Five-year-old artist holds charity exhibit to help children with visual impairments
ASTANA – Five-year-old artist Zere Dzhamalova raised 4 million tenge (US$11,614) for children with visual impairments at her personal exhibit in Almaty July 3. The funds were allocated for the Dara Charity Foundation, aimed at improving living conditions and expanding opportunities for orphans, sick children and those with limited abilities. The foundation carries out its…
Smart city innovations being implemented in cities throughout Kazakhstan
ASTANA – Smart city project innovations are being introduced in many sectors throughout the country, according to a report delivered by Minister of Information and Communications of Kazakhstan Dauren Abayev during a July 17 government meeting. “At the moment services such as an electronic gradebooks, kindergarten queue have already been digitised… The efficiency of the…
Summer business opportunities provide entrepreneurs with extra income
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s seasons affect certain businesses. The capital’s short summers are probably the most favourable time for fast income, with opportunities for both novice and experienced entrepreneurs. Selling refreshing drinks, kvass (bread juice) and beer has long been a popular way to earn money in the warm weather, as the seasonal business typically ensures…
We are all blacksmiths of our own happiness, says one of Kazakhstan’s 100 New Faces
ASTANA – A 55-year-old artisan from Semei preserves national crafts, making unique jewellery and traditional battle items from metal, leather, skin and bone. Abylaikhan Assylbai, the master with limited abilities but a strong will, has been named one of Kazakhstan’s 100 New Faces. “My father, grandfather and great-grandfather were engaged in crafts. This is in…
Kazakhstan improves position on Decoding Global Talent report
ASTANA – Kazakhstan placed 77th on the 2018 Decoding Global Talent report, improving from 129th in 2014. The Boston Consulting Group and The Network, an international online recruitment company, joined to create one of the largest surveys of labour trends and work preferences – 366,000 individuals in 197 countries, according to bcg.com. Kazakhstan is popular…
Kazakh economy minister notes slowing inflation, increasing investment in first half of 2018
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth reached 4.1 percent in the first half of the year, Minister of National Economy Timur Suleimenov said during a July 10 government meeting. The economic recovery comes as inflation continues to slow and investment is high. “Inflation has been steadily falling and reached its lowest point in…
Nika Centre for Communicative Development helps Kazakhs face their public speaking fears
ASTANA – For nearly 10 years Astana’s Nika Centre for Communicative Development has offered classes to improve public speaking as well as develop self-confidence and negotiating skills. “From 2009 to 2015, the organisation was called the Nika Centre for Oratory Skills. After introducing new educational courses, the centre was renamed the Nika Centre for Communicative…
Most Kazakh Finance Ministry services were provided in electronic format last year
ASTANA – The majority of services of the Kazakh Ministry of Finance were provided in electronic format in 2017, Minister Bakhyt Sultanov told a July 3 government meeting on digitisation. Of 18 million services last year, the ministry provided 16 million, or 88 percent, in electronic format, including through a specially designated web portal, egov.kz.…
Group works to make Kazakhstan’s sacred places available online
ASTANA – From snowy mountain peaks to ancient archaeological tombs, some of Kazakhstan’s sacred places were inspired by myths and legends. The Sacred Kazakhstan Science and Research Centre, established in May 2017, is implementing the Spiritual Relics of Kazakhstan project to unveil the nation’s sacred spots online. This year’s goal is to popularise these amazing…
Number of large Kazakh businesses declining
ASTANA – The number of large businesses in Kazakhstan decreased from 2,300 to 2,200 in the past year. Large companies closed in six regions of the country, reported finprom.kz. Nineteen large enterprises in Almaty ceased activities during the reporting period, which ended in May. The number fell to 488 compared to 507 a year earlier.…
Officials directed to speed up work on business regulation improvements
ASTANA – Kazakh Prime Minister Bakytzhan Sagintayev, speaking at the June 26 government meeting, instructed officials to accelerate introducing the normative legal acts (NLA) to improve the nation’s business environment. President Nursultan Nazarbayev signed the law May 24 to improve business regulations. The document is expected to advance and expand the business environment, as well…
Charyn Canyon officials to pave canyons dirt access road
ASTANA – The dirt access road leading to the Charyn Canyon, located 200 kilometres from Almaty, will be rebuilt as an asphalt surfaced road, inform.kz reports. The access road to the canyon, including the territory of the Charyn Canyon National Park ran along a dirt road, which extended from the asphalt-surfaced highway. Large tourist buses…
Archbishop of Astana: Kazakhstan supports peace and harmony at home and abroad
ASTANA – The Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions points the whole world toward Kazakhstan’s path of peace-building, archbishop of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Saint Mary in Astana and president of Bishops’ Conference of Kazakhstan told the Astana Times. “First of all, we should congratulate our President, Nursultan Nazarbayev, on this noble idea.…
Astana: The City of Peace international conference addresses smart city initiatives
ASTANA – In the past 20 years, the city has become the largest scientific, cultural and business centre in Kazakhstan. To mark the 20th anniversary of the nation’s capital, local officials and foreign guests gathered June 5 for Astana: The City of Peace international conference. One session focused on the urban area’s smart city initiatives,…
Astana tourism official discusses capital’s 20th anniversary celebrations
ASTANA – As Astana approaches its 20th anniversary July 6, Astana Convention Bureau Director Saniyar Aitekenov recently spoke to The Astana Times about events and celebrations related to the anniversary. “Over the whole year, residents and guests of Astana enjoy an extensive festive programme of 618 events, including both traditional and new concerts, shows, exhibitions…
OTOSOTR: WWII monodrama to be performed in UK and US
ASTANA – OTOSOTR (On the Other Side of the River), directed by Tatyana Kim and performed by Kazakh actor Anatoliy Ogay, has been included in the official programme of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the world’s largest theatre festival, in August and the main programme of United Solo, the largest solo performance festival, in New York…
Paper nomads: Almaty residents warm to book crossing
ASTANA – Book crossing, a social movement aimed at the mass distribution and exchange of books, is gaining popularity in Almaty. All it takes to join the movement is a book and a public space: book lovers bring books to public places and leave them so they can be picked up and read by others.…
Officials report on children’s summer recreation programmes
ASTANA – At least 2.5 million children will be provided with recreational activities during summer vacation, said Kazakh Minister of Education and Science Yerlan Sagadiyev during the May 29 government meeting. As the youngsters begin their holiday, officials considered organising health-related recreation and leisure events. Sagadiyev noted 2.815 million Kazakh children are enrolled in grades…
Karaganda resident creates exoskeleton to help individuals with physical challenges
ASTANA – Novice Karaganda inventor Vyacheslav Litvinov has produced portable rehabilitation exoskeletons intended for individuals with locomotor apparatus damage and those who have lost the ability to move independently, according to kapital.kz. An exoskeleton is a special wearable device that restores lost functions, strengthening human muscles and expanding the amplitude of a person’s movements. “The…
Shymkent hosts first Kazakh-Uzbek business forum
ASTANA – Approximately 400 business persons participated May 22 in the first Kazakh-Uzbek business forum in Shymkent, the press service of the South Kazakhstan region’s akimat (administration) reports. Forum participants discussed trade and economic cooperation. Uzbekistan is Kazakhstan’s largest trade partner in Central Asia. Bilateral trade increased almost 50 percent in the first quarter this…
India and Kazakhstan have excellent relations, says Indian ambassador
ASTANA – Relations between Kazakhstan and India have a long history. At the beginning of the first millennium, the Sakas went from Central Asia to India and Buddhism from India was introduced in Kazakhstan. The Great Silk and Spice Routes united India and Kazakhstan in the Middle Ages. There was a constant exchange of goods,…
Kazakhstan embraces capoeira
ASTANA – The combination of Brazilian dance, music and fighting known as capoeira has found a foothold in Kazakhstan. “I train children and teenagers, promote capoeira and cultural exchange. I think that children and their parents are attracted by the acrobatic elements and communication in the capoeira group. In no other martial art, I have…
Deutsches Theatre in Kazakhstan: in sync with times
ASTANA – Deutsches Theatre (Republican German Drama Theatre), the first German diaspora theatre in the Soviet Union, opened in December 1980 in the city of Temirtau. As the troupe celebrates its 38th birthday this year, it remains the only German theatre in the post-Soviet space. The initial and continuing feature of the troupe is youth…
Kazakh officials consider tax breaks to grow domestic film industry
ASTANA – The Kazakh Ministry of Culture and Sports is proposing to reduce the tax burden on the domestic film industry, including exempting cinemas from the corporate income tax (CIT) while releasing locally shot films, according to inform.kz. “Thus, local films will get priority over foreign movies,” Director of Legal Services Department of the Ministry…
Kazakh GDP grew 3.8 percent in January-April 2018
ASTANA – Kazakh economic activity continues to maintain positive dynamics, though with some slowdown. GDP growth from January-April fell slightly to 3.8 percent, compared to the growth of 4 percent year on year last year, noted Minister of National Economy Timur Suleimenov during the May 15 government meeting. “In the meantime, the labour market remains…
