Kazpost Enters Universal Postal Union Council
ASTANA – Kazakhstan has been elected as a four-year member of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) Administrative Council, according to the voting results at the 26th UPU Congress. The membership allows Kazakh specialists to offer innovative solutions for changing the global postal industry. Only 40 of the 192 UPU member countries have the right to…
Astana’s Finest Nightlife Venues
ASTANA – During the day, Kazakhstan’s capital is a bustling city of business people and civil workers. At night, however, it belongs to people who savour social gatherings and flamboyant parties. Good vibes, fashionable audiences, dazzling shows and cutting edge electronic music – the city’s most distinguished nightspots have something to offer for any taste.…
Kazakh Designers’ Outlet Opens in Almaty
ASTANA – Designers’ City, the first fashion house of Kazakh designers, opened Oct. 6 in Almaty. “An area of 1,300 square metres will not be just the centre of more than a hundred local designers, but also the venue for fashion shows, workshops and premieres of new collections. Seoul Sound Company Management, the founder of…
Koshpendiler Project Connects Kazakhstan-Born People Overseas
ASTANA – Young and old are actively travelling and exploring the world, thus rethinking the role of nomad in today’s international society. Four ambitious professionals who currently reside in Germany, Kazakhstan and Russia recently launched the Koshpendiler Project to unite Kazakhs living abroad and 12 stories from 11 countries are already available on www.kazakhs-abroad.com. “It…
Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan to Boost Trade and Economic Cooperation
ASTANA – The protocol to extend the main directions in economic and trade cooperation between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan was signed by the Kazakh delegation headed by First Deputy Prime Minister Askar Mamin during the Sept. 22-23 working visit to Tashkent. The trade turnover between the countries amounted to $3 billion in 2015. During the meetings…
Astana Opera Opens Season with Annual Silk Road Festival
ASTANA – Astana Opera is presenting an incredible programme encompassing a roster of national and international performances, instrumental music concert series and acclaimed ballet productions Sept. 22-Nov. 15 as part of the third Silk Road International Musical Festival. “Abai,” a Kazakh operatic masterpiece created by distinguished composers Akhmet Zhubanov and Latif Khamidi, was staged on…
Light Rail Coming to Astana in 2018, Other Transit Upgrades in Process
ASTANA – A light rail tram will be introduced in Astana in 2018, Astana Akim (Mayor) Asset Issekeshev announced at the Trends in Transport Complex Development Conference held Sept. 26 in the capital. “The launch of the light rail tram is one of the city’s important projects. In the first stage, a 22.4-kilometre route will…
Kazakh Chess Champion Dinara Saduakassova Opens Academy in Astana
ASTANA – Four-time world champion and women’s grandmaster Dinara Saduakassova opened a chess academy Sept. 16 in the capital. A charismatic and intelligent person, Saduakassova is full of ideas concerning the new school and her contribution to popularising chess in the country. “I am proud that I managed to be the first and win the…
Bill Giving Local Governments Move Budgeting Power to Be Introduced in Parliament
ASTANA – A new bill on local self-government might be introduced in 2018, Minister of National Economy Kuandyk Bishimbayev announced during the presentation of the draft law “On amendments and additions to some legislative acts of Kazakhstan on the development of local self-government” at the mid-September meeting of the Committee for Economic Reform and Regional…
Days of Astana in Moscow Celebrates Modern, Traditional Kazakhstan
ASTANA – Days of Astana, marking the celebration of the 25th anniversary of Kazakhstan’s independence, were held Sept. 19-20 in Moscow. The best works of Kazakh craftsmen, filmmakers, modern art masters and masterpieces of musical heritage and Kazakh culture were presented to the Russian public. The mayors of the two cities met the first day…
Kazakh Ballet Dancer Hits New Heights in National Dance Contest
ASTANA – Astana Opera House principal soloist Bakhtiyar Adamzhan won the Grand Prix at Astana’s International Ballet Competition, held Sept.10–17. Adamzhan has been on something of a tear recently, winning the Grand Prix at the Istanbul International Ballet Competition in July and in early August wowing the judges at the Seoul International Dance Competition, where…
Monument of Gratitude to Kazakh People to Open in Shymkent
ASTANA – A monument of gratitude titled “Kazak Elіne Myn Algys” (“A Thousand Thanks to the Kazakh People”) initiated by the ethno-cultural centres of the South Kazakhstan region is being constructed in Shymkent. At the top of the monument a shanyrak (the circular opening at the top of the yurt – the traditional portable home…
Multinational Chamber Orchestra Wins Audience’s Heart with Virtuosity and Mastery
ASTANA – The Sion Festival, held Aug. 19-Sept. 4 in the Valais Canton in Switzerland, featured a concert by the Young Eurasian Soloists (YES) chamber orchestra. The appearance at one of the most prestigious festivals in Western Europe proved the young team has gained recognition in European musical circles. The orchestra participated in concerts…
American Publisher to Release Collection of Poems by Kazakh Poet Aigerim Tazhi
ASTANA – The manuscript of the book “An Astounded World: Selected Poems” written by young Kazakh poet Aigerim Tazhi in translation of famous American poet, literary translator and co-director of Zephyr Press publishing house Jim Kates recently received a National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Fellowship to Support Literary Translation. Tazhi’s poetry collection was awarded…
Almaty Enthusiasts Unite Authorities, Urban Activists to Make Comfortable Cities
ASTANA – Almaty hosted the first open meeting of the School of City Solutions for activists and entrepreneurs initiated by the City Solutions project and Strelka Institute for Media, Architecture and Design Sept. 8. The course, consisting of training programme with video presentations, interactive trainings, assignments and business incubator, lasts for a month. The lecture…
Kazakh National Academy of Choreography Opens in Astana
ASTANA – The back-to-school season in the capital was marked with a major event Aug. 31 – the opening of the new multi-level academy of choreography. It is the first institution of its kind in the Central Asian region designed to prepare students for building careers in ballet. The academy was fully constructed with extra-budgetary…
British Scientist Discusses Recent Earthquake Research in Kazakhstan, Tien Shan Mountains
ASTANA – In 1716, a city in modern China and areas of Balkhash and Zaisan lakes were destroyed as a result of a devastating earthquake that supposedly occurred in Kazakhstan. This was announced by Oxford professor and famous seismologist Richard Walker at the Science of Earthquakes and Their Risks in Central Asia conference. Initiated by…
Annual Almaty Book Festival Attracts Huge Audience, Distributes 3,000 Free Books
ASTANA – Almaty hosted KitapFest Sept. 4, the third annual book festival initiated by the Bauyrzhan Charitable Foundation, city administration (akimat) and Eurasian Franchising Association. Three thousand free books were distributed, confirming Almaty’s status as a reading city. The open air festival was held on the square in front of the Academy of Sciences at…
Three Terrorist Groups Neutralised, 21 Detained in Kazakhstan’s West
ASTANA – The National Security Committee announced the suppression of three radical groups in the West Kazakhstan and Aktobe regions as part of the special operation conducted Aug. 12-30. Ten people were arrested in the West Kazakhstan region and 11 in the Aktobe region with court approval, reported the committee’s press office. According to authorities,…
Challenges and Prospects of International Transport Routes Discussed in Aktau
ASTANA – The Caspian and Black seas regions international conference, designed to address efficient logistics in the countries with the participation of Caspian and Black sea regions representatives, took place Aug. 24-25 in Aktau. Initiated by KAZLOGISTICS, the Union of Transport of Kazakhstan, the event gathered delegates from the Ministry for Investment and Development, Ministry…
Kazakh Student Wins Multilingual Essay Contest, Takes Part in UN General Assembly
ASTANA – Kazakh student Moldir Arapova is among the winners of an essay contest organised by the United Nations. A jury selected sixty finalists out of the 3,600 participants who applied over three rounds. The finalists presented their reports to the UN General Assembly in New York. They were also able to communicate with guest…
International Ballet Competition Opens New Horizons for Performers
ASTANA – The third International Ballet Competition will be held Sept. 10-17 in the capital. The audition initiated by the fund to develop and support the national ballet and dance aims to draw attention to the young capital and its young theatre. The jury will include Hungarian National Ballet director, dancer and choreographer Tamas Solymosi;…
Gifted Soloists from Three Countries Perform Bach Concert
ASTANA – Famous French, Russian and Swiss musicians presented “The Tone of Bach,” a vivid and exciting concert highlighting the work of one of the most brilliant composers in musical history, Johann Sebastian Bach. The performance was given Aug. 12 at the Astana Opera Chamber Hall. The event featured violinist Rachelle Kisakanin, violist Pavel Romanenko…
Pavlodar Plant Signs 300 Million Euro Deal for Aluminium Supply
ASTANA – The Eurasian Resources Group (ERG), a leading diversified natural resources company, and VTB Group have entered into a strategically important deal in the amount of 300 million euros to finance a six-year aluminium supply. According to the ERG Communications Department, VTB Capital has issued an advance payment for aluminium supply totalling 660,000 tonnes…
Kazakh Filmmakers to Produce Movie Dedicated to WWII Soldiers’ Courage
ASTANA – The creators of the British – Kazakh feature film with the working title “Flags over Berlin” announced a teaser will be released in September. The three-minute trailer, entirely shot in London, will feature scenes from the upcoming film. The Astana Times interviewed screenplay originator, producer and head of scriptwriting team Dauren Toleukhanov…
