Orteke Kazakh Art: Strings That Tie Music and Puppetry Together (Video)
ASTANA – An interplay of musical performance and a tiny bit of puppetry magic is unveiled in the ancient Kazakh traditional orteke art form, which last month was included in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. In the hands of a skillful dombra…
Astana Opera to Premiere Kalkaman-Mamyr Love Story in New Opera-Ballet Genre
ASTANA – The Astana Opera is staging a premiere of “Kalkaman-Mamyr” in a new genre combining elements of opera and ballet, a few days ahead of the New Year celebration on Dec. 28 and 29, reported Astana Opera press service. The opera-ballet is an adaptation of a prominent Kazakh poet Shakarim Kudaiberdiuly’s tale of two…
Croatian Tourism and Sports Deputy Minister Reveals Ambitious Plans with Kazakhstan to Develop Tourism, Launch Direct Flight to Croatia
ASTANA – The launch of a direct flight between Kazakhstan and Croatia is among the key initiatives to enhance the cooperation in tourism between the two countries in the upcoming year, said the State Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of Croatia, Tonći Glavina in an interview with The Astana Times, as part…
Kazakhstan Celebrates 100 Years of Kazakh Novelist and WWII Veteran Azilkhan Nurshaikhov
ASTANA – Kazakhstan celebrates a century since the birth of Azilkhan Nurshaikhov, a Kazakh writer and journalist on Dec. 15. His writing had a rare depth of vision and attentiveness to the characters around him, probably derived from his experience as a WWII frontline soldier. Nurshaikhov is best known for the novel “Years of Joy…
UNDP, Kazakh Association of Agro and Rural Tourism Conduct Training Seminars on Cultivating Tourism in the Regions
AKMOLA REGION – As interest in rural or agricultural tourism grows, the Kazakhstan Association of Agro and Rural Tourism (KAART) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) organized a series of training seminars in rural areas to educate farmers about the advantages of sustainable agro and rural tourism. More than 100 farmers participated in the…
Christmas Charity Bazaar Held By ASA in Astana Raises More Than $80,000
ASTANA – Good news and tidings from the Ambassadors Spouses Association (ASA), the organizers of the 13th Christmas Charity Bazaar, that raised 38.5 million tenge (US$81,500) at the charity event on Dec. 4. All proceeds will go to 35 charities in Kazakhstan. The Christmas bazaar filled the open space of the Radisson Hotel Astana with…
Astana Ballet Premiers “Snow Queen,” Festive Family Treat Ahead of Winter Holidays
ASTANA – The Astana Ballet theatre presented its last premiere for 2022, “The Snow Queen” – a ballet inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s much-loved fairytale that invited attendees to a winter wonderland on Dec. 3. The ballet begins with what promises to be one’s journey back to their childhood, where the icy queen meets the…
Shertpe Kui Festival of Kazakh Traditional Music Fathoms Heritage of Steppe Rhythms
ASTANA – Kazakh national music kui, traditionally played on dombra or kobyz, captivates fans from all over Kazakhstan. The music has become so popular that it prompted the Kazakh Ministry of Culture and Sport to organize a festival of traditional music Shertpe Kui that took place in Almaty during Dec. 1-3, promoting the music genre…
Kazakhstan Celebrates 355 Years of Prominent Kazakh Judge and Mediator Kazybek Bi, Honors His Universal Relevance
ASTANA – Kazakhstan celebrates 355 years of arguably one of the greatest Kazakh judges and a master of the word, Kazybek bi (bi – noble judge), who used language to unite the Kazakh people under one ruler and settle cross-border, regional and local disputes. Kazakhstan is home to several of the region’s greatest orators and…
Togyzkumalak World Championship in Aktobe Shines Light on Ancient Kazakh Board Game Where Intelligence and Tradition at Play
ASTANA – The sixth Togyzkumalak (nine pellets) World Championship started in Aktobe on Nov. 21 showcasing the traditional Kazakh board game also known as the “chess of the steppes” or the “algebra of the shepherds.” Spanning over a week until Nov. 27, the championship gathered 80 professional players from 20 countries, including the United States,…
Annual Christmas Charity Bazaar Back in Astana Celebrating the Spirit of Giving
ASTANA – After two years of social restrictions, coming together has never felt more vital for the Christmas Charity Bazaar, the largest charity event organized by the Ambassadors Spouses Association (ASA) on Dec. 4 at the Radisson Hotel in Astana. The ASA President Lenise Correa Barbosa spoke to The Astana Times about the history of…
Tokayev Announces Senate Election Date, Approves Agriculture Development Plan
ASTANA – Newly re-elected President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced the date of the Senate, the upper house of the Kazakh Parliament, election for Jan. 14, 2023, and approved the rural development plan for the next five years, following the inauguration ceremony on Nov. 26. “Now is not the time to celebrate the election victory, but to…
International Observers Commend Voter Turnout, Report No Violations
ASTANA – International observers highlighted a relatively high voter turnout and reported no serious violations that could impact the Nov. 20 election results. Almost all polling stations completed their mission in Kazakhstan at 8 p.m. Astana time. This year, Kazakhstan’s CEC accredited 641 international observers, including 532 observers from 10 international organizations as well as…
New Documentary on Aral Sea to Explore Hope and Optimism Through People Devoted to Build Better Tomorrow (With Exclusive Film Stills)
ASTANA – From the fourth largest lake in the world to the youngest desert on earth the new documentary on the Aral Sea named “Mission: Find Aral” will take the viewers on a journey exploring the past, the struggles of the present, and the yearning for a brighter future of the Aral Sea. The Astana…
Monument and Complete Collection of Works Honor Legacy of Kazakh Nation’s Teacher Akhmet Baitursynuly
ASTANA – A monument in Almaty honoring the founding father of the Kazakh alphabet Akhmet Baitursynuly, and an extended 12-volume collection of his works were presented to a broad audience on Nov. 16, as the celebrations of Baitursynuly’s 150th anniversary continue across Kazakhstan. A titanic figure in the educational history of 20th-century Kazakhstan, Baitursynuly is…
Kazakhstan and EU Agree to Strengthen Cooperation in Trade, Energy, Digital, and Logistics During EU Top Official Josep Borrell’s Visit
ASTANA – Kazakhstan and the European Union (EU) plan to enhance cooperation in trade, digital, energy, and transport, announced Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mukhtar Tileuberdi and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission Josep Borrell during a press conference on Nov. 17…
Experience Kazakhstan and Central Asia Like a Local: Indy Guide Showcases Hidden Gems Through Sustainable Tourism
ASTANA – Imagine being guided through the Altai mountains listening to local tales or learning about early trade and commerce at the site of an ancient city along the Silk Road from local travel experts. Indy Guide, the largest regional booking platform in Central Asia that connects guests with verified local hosts, might make this…
Kazakh Foreign Minister and Central Election Commission Chairman Brief Diplomatic Corps on Preparations for Presidential Election
ASTANA – Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mukhtar Tileuberdi and Chairman of the Central Election Commission (CEC) Nurlan Abdirov presented a report on the preparation and conduct of the Nov. 20 presidential elections in Kazakhstan to the heads of diplomatic missions and representatives of international organizations at a briefing on Nov. 15…
Kazakh Writer Gabiden Mustafin Who Captured Essence of Soviet Working Class Turns 120 Years
ASTANA – Today on Nov. 13, Kazakhstan celebrates 120 years of Gabiden Mustafin, the leading Kazakh writer of the Soviet period who created outstanding stories on many aspects of Soviet life, with a focus on the working class. Through his writing, Mustafin represented a powerful image of the new things that the Soviet government brought…
Presidential Candidate Karakat Abden’s Campaign Focuses on Family and Traditional Values as Basis For Statehood
Editor’s note: As Kazakhstan heads to the presidential elections on Nov. 20, The Astana Times will contribute a series of articles in the format of reviews and interviews providing an outlook into the electoral programs of each of the candidates. ASTANA – The presidential candidate Karakat Abden has promised to create decent living conditions for…
Presidential Candidates Continue Campaigning in Regions
ASTANA – The second week of the election campaign period gain more visibility as the six candidates Karakat Abden, Nurlan Auesbayev, Zhiguli Dairabayev, Meiram Kazhyken, incumbent Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Saltanat Tursynbekova and their representatives continue meeting with the voters in the regions. With the election rules giving all six candidates an equal chance to be…
Kazakhstan Leads Central Asia and South Caucasus Region in UN E-Government Index, Says UN Chief of Digital Government
ASTANA – Kazakhstan ranked first in the Central Asian and South Caucasus region and 28th globally in the United Nations (UN) Global E-Government Development Index (EGDI) and its sub-indices, said Vincenzo Aquaro, UN Chief of Digital Government, during the briefing in Astana on Nov. 2. Aquaro said that the survey highlights that Kazakhstan continues to…
Otyrar Sazy Kazakh Folklore Orchestra Celebrates Four Decades Performing Timeless Tunes
ASTANA – An impressive lineup of musicians performed at an Oct. 28 concert of the Otyrar Sazy Kazakh Academic Folklore-Ethnographic orchestra that celebrated the four decades of the orchestra’s work with two hours of auditory and visual delights on stage at the Nazarbayev Center in Astana. Founded in 1982 by a prominent Kazakh composer and…
A Close Look at the First Week of Kazakhstan’s Presidential Election Campaign
ASTANA – Less than a month ahead of the presidential election, the campaign of six registered candidates, including Karakat Abden, Nurlan Auesbayev, Zhiguli Dairabayev, Meiram Kazhyken, incumbent Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, and Saltanat Tursynbekova, starts to gain traction with candidates traveling across Kazakhstan to introduce their electoral programs. The campaign period that will last till Nov. 18…
From Fireworks to Congratulations From Space: How Kazakhstan and World Celebrate Republic Day
ASTANA – Kazakhstan and the world celebrated Republic Day on Oct. 25 for the first time since 2009 with festive events that included the raising of the national flag and fireworks across the country and abroad, the display of the flag on the highest skyscraper in Dubai, and a space crew congratulations. The national flag…
