Kazakh Agro Sector Anticipates Good Harvest, Investment Increase
The 2015 agriculturalseasonwill be marked byglobal changesin the agricultural sector, according to the Kazakh Ministryof Agriculture. Expectations are that the state will increase its support of the sector in the current year. The acreagedevoted to wheat will be significantly reduced in order to increasecrop fields with a higher priorityin today’s market, such asoilseeds, fodder grain…
Air Astana Set to Lower Prices on Domestic Flights
Consumers will soon be paying less for Air Astana domestic flight tickets as the company decided on Feb. 14 to slash its fuel fee for domestic flights by 25 percent, airline Public Relations Manager Tlek Abdrakhimov announced recently. Fuel fees for flights between Astana and Almaty will now cost 4,500 tenge (US$24.29) instead of 6,000…
Russian, Japanese Companies Expected to Participate in Construction of Two Nuclear Power Plants in Kazakhstan
Russian and Japanese companies will be involved in plans to construct two nuclear power plants in Kazakhstan, according to Energy Minister Vladimir Shkolnik. It is planned that Rosatom, a Russian concern, will start construction in Kurchatov, a city in the eastern part of the country that was once a nuclear capital of the Soviet Union,…
Projects to Advance Kazakh Space Industry Near Completion
Kazkosmos projects aimed at creating a space industry in Kazakhstan are nearing completion, according to Chairman of the Aerospace Committee of the Kazakh Ministry of Investment and Development Talgat Mussabayev. “These projects will help the Kazakhstan space industry enter the global space market. Today, we can say that our country is already on a par…
Free Online English-Kazakh Dictionary Now Available
An online English – Kazakh dictionary is now operating on the www.eng-kaz.kz platform and is free to use, according to a recent report provided by the Diplomatic Bulletin. This electronic dictionary is considered by its creators to be a scientific project carried out in order to establish the English-Kazakh language channel as a direct link…
Book about Kazakhstan Presented in Italy
A new book, “Kazakhstan, the Centre of Eurasia,” was presented during the recent Fair Più Libri Più Liberi (More books, more freedom), one of the major Italian book fairs. The event was organised by the Kazakh Embassy in Italy in cooperation with Sandro Teti Editore, which is among the largest publishing houses in the country,…
Almaty Offers World-Class Ski Slopes and Training Facilities
Skiing is a sport that is popular around the globe and Almaty is quickly becoming known for its world-class skiing facilities. This city ringed by snowcapped peaks offers natural slopes and man-made training facilities. Among Almaty’s training facilities is a ski simulator known as Masterski club, which simulates the sensation of downhill skiing. “This type…
Self-Service Touchscreen ‘Infokiosks’ to be Installed throughout Kazakhstan in 2015
The company Digital City Showcases recently announced the launch of its new Urban Infokiosk project, which will install self-service, touchscreen information terminals in shop windows that will provide information about cultural and commercial events. The self-service kiosks, which will be built to withstand local climate conditions, will provide information in Kazakh, Russian and English. The…
Yurt Construction, Dombra Song Performance Added to UNESCO Heritage List
The ninth session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage reviewed new strategies to implement its goals and report on the status of eight elements inscribed on the Urgent Safeguarding List during the committee’s Nov. 24-28 meeting at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris. The Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage…
Legendary Rock Band Pink Floyd Urges Restoration of Aral Sea
Showing pictures of deserts and ships standing on rocks, British rock group Pink Floyd has released a new music video highlighting the problems of the Aral Sea dryout. “Louder Than Words” debuted on YouTube Nov. 7 and quickly topped the charts. In the video, young people are told about the great Aral Sea, which was…
Zhanar Dungalova Is the New Golden Voice of the Turkic World
The newest “Golden Voice of the Turkic World” belongs to Kazakh singer Zhanar Dungalova, winner of the recent Turkvision Song Contest. The competition was organised within the framework of the celebration programme dedicated to “Kazan – the cultural capital of Turkic world 2014.” Twenty-five vocalists competed for the award and the 15 with the highest…
New TV Series to Commemorate 550th Anniversary of Kazakh Statehood
The Kazakh Ministry of Culture and Sports has developed a programme, including a 20-episode television series, to celebrate in 2015 the 20th anniversary of the formation of the Assembly of People of Kazakhstan, the anniversary of the adoption of the country’s constitution and the 550th anniversary of the formation of the Kazakh Khanate, according to…
New City Sections to Be Built in Style of Different World Capitals
ASTANA – A landmark real estate project where each quarter of the city will match the style of a particular world capital was unveiled Nov. 5 by BI Group Holding. Known as BI City, the new design is expected to emerge around the Khan Shatyr shopping mall, located on the left side of the Yessil…
Kazakh Culture, Traditions on Display During Days of Astana in Paris
Kazakh culture, spiritual roots and traditions were presented to the French public during the Oct. 31 to Nov. 3 Days of Astana in Paris. The event will likely further develop bilateral relations between the two countries, according to Kazakh Ambassador to France Nurlan Danenov. The Kazakh Auyl (Kazakh village) exposition, located in front of the…
Effort Begins to Revive Endangered Przewalski Horse Population in Kazakhstan
Przewalski horses are expected to be delivered from Germany’s Nurnberg Zoo in an effort to revive the breed in Kazakhstan, according to a recent announcement by the press service of the Kazakh Ministry of Agriculture. “Since 2005, the Kazakhstan Association for Conservation of Biological Diversity together with the Forestry and Wildlife Committee and the Frankfurt…
New Park Zone Planned for Astana’s Left Bank
A new park zone is planned for Astana between Zhaukazyn and Makatayev streets on the left bank of the Yessil River. The tender for park construction was announced by the city’s Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control on Oct. 2. According to the official site of the Astana city administration, the new park zone…
Aktobe Development Plans Updated to Reflect Population Growth
A new plan to develop the western Kazakhstan city of Aktobe was approved by the maslikhat (regional assembly) during its 27th session on Oct. 15. The plan was forwarded to the government for further approval. According to the Director of the Municipal Architect’s Office Nurlan Buranbayev, the first version of this plan was approved in…
Award-Winning Kazakh Film Shown at London Festival
“Nagima,” a film by Kazakh director Zhanna Issabayeva, was presented during the recently completed BFI London Film Festival 2014. The heart-breaking story tells the tale of two girls who grew up in an orphanage in Almaty. “This is an art house film from my perspective. The plot is about discovering dark corners of our soul,…
Chinese, South Korean Companies Plan Investment in Kazakh Chemical Industry
Chinese and South Korean companies are said to plan to invest in a recently opened special economic zone, the Taraz Chemical Park, which was initiated by the United Chemical Company. Taraz chemical park will be located 15 kilometres from Shu in southern Kazakhstan’s Zhambyl Region. Chief Manager of the Technical Development Office of the United…
Kazakh Artist Shares Culture of Kazakhstan in Europe
Kazakh artist and winner of several international art awards Bolat Mekebayev, who now lives and works in Germany, bemused spectators with his honest and vivid paintings during an art festival at Kazakhstan National University of Arts in Astana in October, winning the award in the category “Kazakh Art Abroad.” The artist presented seven canvases telling…
Kа-226Т Helicopters to be Constructed in Almaty
Kа-226Т helicopters are expected to be constructed at Almaty-based aircraft repair plant No. 405, said Plant Director Konstantin Ushakov. The announcement was made by the Ministry of Investment and Development during an event to mark the 75th anniversary of the plant’s construction. During the celebration, the best workers were also awarded honorary certificates. “We are…
Almaty Art Exhibit Displays Hopes of Seriously Ill Children
“A Dream,” an art exhibition opened recently in Arman cinema hall in Almaty, displays paintings created by children who are suffering from leukemia and angiostaxis. The children attended workshops organised by Kazakh artist Marat Bekeev and sculptor Eduard Kazaryan in order to learn how to express their feelings on canvas. Every dream world imagined by…
Adventurers Cross the Country to Promote Youth Patriotism
Twenty adventurers are in the midst of a cross-country expedition to increase patriotic feelings among Kazakh youth and popularise the beauty and distinctive character of the country. Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev launched the expedition, titled Menin Elim – Mangilik El (My Country – Eternal Nation) on Oct. 1 in Aktau on the Caspian Sea, and…
Almaty Food Festival Offers Taste of France
Almaty visitors and residents were able to sample some of the best of Frenchcuisine during the Sept. 26-28 Festival de la Gastronomie Francaise. The festival was held in Almaty for the second time and took place in several restaurants, including Café de Paris, French Connection, Nova Vina La Cave, La Tartine, as well as on…
The Redlights Shake Up Moscow Rock Music Festival
The Astana-based rock band, The Redlights, won the grand prix at Indyushata 2014, the rock music festival that took place in September. The musicians performed seven music tracks from their repertoire at the festival whose name meaning turkey poults, actually came from the word Indie music direction. The Kazakh quintet plays dynamic rock music combined…
