A gala concert of the art masters of the two countries was held in Hanoi as part of the Days of Culture of Kazakhstan in Vietnam.
Aida Balayeva delivered a welcoming speech on the stage of Ho Guom Opera. The Deputy Prime Minister noted that Kazakhstan and Vietnam have strong relations based on mutual respect, friendship and trust. Thus, in pursuance of the instructions given by the Head of State Kassym-Jomart Tokayev during his official visit to Vietnam, one of the streets of Almaty was named after Ho Chi Minh, an outstanding state and political figure of Vietnam. In addition, the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized the special role of culture in strengthening national identity and preserving spiritual heritage.
«Culture is not only a legacy of the past, but also the spiritual pillar of modern society, as well as the greatest value that we pass on to future generations. The art of Kazakhstan originates in the centuries-old history of the Great Steppe, traditions and spiritual worldview of our people. It is a great honor for us to present the cultural image of our country to the Vietnamese audience through Kazakh kuis and songs, traditional art and modern creativity, » — Aida Balayeva said.
Vice President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Vo Thi Anh Xuan noted that Vietnam attaches great importance to cultural cooperation as one of the important areas contributing to the further deepening of the strategic partnership between Vietnam and Kazakhstan.
The gala concert was attended by outstanding masters of art from Kazakhstan and Vietnam. The program featured Kazakh kuis and folk songs, as well as famous Vietnamese compositions «Nguoi Ha Noi» and «Hà Nội mười hai mùa hoa». A special symbol of the cultural dialogue was the joint performance by Kazakhstani and Vietnamese artists of the composition «Dostyk auenderi», which combined the melody of the Vietnamese folk song «Trống Cơm» and Kurmangazy’s kuys (traditional instrumental composition) «Zhima» and «Balbirauyn».
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The 5th Comic Con Astana will be held in Astana on August 6-9. It will bring together fans of film, TV series, comics, video games, anime, and contemporary pop culture from around the world.
In 2026, Comic Con Astana, like last year, will be held across two venues. The festival's main stage and headliner events will be held at Barys Arena.
Simultaneously, the Alau Ice Palace will be transformed into a large-scale exhibition space, featuring themed zones, company and partner booths, gaming spaces, presentations, interactive activities, and numerous entertainment options for guests.
Danish actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, known for his role as Jaime Lannister in the cult series Game of Thrones, has been announced as the first headliner for Comic Con Astana 2026. The actor's filmography also includes such well-known projects as "Black Hawk Down," "Kingdom of Heaven," "Oblivion," "Gods of Egypt," "Mama," "Shot into the Void," as well as the series "The Last Thing He Told Me" and "The King and the Conqueror."
Another star appearing at Comic Con Astana will be Iñaki Godoy. He is considered one of the most exciting young actors of his generation after the release of the series "One Piece," which became one of Netflix's most successful premieres. His character, the cheerful pirate captain Monkey D. Luffy, quickly won the hearts of millions of viewers worldwide. In addition to "One Piece," the actor is also known for his roles in the series "Imperfect," "Who Killed Sara?", and others.
At the Astana festival, Iñaki Godoy is expected to perform on the main stage, answer fan questions, and participate in autograph and photo sessions. In addition to international film stars, Comic Con Astana 2026 will feature popular bloggers, content creators, and representatives of the global cosplay industry.
Special guests at the festival include:
- Kamui Cosplay, a world-renowned creative duo from Germany, recognized as one of the leaders in the global cosplay industry and specializing in creating highly detailed costumes;
- SuperCrastan (Danya Kraster), one of the most famous Russian-speaking YouTube bloggers, an inventor and science popularizer, and the creator of large-scale DIY projects and unusual engineering experiments;
- Jane Kravitz, a popular YouTube channel dedicated to mysterious stories, investigations, and documentary video essays;
- Karrambaby, a popular Russian vlogger with a multi-million audience on Instagram and YouTube, where she publishes content about fashion, travel, and everyday life;
- Dobryak is one of the most famous animators on Russian-language YouTube, the creator of viral animated videos with millions of views;
- Dalbek is a popular Kazakhstani blogger and creator of entertainment content, known for his reviews of films, cartoons, and animation.
A traditional feature of Comic Con Astana is the international cosplay competition, which annually brings together the best participants from around the world. This year, the prize fund will be 20 million tenge, making it one of the largest cosplay tournaments in the region.
Over the years, Comic Con Astana has established itself as the largest festival of contemporary pop culture in Central Asia.
Over the years, its headliners have included Mads Mikkelsen, Andy Serkis, Pilou Asbæk, Scott Adkins, Esai Morales, Michael Rooker, Sean Gunn, Percy Hines White, and Alexander Kuznetsov.
On July 27, 2026, with the support of the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and The Chamber of International Commerce of Kazakhstan (KazCIC), a meeting between representatives of the business communities of Kazakhstan and the Vietnam National Association of Entrepreneurship (VINEN) was held at the Regional Office of the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs of the Republic of Kazakhstan "Atameken" in Almaty. The Vietnamese delegation was led by Dr. Trinh Thi Thu Ha, Vice Chairwoman of VINEN and Rector of the Hanoi College of Commerce and Tourism (HCCT). The delegation also included Ms. Do Thi Kim Oanh, Head of the HCCT Department of Scientific Evaluation and Quality Control; Ms. Nguyen Thi Van Anh, General Director of Flamingo Travels; Ms. Tran Thi Phuong Linh, representative of Hanoi Television; and Ms. Luu Tan Hieu, Manager of the VINEN International Relations Department.
Opening the meeting, Serik Amirov, Special Representative of The Chamber of International Commerce of Kazakhstan in the ASEAN countries, highlighted the dynamic development of bilateral relations between Kazakhstan and Vietnam. He noted that the Socialist Republic of Vietnam remains the fastest-growing economy among ASEAN member states. During the first six months of 2026, Vietnam's GDP grew by 8.18%. The Government has set a target of achieving annual economic growth of no less than 10% and maintaining this momentum through 2030.
According to official statistics, Kazakhstan–Vietnam foreign trade turnover reached approximately USD 805.7 million in 2025, including exports of USD 120.2 million and imports of USD 685.5 million.
The existing Free Trade Agreement between Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Union creates favorable conditions for reducing trade barriers and strengthening logistics connectivity. Under current conditions, Kazakhstan has significant potential to position itself as a "B2B Bridge" in Central Asia for the establishment of joint manufacturing facilities and product distribution.
In her remarks, Dr. Trinh Thi Thu Ha emphasized the importance of exchanging successful experiences and studying each other's markets. In particular, the Vietnamese side is highly interested in Kazakhstan's experience in attracting foreign investment, developing industrial zones, establishing information technology and artificial intelligence hubs, and advancing economic digitalization. She also invited Kazakh construction companies to participate in the implementation of large-scale infrastructure projects in Vietnam.
Nguyen Thi Van Anh, General Director of Flamingo Travels, noted that Vietnam aims to welcome approximately 25 million international tourists in 2026. In this regard, expanding cooperation with Kazakh tourism companies offers significant prospects.
Do Thi Kim Oanh, Head of the HCCT Department of Scientific Evaluation and Quality Control, proposed strengthening cooperation with universities and colleges in Kazakhstan in the field of dual education.
During the meeting, Isatay Adresov, Deputy Chairman of the Management Board of Almaty Invest, introduced the guests to Almaty's key economic indicators, presented promising investment projects, and outlined government support measures aimed at attracting foreign investment to Kazakhstan. Taking into account Vietnam's successful experience in developing tourism infrastructure, he proposed jointly arranging a visit to Almaty by representatives of Sun Group, one of Vietnam's largest construction companies, to discuss the possible implementation of a project similar to Ba Na Hills in Kazakhstan's southern capital.
Following the meeting, the parties agreed to exchange information on best practices in the above-mentioned areas and continue cooperation with a view to implementing joint projects in light industry, food production, agriculture, tourism, logistics, education, information technology, healthcare, as well as organizing regular B2B events between the business communities of the two countries.
17 July , 2026 Shanghai China - President KassymJomart Tokayev met with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet on the sidelines of the World Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Shanghai
The Head of our state stated that Kazakhstan highly appreciates the partnership with Cambodia based on strong bonds of friendship and mutual respect The President of Kazakhstan stressed that there is great potential for giving positive dynamics to trade and economic cooperation between the two countries
According to the Head of State agriculture the textile industry tourism construction the food industry transport and logistics are among the most promising areas for increasing trade turnover
In particular Kazakhstan is ready to increase supplies of grain fertilizers and other agricultural products In addition our country which is among the 24 leaders of the UN e-government Development Index is ready to share its experience in the field of advanced technologies
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet confirmed his country's interest in strengthening relations with Kazakhstan He noted the importance of intensifying ties between the governments and business circles of the two countries and expressed his readiness to fully support the implementation of joint projects
During the conversation, an exchange of views took place on the interaction of the parties within the framework of global and regional structures KassymJomart Tokayev thanked Cambodia for supporting the activities of the CICA and also informed the Prime Minister about Astana's initiative to establish an International Water Organization under the auspices of the United Nations
At the end of the meeting, Hun Manet invited the President of Kazakhstan to visit Cambodia at his convenience
https://akorda.kz/ru/kasym-zhomart-tokaev-vstretilsya-s-premer-ministrom-kambodzhi-1765726
“Kazakhstan Through My Eyes” is an online art competition for ethnic Kazakh children living abroad.
The competition aims to encourage participants to creatively express their vision of Kazakhstan, their love for their homeland, its historical and cultural heritage, natural beauty, national values, and aspirations for the future.
The main objectives of the competition are:
III. Artwork Requirements
The extent to which the artwork fully and meaningfully reflects the theme “Kazakhstan Through My Eyes.”
The originality of the idea, imagination, and creative approach demonstrated by the participant.
The quality of drawing technique, composition, color harmony, proportions, and overall execution.
The effectiveness of depicting Kazakhstan’s culture, history, nature, and national values.
The artwork’s ability to convey the author’s thoughts and emotions and to engage the viewer.
Creative works will be accepted from June 17 to August 28, 2026.
The jury will determine the winners within 30 calendar days after the submission deadline.
Based on the jury’s decision, 10 winners will be selected.
Winners will receive First-, Second-, and Third-Degree Diplomas, as well as special prizes:
Encouragement Prize:
The best artworks will be published on the organizers’ official information resources and featured in an online exhibition.
In addition, the 10 participants whose works are recognized as the best may be required to send the original artwork to the Otandastar Qory (NJSC) at their own expense.
Purpose of the Competition
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Alibek Kuantyrov received copies of credentials from the newly appointed Ambassador of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to the Republic of Kazakhstan, Nguyen Thanh Le.
During the meeting, the parties discussed current issues of the Kazakh-Vietnamese strategic partnership, paying special attention to the schedule of upcoming mutual visits and high-level events.
Alibek Kuantyrov emphasized that Kazakhstan attaches great importance to further strengthening relations with Vietnam and is interested in expanding trade-economic and investment cooperation.
The parties also confirmed their readiness to continue close interaction in multilateral formats, primarily within the UN, CICA, and other international organizations.
In closing, the deputy minister wished the Vietnamese diplomat a successful and fruitful work in Kazakhstan.
Astana, April 1, 2026
The International Center for Interfaith and Interreligious Dialogue (ICIID) hosted an international online conference titled “The Role of Religious Leaders in Achieving Sustainable Peace and Development.” During the event, the Center presented two concept documents to its international partners: the “Ethical Code for the Use of Artificial Intelligence” and “The Role of Religions in Combating Climate Change.”
The conference brought together representatives of religious organizations, academic institutions, expert communities, and international organizations from Kazakhstan, the United Kingdom, Russia, Argentina, Thailand, North Macedonia, and India. Discussions focused on implementing the 2025 Astana Peace Declaration and the Development Concept of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions for 2023–2033.
Opening the conference, Maksat Ramankulov, Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Religious Affairs under the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan, highlighted the importance of state-confessional partnerships. He noted that the Kazakhstani model demonstrates how civil peace demands joint efforts from both secular institutions and religious communities.
Gulsana Kozhabay, Chair of the Center's Board, emphasized that while faith-based diplomacy does not resolve every conflict, it helps preserve dialogue during periods of acute tension. Referring to the VIII Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, held in Astana in September 2025, she noted that Jewish and Muslim representatives remained at the same table and continued their engagement despite heightened sensitivities regarding developments in the Middle East.
She also stressed the need to transition faith-based diplomacy into practical action. These priorities include establishing ethical frameworks for artificial intelligence and mounting a collective response to climate change — two issues addressed by the Center’s current initiatives.
Marwan Sarwar Gill, President of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community of Argentina, spoke about the universal understanding of peace in the Islamic tradition. Citing the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad, he emphasized that human dignity must not depend on race, nationality, or origin. Imam Gill rejected the notion of selective peace, arguing that a holistic approach provides a crucial foundation for global security.
Yulia Shapoval, Acting Professor in the Department of Religious Studies at Gumilyov Eurasian National University, highlighted the rise of digital radicalization. She noted that religious and expert communities must keep pace with emerging challenges in the information age, arguing that educational and peace-oriented content must become more visible to counter destructive narratives in the digital space.
Ivan Ivanov, Chairman of the Board of the International Center “Alliance of Civilizations,” underscored the importance of critical thinking in preventing ethnic and religious violence. In his view, education should go beyond transmitting cultural identity; it should cultivate conscience, empathy, and responsibility. Philosophy and ethics, he argued, deserve a more prominent place in educational curricula.
Dr. Matthias Bodi of the University of Oxford's Faculty of Theology and Religion observed that deep faith and open dialogue are not in conflict. Intellectual honesty and respectful interfaith engagement, he stated, help build a culture in which disagreement does not turn into hostility.
Several speakers, including Rostislav Novgorodov, Head of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Kazakhstan; Tokzhan Kozhakhmetova, representative of the Baha’i Community of Kazakhstan; and Rudraksha Sakrikar, Rector of Somaiya Vidyavihar University, emphasized the special role of youth. They stressed that youth should be regarded not only as beneficiaries of education but also as active contributors to positive social change, mutual trust, and intercultural cooperation.
Sergei Melnik, Head of the Department of Philosophy at the Russian Academy of Sciences, proposed organizing an international roundtable in 2027 to mark the twentieth anniversary of the landmark document “A Common Word Between Us and You.” The initiative aims to further strengthen Christian-Muslim dialogue and deepen trust between religious traditions.
Concluding the conference, participants agreed on the importance of moving beyond interfaith dialogue toward practical cooperation, identifying sustainable peace, ethical governance of new technologies, climate responsibility, education, and the prevention of radicalization as key areas.
From July 29 to August 9, 2026, Astana will host the international The Games of the Future tournament, combining traditional sports and esports in a single phygital format.
The strongest teams and athletes from around the world will gather in the capital to compete for victory in 8 phygital disciplines:
The total prize pool of the tournament will be $4.75 million.
The Games of the Future 2026 will bring together the world's top athletes and teams in Astana to determine the best in phygital disciplines.
See you at the Games of the Future 2026! 🚀
On 28 May 2026, during his working visit to Vientiane, Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and concurrently accredited to the Lao People's Democratic Republic, H.E. Mr. Kanat Tumysh, met with H.E. Mr. Khamphet Somvolachith, Deputy Prosecutor General of the Supreme People's Procuracy of the Lao PDR.
During the meeting, the parties discussed the current state and prospects for the development of bilateral cooperation between Kazakhstan and Laos in the legal and law enforcement fields. The two parties noted the positive potential for expanding cooperation between the relevant institutions of the two countries and exchanged views on ways to further strengthen practical interaction in areas of mutual interest.
Particular attention was given to enhancing cooperation between the prosecutorial authorities of Kazakhstan and Laos. The parties discussed opportunities for exchanging professional experience, sharing best practices, and promoting closer institutional ties aimed at supporting the effective implementation of legal and prosecutorial functions.
Kanat Tumysh reaffirmed Kazakhstan’s commitment to further strengthening relations with Laos across a wide range of sectors, including legal and judicial cooperation, which contributes to the broader development of bilateral ties and mutual understanding between the two countries.
The meeting was held in a friendly and constructive atmosphere, reflecting the shared interest of Kazakhstan and Laos in expanding cooperation and fostering closer engagement between their respective institutions.
As part of the OpenAI delegation’s visit to Kazakhstan, a meeting was held with Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Zhaslan Madiyev.
The parties discussed the development of cooperation in the field of artificial intelligence, the implementation of joint educational initiatives, the deployment of ChatGPT Edu tools, as well as future areas of partnership aimed at strengthening practical AI skills among students, educators, and professionals.
During the meeting, OpenAI representatives also presented analytical insights on ChatGPT usage in Kazakhstan.
The country has joined the group of nations demonstrating a high level of artificial intelligence adoption and significantly outperforms other Central Asian countries. For comparison, Kyrgyzstan ranks 52nd and Uzbekistan 58th in the global ranking of consumer ChatGPT use per capita. These results confirm that Kazakh society is highly prepared for the practical use of advanced AI technologies.
«Our systematic initiatives for the development of artificial intelligence are built upon society’s readiness to embrace these technologies.The findings of study demonstrate not only a strong strong interest in emerging technologies, but also the growing adoption of practical Ai skills among the population. Citizens are already actively integrating ChatGPT into their daily lives for learning, work-related tasks, information retrieval, and content creation. This high level of adoption provides a solid foundation for the further integration of AI into education, business, and public administration, while also strengthening Kazakhstan’s position as one of the region’s technological leaders.», said Zhaslan Madiyev, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development.
AI Adoption Trends in Kazakhstan
According to Valerie Focke, International Education Lead at OpenAI: «Kazakhstan is already among the countries actively embracing artificial intelligence. ChatGPT adoption is high by international standards, young people are leading the way in AI usage, and engagement with the technology is remarkably balanced across genders. The next step is helping people unlock even greater value from artificial intelligence. That is why we are partnering with Kazakhstan on educational initiatives that combine responsible AI tools with educator training, local implementation, and impact assessment, ensuring that access to technology translates into meaningful opportunities for students, teachers, and future professionals».
Analytics of AI tools usage in Kazakhstan for Consumer ChatGPT Use:
Key Use Cases: Kazakhstani users most frequently rely on ChatGPT for practical guidance and how-to instructions (32.8%), writing and editing texts (25%), and information search (18%).
Task-Oriented Usage:More than 42% of messages are formulated as questions or requests for information. Around 32% are aimed at completing specific tasks, while 26% relate to self-expression and creative purposes.
Integration into Professional Workflows: AI is increasingly becoming a professional tool. As of March 2026, 23% of messages from users in Kazakhstan were related to work activities. In this context, AI is most commonly used for text related tasks and technical assistance.
Demographic Overview:Young people remain the primary drivers of AI adoption. Users aged 18–24 account for 36.2% of all messages, while those aged 25–34 generate 35.8%. Together, users between 18 and 34 years old are responsible for 72% of all requests. Younger users tend to use AI more frequently for text and multimedia-related tasks, whereas the 25–34 age group relies on it more often for technical support.
Gender Balance: The distribution between users with names traditionally associated with men and women was nearly equal, accounting for 50.3% and 49.7% respectively.
OpenAI’s visit to Kazakhstan comes as part of the country’s national initiative to advance the integration of artificial intelligence into education. Through this program, 165,000 educators across Kazakhstan are being granted access to ChatGPT Edu, a version of ChatGPT specifically designed for educational institutions.
The initiative is being implemented in partnership with Bilim Group, the program’s technology integration partner. Bilim Group is overseeing the integration of OpenAI’s technologies into the national education system and contributing to the development of methodological frameworks for the effective use of AI in schools, colleges, and universities nationwide.
The visit was organized by Bilim UpSkill, an initiative within the Bilim Group ecosystem.