Articles by Manshuk Bekentayeva

ASTANA – The International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) is celebrating its 20th anniversary. The anniversary marks two decades of mixed success in restoring ecological life and prosperity to the sea and its surrounding regions after decades of catastrophic misuse during the Soviet era. The fund, set up by the leaders of Central…

ASTANA – With the relocation of the capital from Almaty to Astana back in 1997, ambassadors and diplomatic missions moved to the new political centre of the country. Over the years, the number of activities held by missions in Astana has increased with the pace of human migration to this city on the steppe. The…

ASTANA – The first full-length 3D animated film ever made in Kazakhstan premiered before the Nauryz holiday on March 21. The film, called “Er Tostik and Aydahar,” is based on the Kazakh national fairy tale called “Er Tostik.” The project was a cherished dream of veteran director, 64-year-old Zhaken Danenov. It took three years to…

ASTANA – Maslenitsa (or Butter Week in Russian) is the most cheerful and brightest among Orthodox Christian holidays, symbolizing the end of winter and the expectation of the awakening of nature in springtime. Usually celebrated during the last week before the Great Easter Lent, this year Maslenitsa falls on March 11-17. This holiday is considered…

ASTANA – The best falconers from across the Kazakh steppe gathered in the Almaty region’s district of Nura Feb. 21-23 for the annual National Berkutchi (falconer in Kazakh) Championship Sonar 2013. The championship is organised by the Kyran Federation with the support of the regional governor’s office and the Kazakhstan Agency for Sports and Physical…

ASTANA – Tattoos and body decorations have been traditions in many cultures for thousands of years. They demonstrated membership in groups, showed status, served as good luck charms, indicated religious beliefs or, as is common now, were just fashionable. In ancient times, tattoos often belonged to royal or privileged classes. In the more recent past,…

ASTANA – The rich culture of Kazakhstan has gone on display in one of Europe’s most ancient and fabled cities. A new exhibition called “Kazakhstan – the Heart of Eurasia” opened in the Charles University in Prague on Feb. 7. It will remain on display until March 17. The exhibition celebrates the 20th anniversary of…

ASTANA – After its first year in operation, Astana’s new E-ambulance service is proving its worth. The service was introduced as part of the Smart Astana programme in December 2011. Since then, the ambulance service’s mortality rate has dropped to 98 people dying before reaching hospital in 2012 compared to 105 in 2011. Under the…

On January 28, in New York at the Executive Board of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) session, the second issue of The Development Advocate magazine was presented. It included 12…

ASTANA – The Kazakhstan National Ice Fishing Championship was held under the auspices of the Federation of Sport Fishing of the Republic of Kazakhstan from January 18 to January 20…

ASTANA – As a result of the Unified National Health System implemented in 2010, important strides have been made in healthcare provision in Kazakhstan. Recently, the nation has seen its first successful bone marrow transplants. Kazakhstan’s second successful bone barrow transplant was conducted at the National Research Centre for Maternal and Child Health of the…

ASTANA – Along with the rest of the world observing the Gregorian calendar, the people in Kazakhstan are getting ready to celebrate New Year’s Eve, buying gifts and finding places to gather with friends and family. According to the Oriental calendar, popular among citizens of the country, 2013 will be the year of the dark…