The Interactive Map as a visual documentary database of collective memory about Sharaf Rashidov and how it helps in the educational process. November 6th, 2022 is the day of the 105th anniversary of the birth of an outstanding statesman, politician and diplomat, poet and writer, who led Uzbekistan in a difficult period, Sharaf Rashidovich Rashidov. […]
TUIT: Convergence of digital technologies in education … In order to achieve progress, we must master digital knowledge and modern information technologies. It will allow us to traverse along the shortest route of progress. Since, at present the information technologies are deeply penetrating all spheres in the world … (Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Address by the President […]
QUALITY ASSESSMENT OF PRESCHOOL EDUCATION IN RUSSIA Disclaimer: this article is based on the author’s personal experience of 10 years working in the educational system of Russia and represents the personal opinion. The question of assessing the quality of education itself is not new. However, in the period “before FES” (Federal Education Standart), almost all […]
The qualification of the teaching community The responsible work to strengthen the independence of Kazakhstan and to develop high spirituality and citizenship in the country is through education. The problem of organizing such a large-scale work is first of all closely related to the comprehensive retraining of teachers. The experience until today shows that the […]
Implementing the European standard in foreign language teaching through cooperative and collaborative learning The main purpose of learning a foreign language in higher education in the current conditions of development of higher education, is the development of communicative competence of students, as a result of which the future specialist should master communicative language competencies for […]
To change or not to change: time to decide For decades, Central Asian countries were establishing their national systems of education. Their primary task was to transform from mostly Russian language-based programs, teachers, and materials to national language-based ones. The second type of reform was implemented to embrace the new views on education goals: schools […]
Why Kazakhstan needs radical reform to modernize its education system and how it should be done Since its foundation in 1991, KIMEP University has provided its students with a world-class, Western-style education, unparalleled leadership training, and exceptional professional development and orientation. Many of the over 14,000 graduates have become prominent leaders and have made important […]
ORIENTAL STUDIES IN UZBEKISTAN: HISTORY AND MODERNITY The contribution to the development of education and science must always be timely and relevant with the standards accepted in the world. These two directions are fundamental in the all-round development of the country. Over the years of independence Uzbekistan has made significant progress in this regard. However, […]
Education system in the Republic of Belarus Higher educational institutions of the Mogilev region Education is a strategic State asset. The Republic of Belarus belongs to the group of countries with a high level of Human Development Index. The adult population literacy rate in Belarus has never been low, reaching 99.7% today. Upon indications of […]
The Kazakh National Agrarian Research University as a research university, has achieved success and recognition at the national level and aims to be recognized by the international scientific and educational community. The university cooperates with 137 leading universities and scientific centers of the world and is a member of 16 international associations and organizations for […]
Mobilizing knowledge management for dealing with climate change and Sustainable Development Goals The world’s communities face among many challenges related to climate change and rising economic and social problems, from unbearable hot weather in many parts of Europe and forest fires in many parts of Eurasia and Canada to damages to agricultural crops in many […]
HOW DO UNIVERSITIES CREATE SOCIAL IMPACT? THREE EXAMPLES FROM CENTRAL ASIA – THE HERITAGE ALLIANCE OF THE NEW SILK ROAD, CONSORTIUM OF GENDER SCHOLARS AND THE INTEGRITY PROJECT The 2021 European University Association report “University Without Walls” reminds us that the role of universities is changing. Universities do not operate as single entities but increasingly […]
“Science and Industrial Policy Options for Resource Rich Eurasia’’ The Silk Road which historically signifies this region in particular has lent itself to defining and placing Eurasia and Central Asia as a place for mobility where goods passed through from the East to the West and vice-versa. However, Eurasia as a producer of ideas, peoples […]
Tirana : European Capital of Youth 2022 aims to empower the future of education in Albania. Even as far back as 2017 UNICEF were celebrating the successes of a developing Albanian education system. “What is of importance for the country to celebrate is that not only Albanian children do better in academic achievement, but that […]
New Book Seeks to Help Fight Against Coming World Hunger…and Help Solve Other Critical Issues Together with the editors of Hertfordshire Press (Great Britain), the rector of KazNARU, Tlektes Yespolov, has published a new book, “The Kazakh Model for a research University”, dedicated to the research of the university. This invaluable experience can help the […]
A Master Comic Visits Schuchinsk For the first time, school children and students of the Burabay district had the opportunity to take part in master classes on the creation of comic books from Daniel Akhmed – the young author of British publishing house, Hertfordshire Press. Daniel, the young author of “The Final” graphic novel, made […]
The Independent Eurasian Film Festival Celebrates its Fourth Anniversary On May 19-25 in the heart of London (Romford) the IV ECG Film Festival, together with the Romford Film Festival, was held including the presentation of more than 10 Eurasian countries. The festival was organised by the British non-profit organization, the Eurasian Creative Guild (London), with […]
A Turkmen Tour of Fashion Simplicity without combinations Turkmen dress is simple and of the same type. Tunics worn next to the skin, wide trousers, gowns, fur coats, turbans, and takhi or tyubeteyki formed the basis of the wardrobes of both men and women. National Clothing – Male Costume If we take the men’s national […]
The Mysterious Cave Spring Discovering the cultural heritage of Kazakhstan Zhylagan-ata is located in the Turkestan region, it is included in the map of sacred Kazakhstan and is among the most valuable monuments of the country’s natural heritage. The legend of this place is characterised by the places of a special child. But no one knows […]
Greening Cities Through Green Campuses Over the past few years, the themes of sustainable development and the challenges related to climate change are rapidly moving from the pages of academic journals and academic conferences to the front pages of popular newspapers, TV talk shows, and social media. Even everyday discussions of ordinary citizens often go […]
Introducing the Desert Monitor The desert monitor is a large lizard, reminiscent of a dragon, and commanding instinctive respect from anyone who sees it. It is common throughout the Central Asian steppe, can weigh up to 3 kg and grow up to one and a half metres long. Desert monitors can also be found in […]
M@RCH CONTACT INTERNATIONAL FORUM The International Youth Theatre Forum “M@rch.Contact” dates back to 2006. The city of Mogilev of the Republic of Belarus plays host each year. To date, the Forum is one of the most anticipated cultural events in Belarus in the theatrical arena. In its fifteen-year history, the Forum has gathered participants from […]
A ‘Stan’ No More? – Should Kazakhstan Change its Name? In recent months, in a bid to rebrand and distance itself from its often turbulent neighbours, the perennial question of whether Kazakhstan should change its name has raised its head once more. First mooted by Nursultan Nazarbayev back in February 2014, the former president argued […]
130th anniversary of the outstanding Azerbaijani dramatist, Huseyn Javid “Damn all life, all the Universe, if all the glorious world wars, bloody battles won’t generate love in the end, universal love” Huseyn Javid, Extract from the play “Amir Timur” Biography The outstanding poet and playwright, Huseyn Javid, was born in 1882 in the ancient Azerbaijani […]
Sharaf Rashidov – Man and Politician Celebrating the 105th anniversary of his birth In the autumn of 2022 the 105th anniversary of the birth of Sharaf Rashidovich Rashidov will be celebrated. A famous statesman of Uzbekistan and the Soviet Union, he made a huge personal contribution to the economic and social development of Uzbekistan between […]
‘You call your luxury yacht “Titanic,” and it sinks soon after that.’ Does the issue sound relevant to you? Can the name really determine the future? We won’t dig into the roots of the question, but if it makes sense to you, then let’s continue with this point: name is destiny. That’s why it’s so […]
Iran on the Horizon: Future Prospects for Central Asian Rapprochement In recent years, China has propelled itself to the position of Central Asia’s leading external partner – in the process, investing previously unthinkable sums of money in the region and expanding its political and economic influence. However, Iran, whilst currently unable to compete with China […]
2 Years Protecting the Business Environment It is now nearly three years since I resigned as a UK diplomat and subsequently took up the challenge of becoming the first Business Ombudsman of the Kyrgyz Republic, a project funded by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and a partnership with the government and business. While […]
HOW BRITAIN BECAME THE JURISDICTION OF CHOICE FOR DIRTY MONEY AN INTERVIEW WITH DAME MARGARET HODGE A long-serving politician for the British Labour Party and holder of many ministerial positions during her distinguished career, on February 3rd Dame Margaret Hodge caused a stir in the House of Commons by calling on the government to sanction […]
Central Asian Economies Face Difficult Times in 2022 The full-scale military invasion of Ukraine by the Russian armed forces and the subsequent series of unprecedented sanctions adopted by Western countries against Russia have led to significant economic consequences not only for the culpable but also for the whole world, especially the former Soviet republics. Among […]
NEW UZBEKISTAN SEEKS CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS On May 20, 2022 the Constitutional Commission was established to develop proposals for constitutional amendments as part of a “New Uzbekistan” image refit. This Constitutional Commission is comprised of deputies and senators from all regions, representatives from various social strata, civil society institutions, leading lawyers, political scientists, and other […]
Raisa Gorbacheva – Remembering the First Lady of the USSR By Stephen M. Bland This year marks the 90th anniversary of the birth of Raisa Gorbacheva. The wife of Mikhail Gorbachev, Raisa was a brilliant sociologist in her own right, and as the first visible First Lady of the Soviet Union, became a sensation in […]
Tirana: European Capital of Youth 2022 aims to empower the future of Albania. The European Youth Capital is awarded by the European Youth Forum, which aims to empower young people, boost their participation and strengthen European identity. To find out more about Albania’s role as host of European Capital 2022, and how to inspire the […]
LET OTHER PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT YOU! INTERVIEW: TATIANA ZHUKOVA OCA Magazine: Tell us, please, about yourself and your creative activity / work Tatiana Zhukova: I am Ukrainian, born and raised in Odessa. For the last 10 years I have been working in the field of personnel management. Since 2021, I am a PhD student in […]
EVERY NEW DAY IS A NEW OPPORTUNITY INTERVIEW: SURIYA YESSENTAYEVA OCA Magazine: Tell us, please, about yourself and your creative activity / work Suriya Yessentayeva: I am 57 years old with 3 daughters and 2 granddaughters who I love very much. I am also an oncologist, a chemotherapist. I have been working in this field […]
LIVE AND LEARN INTERVIEW: BARSHAGUL TLEPINA OCA Magazine: Tell us, please, about yourself and your creative activity / work Barshagul Tlepina: My name is Barshagul Tlepina, I am 46 years old, I was born in the Aktobe region, live and work in Almaty. My first education is medical. I successfully realised myself in medicine, currently […]
OCA Magazine: Tell us, please, about yourself and your creative activity / work Elena Titenko: My name is Elena Titenko, I was born in the South of Russia in a family of Kuban Cossacks. I spent all my childhood and youth in a small village on the Black Sea coast. There you can look at […]
“POETRY IS MY UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE” INTERVIEW: MARINA SHKROBOVA-VERNALIS OCA Magazine: Tell us, please, about yourself and your creative activity / work Marina Shkrobova-Vernalis: My name is Marina Shkrobova-Vernalis. I`m a poet, artist, actress, by first education-teacher, candidate of pedagogical sciences, holder of the gold badge “Knight of Humane Pedagogy”, by second education – diplomat, graduate […]
MY WHOLE FAMILY ARE CREATIVE PEOPLE INTERVIEW: ANASTASIA SHEVCHENKO OCA Magazine: Tell us, please, about yourself and your creative activity / work Anastasia Shevchenko: I was born and grew up in a small closed city of Novouralsk. My whole family are creative people, so at an early age I realized that my life would be […]
“I WAS NOT INTERESTED IN ANYTHING BUT MOVIES..” INTERVIEW: MAXUD SARSEMBAYEV OCA Magazine: Tell us, please, about yourself and your creative activity / work Maxud Sarsembayev: My name is Maxud Sarsembayev. I am a director, screenwriter, video editor and photographer. I’ve been writing scripts with my co-writer and co-director Mansur Sarsembayev, for six years. The […]
THE GOAL IS SELF-REALIZATION INTERVIEW: MANSUR SARSEMBAYEV OCA Magazine: Tell us, please, about yourself and your creative activity / work MS: I am Mansur Sarsembayev, a big fan of cinematography and everything related to it. I started my screenwriting career together with my co-writer Maxud Sarsembayev back in 2016. Since then, we’ve written over 20 […]
MY GOAL IN LIFE IS TO BE NEEDED BY PEOPLE INTERVIEW: NAZYM SAPAROVA OCA Magazine: Tell us, please, about yourself and your creative activity / work Nazym Saparova: I was fond of reading from early childhood. I especially loved fairy tales of the peoples of the world. I wrote my first fairy tale at the […]
LISTEN ONLY TO YOUR INNER WORLD INTERVIEW: AIGUL RYSKULBEKOVA OCA Magazine: Tell us, please, about yourself and your creative activity / work Aigul Ryskulbekova: Once, when I was studying at school, my friend asked me to make a birthday card for him, and from that moment I started to write my poetry, songs, fairy tales […]
LOVE WILL ALWAYS PAVE THE WAY TO A SUCCESSFUL FUTURE! INTERVIEW: NATALYA ROVENSKAYA OCA Magazine: Tell us, please, about yourself and your creative activity / work Natalya Rovenskaya: I moved to Bulgaria from my birthplace in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, five years ago and live in Balchik with my Bulgarian partner Yan. I graduated from Tashkent Conservatory […]
AT ANY AGE, YOU CAN START TO REVEAL YOURSELF INTERVIEW: GALINA PRIMORSKAYA OCA Magazine: Tell us, please, about yourself and your creative activity / work Galina Primorskaya: I am Primorskaya Galina (@galinaprimorskaya) I was born in Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan. My parents are simple. but talented people. Mom, Olga Akimovna, a professional cutter and seamstress, […]
WE ARE ALL UNIQUE INTERVIEW: AKNUR NURTAZA OCA Magazine: Tell us, please, about yourself and your creative activity / work Aknur Nurtaza: I was born and live in Kazakhstan. Kazakh people have many traditions and customs, but since childhood I have been interested in other countries, languages and peoples. Also, as you know, we were […]
MY MOTIVATION IS MY FAMILY INTERVIEW: DILOROM NISHANOVA OCA Magazine: Tell us, please, about yourself and your creative activity / work Dilorom Nishanova: My name is Dilorom, I live and work in Washington DC. I write about real life of people and drama. The genre of my books composes of true and fictional characters through […]
TRY TO MAKE OUR LIFE A LITTLE BETTER INTERVIEW: NURLAN MUNBAEV OCA Magazine: Tell us, please, about yourself and your creative activity / work Nurlan Munbaev: I was born in the city of Guryev in 1971, on June 17. I graduated from school with a silver medal from the 67th school in Almaty in 1989 […]
I LOVE ALL OF YOU INTERVIEW: KARINA MULIAR OCA Magazine: Tell us, please, about yourself and your creative activity / work Karina Muliar: I was born and raised in Chisinau. Graduated from a music school, then from the Academy of Arts. In 1991 my family moved to live in Israel. Here I graduated from the […]
WHAT IS YOUR ROLE ON EARTH? INTERVIEW: MARIA MUCHINSKAYA OCA Magazine: Tell us, please, about yourself and your creative activity / work Maria Muchinskaya: I live in Minsk, Belarus. I was born in 1953 in the Dubina village, Belarus. Have two higher educations: mathematics-programmer and economics. Currently a pensioner, I study at the school-studio of […]
“I HAVE ALWAYS PAINTED” INTERVIEW: TATYANA MENDYBAYEVA OCA Magazine: Tell us, please, about yourself and your creative activity / work Tatyana Mendybayeva: Born in the USSR in the last century. Most of my life I lived in the ex-union republic of the ex-USSR, which since 1991 has been an independent state – the Republic of […]
BELIEVE IN YOUR OWN SPECIALNESS INTERVIEW: NATALIA LOSKUTOVA OCA Magazine: Tell us, please, about yourself and your creative activity / work Natalia Loskutova: I started to write poems 4 years ago. It was a real necessity for expression my feelings on paper. My literary works found a broad response among readers. My compositions are published […]
EVERYONE HAS A CHANCE TO “COME ON BOARD” INTERVIEW: DINARA KUSHBAEVA OCA Magazine: Tell us, please, about yourself and your creative activity / work Dinara Kushbaeva: Like many others, I had an ordinary, but full of bright colours life with its ups and downs. In the routine of affairs, I did not betray much importance […]
EVERY PERSON IS IMPORTANT AND NEEDED INTERVIEW: MIKHAIL KUNITSKY OCA Magazine: Tell us, please, about yourself and your creative activity / work Mikhail Kunitsky: I am a children’s writer, living and creating in Belarus. I am the finalist of the competition “Poet of the Year 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020” in the nomination “Children’s Literature” in […]
ANXIETY FOR KNOWLEDGE INTERVIEW: PAVEL KOSSOVICH OCA Magazine: Tell us, please, about yourself and your creative activity / work. Pavel Kossovich: Over the years, I used to work as a scientist. I am a biologist-geneticist. Nowadays I am engaged in research work at the nexus of history, geography and cultural studies of Central Asia and […]
ALL PEOPLE ARE CREATORS INTERVIEW: ALISSA KLIMA OCA Magazine: Tell us, please, about yourself and your creative activity / work Alissa Klima: I believe that all people are Creators. We try to be creative in the way we communicate and work, build relationships and families, raise children or perform social duties. I was born in […]
INTERVIEW: ALEXANDER KAZARNOVSKY OCA Magazine: Tell us, please, about yourself and your creative activity / work Alexander Kazarnovsky: I was born in Moscow in 1951. Graduated from the Moscow Teachers’ College in 1973. In 1993 immigrated to Israel. Since my childhood I have been writing verses. Living in Russia I translated British, American, and German […]
HAPPINESS IS A GREAT RESPONSIBILITY INTERVIEW: GUMER KARIMOV OCA Magazine: What is “Eurasianism” for you? Gumer Karimov: This is everything for me: the philosophy of life, its meaning, my whole worldview. I am from Ufa, the capital of Bashkortostan. My nationality is Tatar. Fifty years ago, at twenty-two years I left my homeland to continue […]
“ALL OF YOUR VICTORIES ARE AHEAD” INTERVIEW: NARGISA KARASARTOVA OCA Magazine: Tell us, please, about yourself and your creative activity / work. Nargisa Karasartova: My full name is Karasartova Nargisa Omurbekovna. I was born in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan on August 29, in 1978. My literary debut took place in 2007, when my poems were published in […]
“IN ORDER TO LIVE WELL, YOU NEED TO WORK HARD” INTERVIEW: NIKOLAJ IVLEEV OCA Magazine: Tell us, please, about yourself and your creative activity / work. Nikolaj Ivleev: I was ashamed of our miserable existence in the USSR, the richest country in the world, unable to feed itself, which had 2/3 of the planet’s […]
DON’T BE IN A HURRY TO SUCCEED INTERVIEW: LAURA HAMILTON OCA Magazine: Tell us about yourself and your creative activity Laura Hamilton: As director of the prestigious Collins Gallery at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, from 1988 until its closure in 2013, I originated exhibitions and events related to contemporary Fine and Applied Art by […]
“KNOW THE CULTURE OF THE SOCIETY THAT YOU LIVING AND WORKING WITH” INTERVIEW: BRUCE GASTON OCA Magazine: Tell us, please, about yourself and your creative activity / work Bruce Gaston: I am primarily a businessman and not as involved in the arts as I used to be. However, I still write articles for publication every […]
CREATE IN THE NAME OF ART INTERVIEW: YULIA GANETSKAYA OCA Magazine: Tell us, please, about yourself and your creative activity / work Yulia Ganetskaya: My name is Yulia Ganetskaya, I was born in Uzbekistan, and now living in Japan. My husband and I own a small cultured pearl farm. I have been writing since childhood. […]
“MY BOOKS HELP CHILDREN SEE THE BEAUTY OF THE WORLD WE LIVE IN” INTERVIEW: GRIGORE GACIKEVICI OCA Magazine: Tell us, please, about yourself and your creative activity / work Grigore Gacikevici: I am 49 years old, I write poetry for children in Russian, English and Romanian. I began my public literary activity a year ago, […]
CULTURAL EXPLORATIONS BEYOND EUROPE INTERVIEW: JOANNA DOBSON OCA Magazine: Tell us, please, about yourself and your creative activity / work Joanna Dobson: I am a writer and translator based on the North Norfolk coast, UK. I started working with translated texts many years ago as a proof reader for the Journal of Archaeology and Anthropology […]
NEW BEGINNINGS INTERVIEW: INNA CHAYKA OCA Magazine: Tell us, please, about yourself and your creative activity / work Inna Chayka: All my creativity was awakened when I turned 50, moved to Florence, sent my son off to university and was left by my partner for another woman. I guess these things gave me a sense […]
MY PASSION IS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN SOCIETY WITH MY CREATIVITY INTERVIEW: NATALIE BAYS OCA Magazine: Tell us, please, about yourself and your creative activity / work Natalie Bays: I am a cultural project manager and i run an organisation called The NO Collective. I organise creative festivals, events and programmes to help people […]
“I CAN DO IT” INTERVIEW: VLADISLAVA BAIMAGANBETOVA OCA Magazine: Tell us, please, about yourself and your creative activity / work Vladislava Baimaganbetova: I am a married feminist, have a daughter, and waiting for a second child. At the moment, my main job is business coaching in the HoReCa industry. I love the restaurant business, the […]
“I FINALLY FOUND AND DEFINED MY OWN STYLE..” INTERVIEW: SERGEY BABYAKOV OCA Magazine: Tell us, please, about yourself and your creative activity / work Sergey Babyakov: I am Sergey Babyakov, an inclusive artist. Was born in 1978 in Taldykorga city. I have been painting for over 20 years. I began to comprehend the basics of […]
I’VE ALWAYS BEEN INSPIRED TO MAKE MY OWN COMIC BOOK INTERVIEW: TIMUR AKHMEDJANOV OCA Magazine: Since we met, it means you are a member of the guild. Why did you decide to join the Guild? Timur Akhmedjanov: To share and express my creativity and to work with other creative people in both Eurasia and the […]
LISTEN TO YOUR INNER VOICE INTERVIEW: MIKHAIL ANANOV OCA Magazine: Tell us about yourself and your creative work. Mikhail Ananov: I’m a poet, a poetry translator, prose writer, playwright, literary critic, journalist, publicist, theorist, sonetologist and I am also engaged in mathematical modeling in the field of poetic art. I’m a member of several creative […]
THE ART OF PAINTING IS THE LANGUAGE OF FEELINGS INTERVIEW: RAVIL ABDULOV OCA Magazine: Tell us, please, about yourself and your creative activity / work Ravil Abdulov: My path of constant search for myself is a deep study of the world experience of art, which I pass through the prism of my consciousness, analyze, modify, […]
From May 6 to10, 2022, the Second International “Voices of Friends: Poetry & Art” Festival was held in the resort area of the Burabay National Park (Kazakhstan). The festival is organized by the British non-profit organization Eurasian Creative Guild (London) with the support of the Rixos Borovoe Hotel, Akim of the Akmola region, Akim of […]
Dr Shahid Qureshi 4 October 1965 – 10 February 2022 Open Central Asia Magazine was deeply saddened to hear of the sudden demise of one of our friends and close supporters, Dr Shahid Qureshi, on 10th February 2022 at the age of 56. Dr Shahid Qureshi was a senior analyst with BBC and chief editor […]
Success at the Tenth Open Eurasia Literary Festival & Book Forum From 15 – 19 December 2021, the international Open Eurasian Literary Festival & Book Forum (OEBF) was held in Uzbekistan for the first time, bringing together participants from 15 countries at venues of Tashkent and Samarkand. The Open Eurasian Literature Festival & Book Forum […]
Book Review: History of the Caucasus: Volume 1: At the Crossroads of Empires by Christoph Baumer Christoph Baumer is a distinguished historian and chronicler of events, full stop. The more of Baumer’s extensive and expansive works you read, the more you realise that very few rival him, not just for the breadth of subjects that he […]
Burabay’s Environmental Problems At the end of the nineteenth century, the economic development of Burabay and the increase of its population inevitably led to unlimited exploitation of its natural resources. Excessive deforestation led to the formation of wastelands, which were used by pastoralists for grazing. These cattle were then supplied to the local cannery, which […]
Revival of the Tashkent Film Festival In September 2021 Marat Akhmedjanov invited myself and two film related companions to represent the UK at the Tashkent Film Festival in Uzbekistan, a festival returning after a 24 year absence. Like a moth to a flame I was drawn to the event, as were my fellow travellers Oliver […]
BELOW ME THE SILVER-CAPPED CAUCASUS LIES Below me the silver-capped Caucasus lies… A stream at my feet rushes, foaming and roaring. I watch a lone eagle, o’er the peaks calmly soaring Drift near as he motionless circles the skies. Here rivers are born that tear mountain asunder And landslides begin with a crash as of […]
THE ‘SILK ROAD’ BETWEEN JAPAN AND UZBEKISTAN One of the highlights of Tashkent’s rich array of historical and art museums is the Ikuo Hirayama International Caravanserai of Culture. The exterior alone is remarkable, with its two looming buildings surrounded by a garden of cypress trees. However, going inside the building and learning about the life […]
The Alphabet Shift in Kazakh Language Over years of research and work in Kazakhstan, I have seen many Latin representations of the Kazakh alphabet. Some were pockmarked with apostrophes – others riddled with diacritics. Others still imposed Latin letters incorrectly on the Russian language, creating the following image (from the mobile application of www.soyle.kz, a […]
Japanese Valentine Chocolate A Personal Co-incidence Never as a British child and Canadian teenager, did I imagine that I might be working across Eurasia, let alone living in Central Asia; the heart of Eurasia. I can honestly say, my life has been far richer as a result, though not due to any planning on my […]
Lessons of the Hot Days of ‘Kazakh Winter’ for Central Asian Integration Disturbances in first half of January 2022 caused by popular unrest in Kazakhstan can be remembered as the ‘Kazakh winter’ – events which shocked the very foundation of the political system of this state. They revealed a deeply rooted vicious regime of diarchy […]
Chernobyl Fallout: Recovering the Lands of Belarus Following the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident, most of the radioactive emissions settled in the thirty-kilometre zone around the nuclear power plant itself. The population from this region were resettled, and the Polessky radiation-ecological reserve was created on the territory. About 70% of the radioactive fallout fell on […]
Being born a girl continues to be a considerable risk factor in many geographical regions, and Central Asia is one of the case examples where violence committed against women and girls is high. According to the latest data of OECD, 14 to 59% of women in Central Asia are subjected to beatings, sexually abused or […]
The night passed and dawn arrived. As usual, I left home at 8 o’clock in the morning to go to the office. I got to my office, and everyone there was astounded by the Taliban’s progress. It was clear from the faces of my colleagues that something was wrong. Everyone felt that something big was […]
After broad public discussions, Uzbekistan has adopted its five-year Development Strategy for 2022-2026. It consists of seven priority directions and one hundred goals Uzbekistan is willing to achieve within five years. This strategic document will serve Uzbekistan as a baseline for further reforms in all spheres. The Strategy foresees the implementation of various measures that […]
This years Central Asian Spring Festival will take place on Sunday, 20th of March, from 12:00 to 16:00, at UCL Main Campus! Nowruz is a Central Asian spring celebration, marking the beginning of a new year in the Persian calendar. Many countries, such as, and many more, celebrate this colourful and vibrant festival! So we […]
Oksana Zhukova is a multi-talented, multi-award-winning creative person who cannot but fail to impress you when you meet her. She is General Director of the ArtMedia production centre, a leading journalist, prose writer and public figure. She is a member of the ECG Advisory Council, academician of MARLI, winner of the ECG Film Festival in […]
Hertfordshire Press, a leading British publishing house, in cooperation with the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the Slovak Republic and the national company Kazakh Tourism, published one of the first books about Kazakhstan in the Slovak language called “101 zážitkov z Kazachstanu” (101 experiences from Kazakhstan). “101 zážitkov z Kazachstanu” is a vivid […]
As I entered the hotel room in Windsor and turned on the TV, I was pleasantly surprised to see our handsome compatriot, Arthur Abraham, on the TV screen. Arthur Abraham (Avetik Abrahamyan) is an Armenian-German professional boxer, born in 1980 in Yerevan. The next day I visited Tate Modern, and when I saw “Garden in […]
In Moldova the term Divin (distilled wine) is used to denote a local cognac made by the classical French production process (a method of double distillation of wine in Charentais pot-stills) with obligatory ageing in oak barrels. Since the term cognac is copyrighted by the French, no other nation has a legal right to call […]
250km/h, speed of Uzbekistan’s finest train, the Afrosiyob The early morning sun shone definitively through the dust-covered, weathered window pane, as our train trundled through a landscape of hillside foliage. We were on a journey from Uzbekistan’s capital, Tashkent towards the great Silk Road city of Kokand, now the perfect introduction to the Fergana Valley […]
Kazakh literature has been presented to British audiences for almost two centuries, but only recently is it really starting to get noticed. Great literature, old and new is coming to the surface of the literary world and with it bringing renewed interest and engagement. One such famous writer is Abai, and many researchers have dedicated […]
Georgia is a land of contradictions, of plenty and of poverty, looking to propel itself into the future by delving into the past. Lingering spectres of the Soviet-era continue to clash against the pressures of modernity as this unique place attempts to shape its identity in the 21st century. As the birthplace of Stalin, an […]
The Turkic peoples of Asia are scattered across the continent, but, being 140 million people strong, hold a potentially powerful latent strength. Turkey, as the most formidable of Turkic nations, has a potentially commanding role in any pan-Turkic co-operation. Such Pan-Turkism is not a new idea; indeed, it has its origins in the final decades […]
Interview: Erlan Idrissov Ambassador of Kazakhstan to the United Kingdom AlthoughKazakhstan’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom, H.E. Erlan Idrissov, came from a creative and academic background (his father was a renowned Kazakh journalist, writer, and academic), he chose a very different career path. His father instilled in him the belief in the power of words, […]
According to The Statistical Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the non-oil sector in Azerbaijan accounted for 36.84 % of GDP in 2019. The traditional reliance on oil and gas has triggered the government to invest heavily in non-oil sectors, including transportation & logistics, tourism and agriculture. In the meantime, priorities and tasks were set […]
This year marks 30 years since the establishment of twinning relations between the cities of Shymkent and Stevenage. As part of the strengthening of educational and cultural relationships, as well as the development of bilateral cooperation between cities, at the initiative of the publishing house “Hertfordshire Press” the book “City Blooming for 2200 Years” was […]
