Articles by Dana Omirgazy

ASTANA – A bas-relief masterpiece created 49 years ago was recently unveiled in the Arman Cinema in Almaty. The work of art was discovered by theatre director Baurzhan Shukenov when he watched a black and white video about the theatre’s opening. After replaying the video many times, he realised the bas-relief was hidden behind the…

ASTANA – Early age education and preschool programmes affect a child’s future academic performance and health. The number of children’s centres and kindergartens in Kazakhstan is growing every year and the government continuously encourages businesspeople to open new kindergartens and support them financially. The capital offers numerous public and private preschool institutions for children ages…

ASTANA – The Kazakh and Korean Friendship Garden opened recently in the capital signifies the harmonious cooperation and long friendship between the countries. The project was initiated by President Nursultan Nazarbayev during then-Korean President Park Geun-hye’s visit to Kazakhstan in 2014. The Korean government invested $1.7 million to build the park. City Akim (Mayor) Asset…

ASTANA – Eighteen additional industrial projects worth 399 billion tenge (US$1.19 billion) are expected to be launched in a Dec. 6 teleconference involving President Nursultan Nazarbayev. They are the result of the State Industrial and Innovative Development Programme for 2015-2019, said Minister for Investments and Development Zhenis Kassymbek during an Oct. 31 government meeting. “The…

ASTANA – Konstantin Khabensky, a popular Russian actor who is known for his kind heart and his unsuccessful fight to save his wife’s life from cancer, shared his message of giving Oct. 21 with charitable organisations and leading Kazakh figures. He joined with the Samruk Kazyna Trust Social Development Foundation at a meeting in Astana to share…

ASTANA – The Gorky State Academic Russian Drama Theatre presented “Mankurt. Eternal slave,” one of the best plays in its repertoire, at the Synergy World Theatre Festival 2017 in Serbia. The play by famous Kyrgyz writer Chinghiz Aitmatov, directed by honoured artist of Tajikistan Barzu Abdurazakov and performed by the Astana theatre troupe under the…

ASTANA – ANA UYI (Mother’s House), a social project sponsored by Kazakh businesspersons, helps single mothers overcome difficulties to prevent leaving children in orphanages. Pregnant women or those with newborns abandoned by their boyfriends or lacking families receive support and find understanding and compassion in these warm places. “It all started with the question of…

ASTANA – Kazakh Minister of Education and Science Yerlan Sagadiyev reported on the status of the State Programme of Education and Science Development (SPESD) for 2016-2019 during an Oct. 17 government meeting chaired by Prime Minister Bakytzhan Sagintayev. Sagadiyev reviewed the programme results for 2016, noting the positive assessment from President Nursultan Nazarbayev. “The state programme will undergo significant changes in…

ASTANA – Twenty schools for children with hearing, vision and intellectual impairments in the Almaty, Mangistau and Pavlodar regions and Astana were equipped with special devices this year, reported tengrinews.kz. The nation has 100 remedial schools which train more than 15,000 children. The equipment was last updated in 2005 and all schools will receive new…

ASTANA – The focus of investment interest in agriculture is increasingly shifting towards livestock, as the investment growth rate in cultivating seasonal crops has slowed compared to the previous year, reported finprom.kz. Investment in livestock has hiked almost 15 billion tenge (US$44.49 million), or 51 percent, since January. “Over eight months of this year, 162.4…

ASTANA – Five new public gardens and one park will be created in Astana by the end of the year. At least 962.5 million tenge (US$2.82 million) was allocated this year for the construction of parks, boulevards and public gardens in Astana, according to representative of the city Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management…

ASTANA – The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), having played a key role in bringing to approval by 122 countries of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, was awarded the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize on Oct. 6. As part of the coalition of organisations forming the ICAN, ATOM Project Honorary Ambassador…

ASTANA – The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Oct. 5 roundtable focused on the challenges of providing access to social assistance and special social services for Kazakh families with children. Representatives of a number of ministries, as well as non-governmental and research organisations, raised important questions about providing such access to families and children who…

ASTANA – I’m a Singer, an international vocal competition, is being hosted this fall by the Almaty Akimat (city administration) and Channel 31. The project, aimed at promoting modern Kazakh culture abroad and increasing the city’s tourist draw, is part of the Ruhani Zhangyru (Modernisation of Kazakhstan’s Identity) programme, and, in particular, its Contemporary Kazakhstan Culture…

ASTANA – Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev signed a directive Sept. 30 to prepare for the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Kazakh capital – Astana, the Akorda press service reported. Nazarbayev called for the formation of the commission to prepare and hold the Astana City Day events. The President also approved “El Zhuregi –…

ASTANA – The House Construction Savings Bank (HCSB) has introduced a new video banking service, according to chairperson of the bank’s board Lyazzat Ibragimova, kapital.kz reports. The service will allow bank clients to contact a bank manager via videoconference and remotely get advice on the terms of the Nurly Zher programme, the cost per square…

ASTANA – The burial of a man, representing the Afanasevo culture of the Eneolithic era was discovered near the village of Karatal in the Zaisan district, the Kazinform news agency reports, citing the press service of the East Kazakhstan region akimat (administration). According to head of archaeological excavations Abdesh Toleubayev, the unique artefacts found during excavations…

ASTANA – Russia celebrated its National Day at EXPO 2017 Sept. 8 with Kazakh First Deputy Prime Minister Askar Mamin and Russian Vice Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich leading Russia’s delegation and ambassadors and exhibition visitors joining the official ceremony. “The Russian pavilion demonstrates the powerful energy potential and technological capabilities of the country. Russia is…

ASTANA – The United Arab Emirates (UAE) celebrated its National Day at EXPO 2017 Sept. 6 featuring traditional cultural poetry, drum music and dance performances. Kazakh Vice Minister for Investment and Development Timur Toktabayev and UAE Director General of National Media Council Mansour Al Mansouri joined the festive event. “The participation of the UAE at…

ASTANA – Horyou, an action oriented social network for social good, organised the Social Innovation and Global Ethics Forum (SIGEF) Sept. 5 to discuss future energy, smart cities and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and lead an official delegation to EXPO 2017. International speakers, panellists and moderators attended the event. “With SIGEF, Horyou is…

ASTANA – With the new government of South Korea, Astana and Seoul have greater momentum to expand relations. This year, dealings between the countries have intensified significantly thanks to EXPO 2017, said South Korean Ambassador and Korean pavilion commissioner Kim Dae-sik in an interview with The Astana Times. “As the new ambassador, I found out…

ASTANA – The Lermontov Russian State Academic Drama Theatre from Almaty presented two of its most exciting and innovative stagings of the year in Astana Aug. 22-23 under the EXPO 2017 cultural programme, according to the theatre’s press service. The unique performances, based on Russian classics known to every student, caused a stir in the…

ASTANA – The Italian region of Veneto brought its best energy solutions to the capital as part of Venetian week at EXPO 2017. The region’s scientists offered a unique experience in generating solar energy and producing energy from biofuel, including processed materials from vineyards, reported inform.kz. “Visitors and participants of the exhibition will witness the…

ASTANA – Six riders with the international organisation Bike for Peace (BfP) started a tour along the Bishkek-Almaty-Astana route Aug. 20 in advance of the Building a Nuclear Weapon-Free World international conference in the capital. This year’s 10-day peace initiative unites five Norwegian riders and Ukrainian writer and activist Anastasiya Odnoroh. “For a long time,…

ASTANA – President Nursultan Nazarbayev during an Aug. 14 meeting with National Bank Chairman Daniyar Akishev noted that the country’s free floating national currency exchange rate is working and instructed the nation’s chief bank to continue inflation prevention measures, according to akorda.kz. “All this plays a very important role – both the currency rate and…