Kazakh Entrepreneur Drives Ambitious Mission to Build 100 Eco-Friendly Villages
ASTANA – Kazakhstan is set to launch a large-scale project to build 100 green villages, an initiative led by entrepreneur and BIRCH CEO Vladimir Rich, who calls it an effort to “set a new standard for autonomous and environmentally friendly housing.” “This project is not just the creation of new settlements, but an ambitious attempt…
Kazakhstan Travel Forum Highlights Safety and Growth in Tourism Sector
ASTANA – The Kazakhstan Travel Forum is taking place in Astana on Oct. 6-8, gathering major tour operators, travel agencies, airlines, airports, tourism associations, government agencies, and foreign partners to discuss key trends in the industry. The participants explored shifting consumer preferences, prospects for air transport development in Central Asia, and new standards for risk…
Scottish Bagpiper Marks Kazakhstan as 116th Country in Global Journey
ASTANA – Kazakhstan became the 116th country for Ross Jennings, a Scottish traveler and musician on a mission to play the bagpipes in every nation. Dressed in a traditional kilt, he performed the Kazakh folk song “Dedimai au” in Astana, where local audiences warmly received him. “In 2014, I decided I wanted to play the…
PwC Study Highlights Risks in Central Asia’s Push for Green Energy
ASTANA – Coal is projected to remain Kazakhstan’s dominant energy source through 2035, accounting for more than 40% of the country’s energy mix despite ongoing decarbonization efforts, according to a September study by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). The report, Energy Transition in Eurasia: Who Sets the Pace – Kazakhstan or Uzbekistan, said renewable energy is expected to…
Kazakhstan’s Migration Flows Lean Strongly Toward Cities
ASTANA – Cities in Kazakhstan are expanding at record speed, reshaping the nation’s economy and society, but straining infrastructure and deepening the divide between booming megacities and shrinking small towns. In his state-of-the-nation address, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev warned that the absence of a centralized system to track migration is complicating labor market regulation and social…
Congress in Kazakhstan Highlights Youth Voices in Global Peace
ASTANA – The second day of the Eighth Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions on Sept. 18 featured a series of panel sessions addressing urgent global issues, with the spotlight on the Second Forum of Young Religious Leaders. The forum explored the role of young faith leaders in advancing sustainable development and the…
Religious Leaders Call for Dialogue, Solidarity at Congress in Astana
ASTANA – The eighth Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions opened Sept. 17 in Astana, drawing 100 delegations representing major world faiths, religious and civic organizations, and senior officials. The gathering once again positioned Kazakhstan as a global hub for interfaith dialogue at a time of growing geopolitical tensions and crises. The first…
Inside State Structure that Shaped Kazakh Khanate
ASTANA – The Kazakh Khanate, formed around 1465 in the Semirechye Region, was the first national state of the Kazakhs. It emerged after the migration of Kerei and Zhanibek’s tribes from the khanate of Abulkhair and laid the foundations of modern Kazakh statehood. Over time, it played a decisive role in unifying the Kazakh people,…
Kazakhstan Hosts Space Days Forum to Boost Aerospace Cooperation
ASTANA – The international forum Space Days Kazakhstan took place Sept. 8-9 in Almaty, serving as a key platform for discussions on the future of the global aerospace industry, reported the forum’s press service. The event underscored Kazakhstan’s ambitions to strengthen its role in the international space arena and attract foreign investment into its space…
Experts Reflect on Tokayev’s Digital Vision
ASTANA – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev delivered his state-of-the-nation address on Sept. 8, focusing on digitalization and the full-scale adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) to modernize the economy. Tokayev announced plans to establish the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development. Experts from various sectors shared their insights on the President’s speech. Strong industry reactions…
Kazakh Innovation Turns Public Toilets into Model for Future
ASTANA – Public toilets rarely make headlines. However, in Shymkent, a new project is doing just that, attracting international attention for its creative use of technology and design. On the city’s streets, newly installed toilets open with a QR code or facial recognition scan. Once a person steps inside, the glass walls immediately darken for…
Almaty Museum of Arts Marks New Era for Culture in Kazakhstan
ASTANA – The Almaty Museum of Arts will open Sept.12 as Kazakhstan’s first museum built to international standards and capable of hosting major global exhibitions. The institution is expected to play a central role in Almaty’s cultural infrastructure, attracting tourists and art enthusiasts from around the world. In an interview with The Astana Times, Meruert…
Kazakhstan Emerges as Global Hub for Interfaith Dialogue
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s unique experience in fostering dialogue among religions and cultures is gaining global attention amid rising interethnic and interfaith conflicts, said Bulat Sarsenbayev, Ambassador and Advisor to the Chairman of the International Center for Interfaith and Interreligious Dialogue, in an interview with The Astana Times ahead of the eighth Congress of Leaders of…
Book on Turkic Art and Heritage Presented in Kazakhstan
ASTANA – The Kazakh capital hosted the presentation of “Altyn Aymaq. Uly Dala Onerinin Tarihi” (Golden Belt. The History of the Art of the Great Steppe) on Aug. 29. The book, co-authored by renowned archaeologist and doctor of historical sciences Zainolla Samashev and Kazakh National University of Arts professor and artist Leila Makhat, offers a sweeping…
Kazakhstan, Poland Build Bridges from Central Asia to Europe
ASTANA – Poland has long been among its most important partners in the E.U for Kazakhstan, ranking as its eighth-largest trading partner. With cooperation expanding in mining engineering, pharmaceuticals, IT and financial technology, the relationship between the two countries continues to grow. Michał Labenda, the chargé d’affaires of the Polish Embassy in Kazakhstan, has a…
Kazakh Nation Cherishes Century-Old Love of Horses
ASTANA – The horse has long been central to the cultural and everyday life of the Kazakh people, playing a role unmatched by any other animal. For centuries, it was an inseparable part of nomadic existence, valued for transport, sustenance, and companionship. Kazakhstan is working not only to preserve its native breeds but also to…
Kazakhstan’s Economy Needs Innovation Push to Drive Growth, Expert Says
ASTANA – Kazakhstan has to boost innovation to ensure technological transformation and long-term economic growth, according to Saltanat Igenbekova, an analyst at Halyk Finance. She noted that the country’s growth sustainability largely depends on its ability to develop sectors capable of exporting medium- and high-tech goods and services. This is especially critical for oil-exporting nations…
Global Film School Helps Kazakh Industry Find its Groove
ASTANA – The New York Film Academy (NYFA) has opened its first campus in Asia and second outside the United States, launching operations in Kaskelen, near Almaty. The campus marks a major milestone in Kazakhstan’s creative education landscape and joins NYFA’s global network that includes campuses in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, and Florence, Italy.…
Harvard Showcases Kazakh Mom’s House Project as Global Model for Social Change
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s ANA UYI (Mom’s House) initiative has been included in the research base of Harvard Business School, marking the first time in history that a social project from Central Asia has become the subject of an educational case at the global level. The case, prepared by Harvard professors Boris Groysberg and Annalena Lobb,…
Kazakhstan Shows World Peaceful Coexistence Is Possible, Says Rabbi Karnauh
ASTANA – Kazakhstan will host the eighth Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions on Sept. 17-18. Over the years, the event has become a platform for fostering interreligious dialogue and uniting spiritual leaders in addressing challenges. Ahead of the congress, The Astana Times launches a series of articles on the diversity of spiritual…
Kazakhstan Becomes Regional Fintech Leader as Startups Quadruple
ASTANA – Kazakhstan has emerged as a regional leader in digitizing financial services, ranking first in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) for e-government development. Cashless payments now account for 86% of all transactions, and mobile banking is used by more than 81% of the population – 11 percentage points higher than in Russia. Rapid…
Kazakh Dance Theater Gives Voice to Movement in Silence
ASTANA – In a modest studio in northern Kazakhstan, silence is not an obstacle — it is the stage. The Sensitive Dance Theater, based in Petropavlovsk, is the only professional dance company in Kazakhstan for children with hearing impairments. Through movement, vibration, and emotion, its performers speak a language that transcends sound. Founded in 2006,…
Kazakhstan Targets 3.5-Fold Boost in Agricultural Exports by 2030
ASTANA – Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov has outlined plans to increase Kazakhstan’s agricultural exports 3.5 times by 2030, according to his response to a parliamentary inquiry. “To strengthen the agricultural sector’s potential, the government is implementing a comprehensive strategy aimed at expanding agro-industrial exports, increasing the share of processed products to 70%, shielding the domestic…
Kazakhstan Opens First University in Russia, Showcases Its Work
ASTANA – Kazakhstan became the first Central Asian country to open a university branch in Russia, launching a campus of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (KazNU) at Omsk State University in 2024. A delegation led by Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and Kazakh Minister of Science and Higher Education Sayasat Nurbek visited the branch to review…
Kazakhstan, Türkiye Advance Strategic Partnership at High-Level Talks in Ankara
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and President of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met in Ankara on July 29 to discuss expanding bilateral cooperation and co-chaired the fifth meeting of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council, reported the Akorda press service. During the narrow-format talks, the two leaders discussed ways to deepen the strategic partnership between Kazakhstan…
