Articles by Zhanna Shayakhmetova

ASTANA – The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has invested more than $7 billion in Kazakhstan, announced EBRD President Sir Suma Chakrabarti at a May 26 press briefing in the capital. “We’ve just signed a large number of very important projects. This is all part of the partnership between the EBRD and Kazakhstan…

ASTANA – International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Christine Lagarde visited Kazakhstan for the first time May 24, meeting with Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev at the Akorda. The agenda included priority directions of cooperation between Kazakhstan and the fund as well as the key trends in the global financial and economic system. The head of…

ASTANA – The musical compositions of great Kazakh composer Yerkegali Rakhmadiyev were performed May 13 in the capital at the Chamber Hall of the Astana Opera. The concert “Tan Samaly” (A Morning Wind) featured the laureates of the First International Rakhmadiyev competition who are acclaimed musicians, according to the theatre’s release. Altynbek Abilda, Almat Izbambetov,…

ASTANA – The Gakku channel award ceremony was held at the Kazakhstan Concert Hall in the capital on May 18. The spectacular performance with live sound Gakku Auenderi (Gakku Songs) featured eminent Kazakh artists and bands performing top pieces of Kazakh pop music. The music feast was accompanied by the Zaratushtra orchestra and the ballet…

ASTANA – “Between Sky and Earth,” highlighting ideas and solutions from leading thinkers, curious minds and captivating orators, will be the topic of this year’s Technology, Entertainment and Design (TEDx) Almaty meeting. The conference will be held Oct. 5 and the “x” represents an independently-organised event. The Astana Times interviewed TEDxAlmaty curator Larissa Pak, a…

ASTANA – Seventy-five talented youngsters and teens walked the runway May 15 for the first Junior Fashion Week. The models, ages 1-17 from the capital, Almaty and Uralsk, presented the newest collections by Kazakh designers. The event featured the fashions of Amelie, Dani and Iranni. Italian designer and stylist Alessandro Enriquez, editor in chief of…

ASTANA – More than 400 runners participated May 7-8 in the Great Steppe Marathon held on the Ili River near Almaty’s legendary Tamgaly Tas. The athletes, from Belgium, Canada, China, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Hong Kong, Kyrgyzstan, Poland, Russia, South Africa, Sweden, Thailand, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and the United States, ran distances of 15-70 kilometres.…

ASTANA – Happy People Sing, a musical revue dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Frank Sinatra and Edith Piaf, will be held May 16 at the Lermontov State Russian Drama Theatre in Almaty. The performance features one of the most popular and sought-after Kazakh actors Chingiz Kapin as Sinatra and actress Aisulu Azimbayeva portraying Piaf.…

ASTANA – The Kazakh National Olympic Committee (NOC) launched a special campaign April 30 to mark the 100 days until the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. An event organised with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Sports and the Akimat (city administration) was aimed at promoting the Olympic Movement and supporting the athletes. The…

ASTANA – In collaboration with the Kazakh Ministry of Agriculture, the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) partnership and liaison office to support agriculture and food security in Central Asia opened in the city on April 28. FAO’s Assistant Director-General and Europe and Central Asia Regional Representative Vladimir Rakhmanin and Kazakh Deputy Minister of Agriculture…

ASTANA – Architectural treasures, marvellous monuments, picturesque buildings, bustling bazaars and streets surrounded by lush greenery. If this sounds magical and attractive, Taraz, a city with a unique history and Oriental hospitality traditions, is a definite destination point. Taraz is like an open-air museum. Once known as a city of merchants, it is one of…

ASTANA – The 80th anniversary of great Kazakh poet, writer and anti-nuclear activist Olzhas Suleimenov will be commemorated May 12 with an event at Lev Gumilyov Eurasian National University (ENU). The Man of the World forum is being organised by ENU’s United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) department of ethnic and religious tolerance,…

ASTANA – More than 400 delegates from more than 50 countries and approximately 30 authoritative speakers gathered here for the 13th Eurasian Media Forum (EAMF) on April 21-22. Issues related to the worldwide economic crisis and its global consequences were discussed in panel sessions by prominent international politicians, economists, journalists and public and political figures,…

ASTANA – A huge number of courses in art, design and music are offered to urban residents. But there are also classes that people can attend with their child or spouse and dive into the world of sand art. Being a great activity for children and adults, sand drawing, as art therapy, is useful for…

ASTANA – Seventeen oil producing countries ended six hours of negotiations in Doha, Qatar on April 19 without an agreement over a proposal to freeze output at January 2016 levels to stabilise oil prices by reducing excess fuel on the market. The negotiations involved members of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) as…

ASTANA – The fourth children’s handmade fair held March 12 featured about 220 items crafted from beads, wool, wood, textiles, as well as paintings and books by more than 80 children from orphanages in Akkol, Sandyktau and Uryupinsk. Wicker goods created by individuals with physical challenges at the Green TAL social workshop were also exhibited.…

ASTANA – American teacher Dennis Keen launched Walking Almaty, featuring the urban landscape’s architecture and recognisable attractions, after moving to the city in 2013. The work has inspired residents of Kazakhstan’s largest city to provide additional information about its historic places.   The project website, www.walkingalmaty.com, is a modern online museum highlighting the images in National…

ASTANA – The first results for practically implementing Kazakhstan’s 100 Concrete Steps initiative were announced March 30 during the Central Communications Service opening press conference. Deputy Prime Minister Dariga Nazarbayeva, Minister of Civil Service Talgat Donakov, Minister of National Economy Yerbolat Dossayev, Presidential administration deputy head and national commission on modernisation representative Marat Beketayev, Assembly…

ASTANA – A short film directed by Sanzhar Bekzhanov will be shown at the 69th International Cannes Film Festival on May 11-22. “A Step Forward” will be shown in the Short Film Corner competition. Apart from directing, a graduate of the New York Film Academy, Bekzhanov also wrote the script for the film and collaborated…

ASTANA – China National Materials Group Corporation Sinoma recently announced it will buy annually a range of agricultural products from Kazakhstan, according to the press service of the Kazakh Ministry of Agriculture. This year, China will purchase sunflower in the amount of 50,000 tonnes, 80,000 tonnes of flaxseed, 100,000 tonnes of oilseed rape as well…

ASTANA – If the traditional genres and melodies of the great steppe are your type of music, Classic FM is your channel. Celebrating its fifth anniversary this year, the station has increased the record database, recorded young performers, created its own original programmes and exchanged experience with the world’s best radio stations, including BBC 3…

ASTANA – Beginning in September, Kazakhstan will change from a six to a five-day school week. The school year for first graders will last from Sept. 1 to June 1. The change was originally planned for 2017. Students in second, fifth, seventh and ninth grades will move to a five-day week beginning September of that…

ASTANA – A trial delivery of gold from Iran and Russia has been delivered for refining to Kazakhstan. It is expected to increase supplies if the parties reach an agreement on price. Tau Ken Altyn, a subsidiary company of the national mining company Tau Ken Samruk, will process four tons of Iranian and Russian gold…

ASTANA – Sauranbai Donenbayev, a resident of the Zhambyl region, has introduced kumys (mare milk) tours as a new tourist attraction. The new wellness tour includes a special treatment programme, swimming, horse riding and other outdoor activities at a resort located near his farm. Donenbayev decided to unite his farm with a wellness centre to…

ASTANA – Sitting at the core of mass culture, various genres of popular music attract different age groups. In Kazakhstan, pop culture depends enormously on mainstream television and radio station ratings. At the same time, there are a wide range of so-called toi music artists, those who perform at the tois [large events like weddings…