Articles by Aibarshyn Akhmetkali

ASTANA – There are many pillars in the blossoming partnership between Japan and Kazakhstan, but the common historical background and cultural exchange is what drives both countries to the next chapter of international engagement, said Jun Yamada, the ambassador of Japan to Kazakhstan, in an exclusive interview with The Astana Times. From the rich history…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan gears up to commemorate the 310th anniversary of a towering figure in Kazakh history Abylai khan, best known as the ruler who united the 18th-century Kazakh Khanate and liberated its territories from foreign invaders. Abylai khan was known as a courageous warrior and an able diplomat, with a mission to reunite the…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is well positioned to expand its business and travel opportunities to serve the markets of Belgium, said Anna Sussarova, a lawyer and an Honorary Consul of Kazakhstan in the Walloon Brabant province in Belgium, in an exclusive interview with The Astana Times. Sussarova started her legal work in Belgium in 2008, specializing…

ASTANA – The Abai Region akimat (administration) has set out the Alakol Lake development roadmap that includes 40 measures to improve the quality of services, allowing tourists seeking to swim and laze comfortable access to Kazakhstan’s remote and stunningly beautiful lake, reported the region’s press service on May 4. One of the main strategies is…

ASTANA – Ding Liren became the new world chess champion after he defeated Ian Nepomniachtchi in the final game of the tiebreak on April 30 in Astana, which hosted the FIDE World Chess Championship. For over three weeks, the world’s two best grandmasters sat against each other in a back-and-forth showdown of games that ended…

ASTANA – Przewalski’s horses, the last truly wild horses on the planet, could return to the Kazakh steppe once again after a memorandum of cooperation was signed between the Forestry and Wildlife Committee of the Kazakh Ministry of Ecology, Geology, and Natural Resources and the Prague Zoo during the Kazakh-Czech business forum on April 24,…

ASTANA – This year, Kazakhstan is celebrating 200 years of Kurmangazy Sagyrbayuly, a leading figure in Kazakh traditional music, composer, and versatile dombra performer, whose music reflected personal narratives and stories of Kazakh people in the 19th century. Kurmangazy spoke to the hearts of less privileged Kazakh people, fighting against injustice and the unaccountability of…

ASTANA – With the last two games of the World Chess Championship remaining, the spectators are no closer to a verdict, as Ding Liren emerged victorious in game 12, equalizing his chances for the champion title with Ian Nepomniachtchi at 6:6, reported the International Chess Federation (FIDE). The ceremonial first move in game 12 was…

ASTANA – The European Union (EU) began talks with Kazakhstan aimed at preventing Russia from using third countries to bypass the restrictions imposed by the EU, said International Special Envoy for the Implementation of EU Sanctions David O’Sullivan at a press conference during his visit to Astana on April 24. The context of the visit…

ASTANA – The New Day exhibition brought together two contemporary artists, Amanat Nazarkul and Vladimir Gvozdev (Shege), and a traditional carpet (tuskiiz) collector, Natalya Krivets, to share with a wider audience their firsthand experiences in art and working methods on April 14 at the Kulanshi Art Center in Astana. It is rare to find all…

ASTANA – Kasym Kaisenov, a frontline guerrilla fighter during World War II and a novelist whose chronicles explored the war’s legacy for a post-war generation, is being celebrated in Kazakhstan on his 105th anniversary on April 23. Personal war experience and memories of his comrades From the standpoint of a guerrilla fighter, Kaisenov possessed a…

ASTANA – It has been a promising year for the 17-year-old Meruert Kamalidenova, Kazakhstan’s national chess team member, who made an eye-catching performance on the final day of the women’s teams match, defeating China’s four-time Women’s World Chess Champion Hou Yifan. In her recent interview with the Kazinform news agency, she talked about her approach…

ASTANA – Astana Ballet is premiering Ainur Abilgazina’s neoclassic “Soli Deo Gloria” and Olzhas Makhanbetaliyev’s modern “Nine” to highlight the theater’s 10th anniversary season on April 15-16 in the capital. By bringing different dance styles together the artists have created new transformative ways to interpret the music and the narrative arc. Both choreographers are staging…

ASTANA – The stakes are as high as ever at the FIDE World Chess Championship in Astana. Ding Liren convincingly defeated Ian Nepomniachtchi during the sixth game, leveling the score at 3:3 on April 16, reported the FIDE press service.  The match took another unexpected turn as Ding recovered from his heavy defeat in the…

ASTANA – The Kazakh Ministry of Science and Higher Education has developed a draft concept for language policy development for 2023-2029 that addresses priorities, the future outlook, and measures to boost the development of the Kazakh language. The draft, published on the Open Legal Acts website, is available for public discussion until April 25.  The…

ASTANA – Ian Nepomniachtchi defeated Ding Liren in 29 moves with black in the second game of the 2023 FIDE World Chess Championship on April 10 in Astana, seizing an early advantage in the race for the men’s most prestigious title in chess, reported FIDE. This was the first victory in the games for the…

ASTANA – Discovering Kazakh carpets can take one on a highly patterned journey through the centuries-old aesthetic tradition of nomadic people, their symbolism in design, and the simple practicalities of such an essential household item. The ancient nomadic practice of carpet weaving remains one of the last vestiges of art that is fading away. In…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is celebrating the 150th anniversary of Amangeldi Imanov, the leader of the 1916 national liberation uprising against the Tsarist rule, who became a symbol of resistance to social oppression during the power transition period of the early 20th century. Imanov took a passionate stance against both the colonial policy of the tsarist…

ASTANA – A debut animated series, “Dala Shyrqauy” (The Field Song), produced by Tasqyn Studio, brought to light the story of Kurmangazy, a prominent Kazakh composer and dombra player, whose 200th anniversary is celebrated across Kazakhstan this year. The first episode premiered on March 16 on the Tasqyn Studio Youtube channel. The series offers a…

ASTANA – Spring manifests itself in many ways, but the blossom of tulips might be among the most welcomed in Kazakhstan, the land where dozens of tulip species originate. For Kazakh people, a brief but intense period when the flowers are in bloom is a reminder of life’s transience. They are beloved for signaling the…

ASTANA – A creative initiative of schoolchildren from the town of Ekibastuz in northeastern Kazakhstan to dub popular foreign cartoons into the Kazakh language has secured a grant to expand its cartoon-dubbing venture, announced the city’s education department on its Instagram page on March 28. The initiative aims to provide dubbed entertainment content tailor-made for…

ASTANA – Kazakh Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources, Zulfiya Suleimenova, discussed Kazakhstan’s plans for sustainable water resources management with the United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, at the UN Headquarters in New York on March 24. The Secretary-General commended Kazakhstan’s efforts, emphasizing the active position taken by the country in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s finest team of 38 people took part in the 10th International Abilympics competition of professional skills for people with disabilities in the French city of Metz on March 23-25, reported Kazakhstan’s Consulate General in Strasbourg’s press service. Kazakhstan’s team represented educational institutions from nearly all regions of the country. It includes professionals…

ASTANA – The recently enacted law that tightens punishment for torture is an extension of Kazakhstan’s ongoing legal reforms directed to combat the deliberate targeting of civilians and torture, said Kazakhstan’s Human Rights Commissioner Artur Lastayev in an interview with Kazakhstanskaya Pravda newspaper on March 22 ahead of the Right to Truth Day.  This day…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s March 19 parliamentary election offered increased choice for voters, though some limits on the exercise of fundamental freedoms and participation remain, said international observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and OSCE Parliamentary Assembly during the presentation of their preliminary…