakhstan’s…
Kazakhstan and Togo Agree to Enhance Cooperation and Dialogue
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said Kazakhstan is keen to promote cooperation with Togo during the meeting with the Togolese President Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, who arrived with an official visit to Astana on Nov. 28, reported the Akorda press service. According to Tokayev, Gnassingbé’s historic visit to Kazakhstan marks a new era in bilateral relations.…
Kazakhstan’s President Prioritizes Elevating Relations with China
ASTANA – Bringing bilateral relations with China to a new qualitative level is a top priority for Kazakhstan, said President Kasym-Jomart Tokayev during the meeting with Ding Xuexiang, Vice Premier of the State Council of China and member of the Standing Committee of the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Committee Political Bureau, who arrived with an…
World Bank Estimates Tripling Trade Volumes on Middle Corridor by 2030
ASTANA – A new report by the World Bank estimates that with the right investments and policies, the Middle Corridor linking Chinese and European markets via Central Asia and the Caucasus could triple trade volumes reaching 11 million tons by 2030, as presented during the roundtable on Nov. 27 in Astana. The report titled “Middle…
Kazakhstan Urges Global Dialogue and Trust-Building at Nuclear Weapons Conference in New York
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Foreign Affairs Murat Nurtleu called for dialogue and expansion of global confidence-building measures at the second conference of the states parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) in New York on Nov. 27, reported the Foreign Affairs Ministry’s press service. Kazakhstan, together…
From Promise to Action: President Tokayev Implements Reforms Against Power Monopoly for Just Kazakhstan
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev is holding to his commitment to improving the lives of the Kazakh people. His priorities since assuming the presidency a year ago include fighting monopolization of power and implementing the Just Kazakhstan initiative, said Yerlan Koshanov, the chairman of the Mazhilis, the lower house of the Parliament, in an interview…
New UN Installation Calls to Break Silence on Violence Against Women
ASTANA – The Untold installation, which calls for speaking out in the face of violence towards women, opened on Nov. 23 at the Nurly Zhol railway station in Astana. The presentation of the installation comes ahead of the United Nations (UN) 16 Days of Activism Against Violence campaign. With every sixth woman subject to violence…
Kazakhstan Witnesses Fourfold Increase in Cases Won by Citizens Against State Bodies
ASTANA – The number of cases won by citizens and businesses from state agencies increased from 15% to 60% in two years, said Nazken Zhamaladin, the director of the Department of Legal Propaganda of the Kazakh Ministry of Justice, during the meeting of the Dialogue Platform on Human Dimension Consultative and Advisory Body (DPHD CAB)…
