Poet Saule Doszhan introduces Kazakh life stories
ASTANA – Writer and poet Saule Doszhan, named an Honoured Art Worker of Kazakhstan in 2015, is the author of books based on touching true stories that raise social issues. Her works have been translated into world languages and her growing international recognition has inspired her to continue writing. Doszhan’s novel “My own strange heart”…
Yelikti ski resort is perfect destination for beginner, expert skiers and snowboarders
ASTANA – The impressions from the vast steppes surrounding the capital offer little hope for winter sports such as skiing and snowboarding. That’s why many of its residents are often surprised to learn about Yelikti (Elekti) ski resort located 325 kilometres from Astana and a few hours’ drive by car. The complex is named after…
Kazakh President urges larger role for NGOs in Kazakh society
ASTANA – Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev stressed at the Nov. 27 eighth Civil Forum of Kazakhstan the importance of reducing barriers to interaction between the state and society. The forum looked at the role of civil society in helping implement state programmes. The number of NGOs in Kazakhstan has grown from 5,000 to 22,000 in…
Kazakhstan to streamline rehabilitation and bankruptcy procedures
ASTANA – The Kazakh government approved the draft law “On amendments to some legislative acts of the Republic of Kazakhstan on improving rehabilitation and bankruptcy procedures” at the Nov. 26 governmental meeting. The draft law focuses on measures to reduce the time for rehabilitation and bankruptcy procedures and simplify liquidation of inactive debtors, said Minister…
Sharipova forced to postpone fight for WBC champion belt
ASTANA – Kazakh boxer Firuza Sharipova has postponed her fight with World Boxing Council (WBC) champion Eva Wahlström of Finland originally scheduled for Dec. 22 in St. Petersburg, Russia. Sharipova was injured while preparing for the bout, and according to doctors needs at least a month to recover. Despite the injury, the 24-year-old spoke about…
Astana considers designated parking for electric vehicles, introduction of electric buses
ASTANA – Astana’s 2018-2020 comprehensive plan to make the capital a greener city calls for designated parking spaces for electric vehicles at all socially significant facilities, administrative buildings and shopping malls. “This is one of the tools to stimulate the benefits of electric vehicles, because many old cars and others emit a lot of harmful…
Young artist uses art to draw a connection between Great Steppe and human soul
ASTANA – Young artist Adil Aubekerov opened his personal exhibit “Lines and Destinations” Nov. 22 at TSE Art Destination. The show will continue through Jan. 12. “Adil Aubekerov, an artist of the 21st century, is looking for signs of purpose not in the ingenious science of fortune telling, but in patient questioning of reality about…
Spirit of the Great Steppe exhibition displays Kazakh art in Turkey
ASTANA – Mustafa Ayaz Modern Arts Museum in Ankara recently opened the exhibition “Spirit of the Great Steppe” that showcases 32 works of contemporary Kazakh artists. The exhibition features nomadic culture and traditions of the Kazakh steppes. “Through these paintings, we see the world through the eyes of Kazakh artists,” said Abbas Ketiz, an associate…
Astana Chamber Choir will perform Rock Opera and Broadway hits
ASTANA – The Chamber Choir of the State Academic Philharmonic of the Astana Akimat (city administration) will perform worldwide hits from rock operas and musicals Nov. 27 in Astana Opera. In the last few years, rock hits performed by local orchestras have been well received in Astana’s concert halls. The rock opera as a genre…
Developing Kazakhstan’s creative industries will boost economy, say Creative Central Asia participants
ASTANA – More than 100 cultural and creative leaders and representatives from Central Asia and the U.K. gathered Nov. 16-17 at the second annual Creative Central Asia forum in the Kazakh capital. While it has become popular to talk about creative industries, for many it is still a new term. Creative industries, as a concept,…
Kazakh abstract realist brings back nomadic romance
ASTANA – Painter Adilgali Bayandin, a member of the Union of Artists of Kazakhstan, classifies his works as abstract realism, a seemingly oxymoronic term that makes sense only after one sees his work. His favourite genre is historic romanticism, for many of his paintings transport the beholder to the romance of the nomadic lifestyle. “Kezdesu”…
Aulie-Ata International launches direct flights connecting Taraz and Yekaterinburg
ASTANA – Aulie-Ata International Airport in Taraz launched direct flights Oct. 29 to Yekaterinburg, Russia. SCAT Airlines will be operating a Boeing 757-200 on the route every Monday, making the trip in 2 hours, 50 minutes. “Private investments in the construction and modernisation of the airport have produced results. Today, Taraz Airport offers more than…
Kazatomprom launches IPOs on London and Astana stock exchanges
ASTANA – The Kazatomprom national atomic company, one of the world’s largest uranium producers, placed 15 percent of its shares worth of $451 million Nov. 13 on the London Stock Exchange. It became the first Kazakh national company on an international stock exchange. The company approved the final price range prospectus at $11.60 per GDR…
New UN building will bring Almaty closer to achieving SDGs, says mayor
ASTANA – The United Nations regional branch in Almaty, a bigger building equipped with modern facilities, was unveiled during an Oct. 23 opening ceremony. The new headquarters, which will cluster 19 UN agencies and representative offices in one place, will be occupied by the end of the year, reported the Almaty Akimat (administration) press service.…
KASE will mark 25th anniversary by organising Kazakhstan Exchange Forum
ASTANA – As a part of the 7th Congress of Financiers, the National Bank of Kazakhstan and Kazakh Association of Financiers will organise the Kazakhstan Exchange Forum at the Kazakhstan Stock Exchange (KASE). The Nov. 16 event will mark KASE’s 25th anniversary in Almaty, according to kase.kz. The forum, on the subject of “The role…
QS ranks 20 Kazakh universities among top 300 in Eastern Europe and Central Asia
ASTANA – Twenty Kazakh universities have been rated among the top 300 in Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA) by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) rankings 2019, reported the Ministry of Education and Science press service. The British rating agency analysed the activities of higher education institutions in 26 EECA countries. Based on the number of educational…
Weeding out fake news is important, say OSCE Central Asia Media Conference participants
ASTANA – Discussions among media professionals on how to collaborate in news production, improve content quality, fight fake news and increase media literacy, as well as the issue of media freedom, were on the agenda at the 20th Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Central Asia Media Conference on The Future of Journalism…
Kazakhstan to open trade offices in 10 countries
ASTANA – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kazakh Export and the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs (NCE) Atameken recently signed a memorandum of understanding and agreed on a joint action plan to boost exports. The key initiative includes opening Kazakh foreign trade offices in 10 countries next year, said Vice Minister for Investments and Development Kairbek…
Kazakh women’s basketball team wins first silver at Asia U18 championship
ASTANA – The Kazakh basketball team consolidated its claim to second place in the Division B final of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Under-18 (U18) Women’s Asian Championships Nov. 3 in Bengaluru, India, reported nbf.kz. Although the team lost its first match of the group stage to the Syrians by a score 56-40, they took…
Kazakh entrepreneur seeks new ways to make movement more accessible for people in wheelchairs
ASTANA – Kazakhstan 100 New Face’s entrepreneur and Paralympic sportsperson Shahan Zholdasbayev directs all of his power and will towards creating an inclusive society by constructing ramps that allow people with limited mobility to easily move around the city. He expanded the social Pandus-Ok project into a company and now builds cost-effective lifts to help…
State programmes increase salaries, improve vocational education, says Kazakh labour ministry
ASTANA – The state programmes designed to increase wages, the employment rate and entrepreneurship are showing positive results, reported representatives of the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of the Population at the Oct. 30 government press centre. Since January, Kazakhstan’s minimum wage has increased by 26 percent to 28,000 tenge (US$75.90). The ministry is working…
Almaty opens children’s football stadium
ASTANA – The Almaty city akimat (administration) and Zhas Kyran (also Orlyonok) football centre have renovated the old Soviet Sputnik stadium into a football training complex for children with the capacity to train more than 500 young sports enthusiasts, the akimat press service announced Oct. 20. The centre employs a 50-member coaching staff. The refurbished…
KazMunayGas subsidiary, Romanian government create energy investment fund
ASTANA – KMG International (KMGI, formerly known as Rompetrol), an affiliate of KazMunayGas, and Societatea de Administrare a Energie (SAPE) owned by the Romanian Ministry of Energy signed an agreement Oct. 26 to form a joint Kazakh-Romanian energy investment fund. The fund, according to KMGI, will focus on developing the local energy sector, as well…
Accessible Spanish courses, direct flights and faster visa issuing will facilitate relations, says Spanish envoy in Astana
ASTANA – Spanish Ambassador David Carriedo, who began his diplomatic mission to Kazakhstan on August 21, spoke with The Astana Times about the agenda for his three-year term to strengthen relations between the countries with an emphasis on education and the economy. Educational cooperation entails specific attention to make quality Spanish language education accessible to…
Astana Opera’s symphony orchestra to perform music for all times
ASTANA – Astana Opera’s symphony orchestra will perform “Music for All Times” Nov. 8, featuring the best pieces of famous composers such as Max Bruch, Tles Kazhgaliyev and Pyotr Tchaikovsky. The evening will open with a symphonic scherzo, the light and playful “Kyz Kuu” from Kazakh composer Kazhgaliyev’s “The Steppe Legend” suite. The suite has…
