Articles by Dana Omirgazy

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…

ASTANA – The Hungarian pavilion celebrated National Day Aug. 18 with a varied cultural programme. To commemorate the ethnic and economic ties between Kazakhstan and Hungary that have been traditionally strong and are still improving, the pavilion offered conventional folk music performed by the Kun-Captains Ensemble (representatives of the Union of Kuns, the Turkic people…

ASTANA – Talented international youth will gather in the Kazakh capital Aug. 15-25, as the city is hosting the Eurasian Music Games for the first time as part of the EXPO 2017 cultural programme. The main organisers of the event are Kazakh National University of Arts and European Foundation for Support of Culture (Malta). “I…

ASTANA – This summer, the capital is welcoming more tourists than ever. As EXPO 2017 nears its end, guests are seeking mementoes to take a piece of Kazakhstan home with them. The Sheberler Ayuly (Village of Crafts People) offers a variety of handmade products in national style. The exhibit, located near Baiterek monument, will be…

ASTANA – The Days of the South Kazakhstan region are coming Aug. 29-Sept. 3 to EXPO 2017. Artists from the southern part of the country will offer a colourful concert and programme, demonstrate historical and cultural heritage and present rare exhibits such as the sword of Kenessary Khan. Hundreds of unique exhibits will be delivered…

ASTANA – Prime Minister Bakytzhan Sagintayev visited the Akmola region Aug. 10 to assess the pace of tourism development, reported the prime minister’s press service. While touring the skiing base in the Burabai resort area, Sagintayev examined construction progress and learned about the current situation at the site. The facility, located on 140.5 hectares, is…

ASTANA – The Fallout, The Artwork of Karipbek Kuyukov, a personal exhibit featuring 20 paintings by the famous Kazakh artist and ATOM Project Honorary Ambassador, opened Aug. 9 at the Kazakh National Museum. The event, organised by the museum and supported by the Kazakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs, highlights the heavy consequences of nuclear weapons…

ASTANA – Over first six months of 2017, the volume of attracted investments in the South Kazakhstan region reached 180.6 billion tenge (US$543.78 million), having increased 33 percent compared to the same period last year, according to the regional akimat (administration) press service. Under the State Programme for Accelerated Industrial and Innovative Development, 162 projects…

ASTANA – Kazakh naval vessels are among the military fleets participating in the Sea Cup in Azerbaijan under the 2017 International Army Games. Approximately 300 sailors from Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, and the host nation are showing their skills in combat training in the Caspian Sea. The contest includes three stages: artillery salvos, preserving the ship’s…

ASTANA – Club Dobryakov Astana (Astana Club of Kind Souls) and its founder Gulmira Abdrasheva are uniting a variety of citizens to make the city cleaner and greener. Dozens of residents are volunteering to remove garbage and tidy up its suburbs. “Every morning we wake up, make the bed and brush our teeth. This is…

ASTANA – The public bicycle system of the Almaty Bike project recently expanded its service, making available for shared use an inexpensive means of transportation. The project, implemented by the Samruk Kazyna Sovereign Wealth Fund and Almaty’s Akimat (city administration), intends to make it easier to cycle in the city. The bike share system encourages…