Articles by Dana Omirgazy

ASTANA – EXPO 2017 has only been open five of its 13 weeks, yet based on the early attendance figures Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) Deputy Secretary General Dimitri Kerkentzes believes the exhibition will rightfully be called a success. An average of 22,800 guests a day visited the expo in its first week, according to…

ASTANA – Urban leaders gathered for the 25th International Assembly of CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) Capitals and Major Cities July 13-14 to discuss a new programme of sustainable development as a response to global challenges. Akim (Mayor) Asset Issekeshev spoke on the first day about specific plans for the capital. “In accordance with the…

ASTANA – Fifteen-year-old Taraz resident Isaac Mustopulo, who is committed to helping Kazakh children with special needs receive a full-fledged education, participated in the Human Library under the Perception Change Project, a creative communications initiative of the United Nations Office in Geneva. The July 18 event in the Swiss Pavilion at EXPO 2017 focused on…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan confirmed July 12 its commitment to agreements between the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and non-OPEC countries to reduce oil production until April 2018. “I want to say that Kazakhstan will try to fulfil its obligations on all signed agreements. Our commitments were taken last year and extended at the…

ASTANA – International experts and city planning specialists and heads of large construction companies discussed urban development and shared international and local expertise at the July 7 First Urban Forum “DNA of the City: Communities. Business. Power” with the participation of Akim (Mayor) of Astana Asset Issekeshev. Issekeshev opened the first panel discussion devoted to…

ASTANA – Kazakh Minister of Healthcare Yelzhan Birtanov spoke about using artificial intelligence (AI) to diagnose and treat oncological diseases at a July 11 government meeting. “Together with the IBM multinational technology company, we plan to launch a pilot project on the use of artificial intelligence in health care, particularly in the field of oncology.…

ASTANA – EXPO 2017 played host to the celebration of several more countries’ national days last week, in this round Venezuela, Latvia and Azerbaijan. Venezuela marked its National Day July 8 with the participation of Venezuelan Deputy Foreign Minister Felix Plasencia and Kazakh Deputy Minister of Defence Talgat Mukhtarov. “The policy and achievement of the…

ASTANA – Participants of the fifth round of the Syrian talks wrapped up an inconclusive second day at the negotiating table in Astana July 5, after attempting to finalise the boundaries of the de-escalation zones in Syria and break the deadlock over who will police them. The latest round of peace talks on Syria took…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s government approved June 27 a Concept of Tourism Development until 2023, which incorporates international best practices in state support of tourism and reconfigures some established tourist clusters. Presenting the document, Minister of Culture and Sports Arystanbek Mukhamediuly noted that the concept analysed the international experience of some countries that have defined tourism…

ASTANA – The Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) is set to start a roadmap launching gas exchange trading in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). The decision was announced at the Russian Federal Antimonopoly Service gas subcommittee meeting with the participation of representatives from the EAEU, EEC and St. Petersburg International Commodity Exchange (SPIMEX), according to an…

ASTANA – Nazarbayev University (NU) held its third graduation ceremony last month, awarding 728 bachelor’s and master’s degrees and for the first time presenting nine PhDs. With sheepskins in hand, what are the students’ next steps? According to statistics from 2015-2016 provided by the NU Career and Advising Centre, 54.3 percent of alumni took jobs…

ASTANA – Parks become attractive places in the summer where people can spend an hour or two or even a whole day with family or friends. The capital’s green and picturesque open spaces are perfect for those looking for some peace and quiet in the city. The metropolitan parks will become even more beautiful and…

ASTANA – EXPO 2017 is bringing people from all around the world to Astana, connecting them through dialogue while focusing the world’s attention on the enormous opportunities in moving to sustainable energy. The international event highlights the reality that this is a global effort and countries must work together to share ideas and solve these…

ASTANA – Astana Opera theatre artists gained a double victory at the June 5-10 Valentina Kozlova International Ballet Competition (VKIBC) in New York, according to the theatre’s press service. Principal Dancer of the Astana Opera ballet Bakhtiyar Adamzhan became the first winner of the Grand Prix in the Classical Dance category in the history of…

ASTANA – The June 11-15 first international Festival of Nomadic Peoples at the recently launched Ethno Aul near the city’s hippodrome has helped share elements of nomadic culture, tengrinews.kz reports. Kazakh bands Tigrahaud, Hapanasasa and singer NAsia, as well as the Abbos band from Uzbekistan and the Argymak band from Bashkortostan performed ethnic folk-rock to…

ASTANA – The Kazakh-language version of Chinese President’s book “Xi Jinping: The Governance of China” was presented June 5 in the Library of the First President in Astana. Deputy head of the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China Tuo Zhen said the book demonstrated China’s development theory and path,…

ASTANA – The Kazakh capital is turning into the world’s largest performance venue this summer. During the more than 90 days of EXPO 2017, the city will offer a rich cultural and entertaining programme featuring local and foreign artists. The Astana Opera House and Astana Ballet Theatre have unveiled the upcoming performance schedule. “Abai,” the…

ASTANA – International representatives of political and business circles gathered at the June 1-3 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF). More than 100 events were devoted to the main topic – the search for a new balance in the global economy. At least 12,000 people from 130 countries participated. “Last year, Kazakhstan chaired the Eurasian…

ASTANA – KAZGUU University’s (Kazakh Humanities and Law Institute) Higher School of Economics hosted the second international scientific conference May 19-20 titled “Academic Integrity and University Governance.” Representatives of the Kazakh Ministry of Education and Science, professors and researchers from universities and major academic centres in the United States, Great Britain, Belgium, the Netherlands, the…

ASTANA – Eighteen-year-old Rakhat-Bi Abdysagin recently defended his master’s thesis at Kazakh National University of Arts (KazNUA), reported tengrinews.kz. Abdysagin became a student at the Kurmangazy Kazakh National Conservatory at 13, while simultaneously studying piano under maestro Konstantin Bogino at Accademia Musicale S. Cecilia di Bergamo in Italy. After graduating from both schools four years…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan and China signed the protocol on inspection, quarantine and sanitary requirements for honey exported from Kazakhstan to China during President Nursultan Nazarbayev’s official visit to China and his participation in the May 14-15 Belt and Road forum for international cooperation in Beijing. Kazakh Vice Minister of Agriculture Gulmira Issayeva and Chinese Chairperson…

ASTANA – Tore Naerland, president of Bike for Peace Norway (BFP), has been nominated for the Kazakhstan Peace Prize for a Nuclear Weapons Free World and Global Security, the nation’s equivalent of the Nobel Peace Prize. He has been fighting for peace, disarmament and democracy on the planet and promoting peace by organising biking and…

ASTANA – Huawei recently opened the first in Kazakhstan Huawei Authorised Information and Network Academy (HAINA) in Almaty based on the Kazakh-British Technical University (KBTU), according to the company’s press service. The HAINA project will be a platform to train specialists in information and communication technologies (ICT) and telecommunications spheres. The laboratory is equipped with…

ASTANA – Aktobe-born and raised, Gulsaya Tuleu has been teaching, choreographing and performing lively and exciting salsa for years at Baila Society (BASo) in dynamic and multicultural Toronto. One of the most graceful dance forms, salsa inspires millions of people worldwide with the flexibility of its movements and energetic music. “Throughout my childhood, I performed…

ASTANA – Married Astana couple Amir and Zulfiya Zhantassov have created the “Smart Monkey” kit to foster child development for children up to 10 years old. “My wife Zulfiya and I came up with this idea in the U.S. during our studies at university. Upon arrival in Kazakhstan, we decided to implement it. Our kits…