Articles by Julia Rutz

ASTANA – The Astana EXPO 2017 national company has completed the final version of the 200-page registration dossier and has submitted it to the International Exhibitions Bureau (BIE) for consideration, Minister for Environment of Kazakhstan Nurlan Kapparov revealed. The EXPO 2017 registration dossier is the main document of the exhibition, like an expo constitution. According…

ASTANA – On Oct. 10, the capital of Kazakhstan hosted the Astana International Auto Salon 2013 international automobile exhibition for the first time. Automakers from 14 countries including Germany, Japan, the USA, South Korea, the Czech Republic and Russia gathered to present brand new vehicles to the public and create a platform for productive commercial…

ASTANA, Sept. 26 – The Ukrainian and Kyrgyz prime ministers joined for the first time on Sept. 25 the prime ministers of Kazakhstan, Russia and Belarus for a meeting of the Eurasian Economic Council at the level of heads of governments here. The Eurasian Economic Council is the regulating body of the Customs Union and…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s three-year Support for Vocational Education and Training programme wrapped up with a conference in Astana on Sept. 27 after helping more than 1,000 participants attend training sessions, apprenticeships and overseas study courses. Launched in October 2010, the project aimed at stimulating the growth of Kazakhstan’s economy and securing the demand for labour…

ASTANA – Tourists and locals who want to learn to get their groove on can drop in on free dance classes offered by the Astana Dance Club on Saturday and Sunday evenings at the Radisson Hotel. The classes are free of charge and begin at 7 p.m. and are taught in English, Russian, and French.…

ASTANA – Every bride wants the sun to shine on her special day. That is why summer is the most chosen season in which to hold a wedding. The warm weather allows for special open air ceremonies with unusual themes and decorations. This year was no exception. According to state statistics, from January to July,…

ASTANA – The Globalisation of Art international exhibition dedicated to Teacher’s Day opened to the public on Sept. 5th at the Palace of Schoolchildren and will run until Oct. 25. The exhibition, which includes sculptures and impressionist paintings, many of which are visiting Astana for the first time, has been arranged in collaboration with the…

ASTANA – Experts at the Sept. 20-21 first International Scientific Conference on Eurasian Regional Studies, “India and Central Asia: Facing the Challenges Together and Prospects for Cooperative Peace,” discussed regional security, sustainable development and partnership building, among other issues. The conference was held at Gumilyov Eurasian National University (ENU) and was organised by the Centre…

ASTANA – The recently opened Arasan Alakol Resort Hotel offers health retreats along with entertainment opportunities in one of the most pristine and remote tourist destinations on Alakol Lake. Vacationers on the Alakol shores can choose to stay in tents or in cottages that include full-time security and wireless internet. The resort has a restaurant…

ASTANA – Repercussions for regional security in Central Asia following the withdrawal of US-led military forces from Afghanistan and the unresolved status of the Caspian Sea continue to remain among the most important security challenges for the region, Kazakh and British experts pointed out at a recent gathering. Astana-based Center for Military and Strategic Research…

ASTANA – On Sept. 22, the most adventurous and anticipated paint race will finally come to the capital. The so-called colour run (or yarkokross) has its origins in India where every year thousands of Hindus participate in the festival Holi or a spring festival known as the festival of colours. During this event, participants throw…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan and UNESCO joined forces on Aug. 23 to host an international forum dedicated to the International Decade for the Rapprochement of Cultures and to promote international intercultural dialogue. The forum was held in Astana’s Palace of Independence and will provide the basis for Kazakhstan’s rapprochement plans for the next decade. Imangali Tasmagambetov,…

ASTANA – Children and adults of all ages gathered Aug. 23 in a large tent city at the Fishing Dream fishing site in the Almaty mountains for the three-day, fourth annual Four E Festival. The name of the festival, Four E, stands for environmental, ethnic, emotional and evolution, the four pillars of the festival’s philosophy.…

ASTANA – A group of senior citizens in the area of the Semipalatinks nuclear test site, which was devastated by Soviet-era nuclear weapons testing, gathered in Astana Aug. 29 to commemorate the United Nations International Day Against Nuclear Tests and to raise awareness about the dreadful human and environmental consequences of nuclear weapons tests. The…

ASTANA – Astana residents and visitors celebrated fifth annual Nelson Mandela International Day, also known as Mandela Day, on July 18 at the Radisson Hotel in Astana. The celebration was organized by the South African Embassy in cooperation with the Embassy of India and included two events. One of the events was a free yoga…

ASTANA – The first regional forum, “The Covenant of Mayors – a Way to Sustainable Energy Development on Local, National and Regional Levels,” was held June 28 in the Palace of Independence. The forum was part of the June 24-29 Sustainable Energy Week Astana and served as a meeting place for industry experts, policy-makers and…

ASTANA – A year ago, Café Scientifique, a public initiative to create new ways of relating to science, appeared in Almaty. The initiative has been a great success here so far and is connecting people interested in issues in the sciences. Café Scientifique was first organised in the late 20th century in Leeds, England. From…

ASTANA – On June 28, the InterNations Astana network held another one of its regular expatriate get-togethers, this time at Why Not Lounge Bar. The InterNations community in Astana organises events to help local expatriates find other foreigners and gather reliable, on-the-ground information and advice about life in Kazakhstan. InterNations is a worldwide social network…

ASTANA – On June 14, Nordic cooking master classes were organised by the Embassy of the Kingdom of Norway in the Metro supermarket and the Radisson Hotel as a response to the growing demand for freshly frozen fish in Kazakhstan. The Nordic cooking class in the Radisson Hotel was officially opened by Ambassador of Norway…

ASTANA – The second Dutch week, an event intended to present the Dutch culture to the Kazakhstan public and raise awareness about cooperation between the two countries, kicked off June 10 in Astana. The event is supported by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and includes a wide range of cultural, social and…

ASTANA – On May 30, Travel Notes, the month-long solo exhibition of French-Croatian painter, sculptor and Goodwill Ambassador Jasenka Tucan-Vaillant officially opened at the Museum of Modern Art. The exhibition is being held under the patronage of Ambassador of France to Kazakhstan Jean-Charles Bertonnet. The Embassy of France in Kazakhstan together with the French Alliance…

ASTANA – On May 25, the Week of African culture was launched in Astana. The celebrations were dedicated to the 50th Anniversary of the African Union. The first day of the celebrations took place at Radisson Hotel. Egyptian Ambassador Mrs. Nabila Ibrahim Salama Farhana, the Charge d’Affaires of the Embassy of Libya Abdalkrim A. K.…