REGULATIONS OF THE “OQ STARTUP” CREATIVE COMPETITION FOR THE BEST PROJECTS AMONG ETHNIC KAZAKHS ABROAD
I. Main Objective of the Competition
— The “OQ Startup” Creative Competition for the Best Projects is aimed at providing comprehensive support to projects in the fields of science, culture, IT, business, media, volunteering, as well as other creative and social fields.
— The main objective of the competition is to promote the original projects of Kazakh compatriots and ethnic Kazakhs living abroad in Kazakhstan, facilitate networking and the establishment of connections among participants, and support their creative initiatives.
II. Organization and Procedure for Conducting the Competition
— Kazakh compatriots aged 15–30 who are citizens of foreign countries are eligible to participate in the competition.
— Projects in the fields of science, culture, IT, business, media, volunteering, as well as other creative and social fields are accepted for the competition.
— To present their project, participants must submit the following materials:
1. Project Presentation
— A horizontally recorded video in MP4 or MOV format, no longer than 2 minutes, or a presentation in PPTX or PDF format, consisting of no more than 10 slides.
— The video or presentation must briefly and clearly present the main content and relevance of the project, its objectives, target audience, implementation methods, and expected outcomes.
2. Brief Project Description (PDF format)
The description must include the following information:
— project title;
— relevance of the project and the problem it aims to address;
— project objective;
— key project tasks;
— target audience (who the project is intended for);
— implementation mechanism and key activities;
— project implementation period;
— expected outcomes;
— resources required for project implementation.
If funding is required to implement the project, the participant must indicate the requested amount of funding and provide a detailed budget in the PDF document. The budget must specify the name of each expense item, quantity, unit cost, and total cost.
The submitted video or presentation should provide a concise and clear overview of the project, while the PDF description should provide a comprehensive explanation of the project.
Projects that have already begun implementation, are currently being implemented, or are planned for future implementation are eligible for participation in the competition.
If a project is already being implemented, the participant must provide information on its current results, achievements, and plans for further development.
For a planned project, its objectives, tasks, implementation stages, timeline, and expected outcomes must be clearly specified.
4. Submissions are accepted via email at Oqbaiqau@gmail.com.
5. Participants must submit their work, along with the following personal information — full name, citizenship, university and year of study, and age — by October 30, 2026.
6. By submitting their work, participants consent to its publication on the official website and social media platforms of Otandastar Qory (Facebook, Instagram, and Telegram).
7. Works are accepted in Kazakh, Russian, or English.
III. Competition Period
— Creative works will be accepted from September 30 to October 30, 2026.
— The judging panel will determine the winners within 30 days after the competition closes.
IV. Competition Results and Awards
Based on the results of the competition, the winners will receive the following awards:
— 1st Place: Laptop and diploma
— 2nd Place: Tablet and diploma
— 3rd Place: Smartwatch and diploma
— Special Recognition Prize: Bestemshe traditional board game and certificate of recognition.
According to the Oxford Economics Global Cities Index 2026, Almaty ranked 265th and Astana 281st among 1,000 cities worldwide.
Both cities performed particularly strongly in Human Capital, with Almaty ranking 66th globally and Astana 98th, highlighting Kazakhstan’s growing strengths in education, skills, demographics and labour-market potential.
On 23-24 September 2026, H.E. Mrs. Saulekul Sailaukyzy, the Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Kingdom of Morocco, held meetings with the Ambassadors accredited in Rabat, namely H.E. Messan Amakoé Klutse of the Togolese Republic, H.E. Foday Malang of the Republic of The Gambia, H.E. Filomena Mendes of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, H.E. Fafré Camara of the Republic of Mali, and H.E. Momodu Koroma of the Republic of Sierra Leone.
The Kazakh diplomat briefed her counterparts on Kazakhstan’s foreign policy priorities and its ongoing political and economic reforms. She emphasized that Astana attaches great importance to developing relations with African states and regards the continent as a promising partner, pointing to recent visits to Kazakhstan by the Presidents of Togo, Guinea-Bissau, the Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Kenya, along with the Foreign Ministers of Burkina Faso, Sierra Leone and several other countries.
The African envoys praised Kazakhstan's political reforms and its impressive pace of development, describing the country's experience as a valuable example for many nations. The diplomats also noted that Kazakhstan's international standing and recognition, including in their own countries, have grown significantly in recent years.
The parties welcomed the positive momentum in bilateral ties and explored opportunities to expand trade and economy, as well as cooperation in agriculture, energy, digital transformation, education and culture.
The discussions also covered pressing global and regional issues, as well as cooperation within multilateral frameworks such as the UN, the OIC and the Islamic Organization for Food Security.
Following the meetings, the parties expressed their interest in further strengthening political dialogue, expanding trade and economic ties, and deepening practical cooperation.
It is worth noting that, in addition to developing relations with Morocco, the Embassy of Kazakhstan is responsible for bilateral relations with Togo, Burkina Faso, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Mali and Sierra Leone.
On September 21, 2026, Ambassador Saulekul Saylaukyzy met with renowned Moroccan designer Iman Belmkaddem, during which the parties discussed her participation in the international event World Designers Fashion Week Astana 2026 (WDFW Astana 2026). This fashion forum will be held in Astana from October 23 to 26, 2026, with the support of the Creative Industries Development Fund.
Since 2019, Iman Belmkaddem has been the organizer of the Stockholm International Fashion Fair (STOIFF) and represents Sweden and North Africa on the European Fashion Council. In recent years, she has made significant contributions to cultural projects between Morocco and Sweden and the organization of international fashion events in Morocco. Her activities are aimed at promoting African talent and creating new opportunities for exchange between Europe and Asia.
At the WDFW Astana 2026 shows, I. Belmkaddem plans to showcase traditional Moroccan clothing—the famous caftans. She also plans to establish contacts with leading Kazakhstani designers for future joint projects.
Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Morocco and the Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan to the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) Saulekul Sailaukyzy took part in the 4th Extraordinary Session of the ICESCO General Conference.
The event convened representatives of 40 Member States at ministerial level, as well as ambassadors and secretaries-general of national commissions.
During the session, Member States discussed ways to further strengthen the Organization’s financial sustainability, enhance the effective implementation of its programs and activities, and establish mechanisms to ensure the regular payment of contributions while preserving ICESCO’s financial independence.
Following the discussions, participants adopted the report of the General Secretariat on urgent financial and administrative measures, and endorsed the temporary measures set out in the Emergency Plan for the Sustainability of the Organization's Operations, the key element of which is the settlement of Member States’ contributions and arrears.
Addressing the session, Head of the Kazakh delegation Saulekul Sailaukyzy noted that Kazakhstan has consistently and fully met its obligatory membership contributions throughout its entire period of membership in the Organization, and has regularly provided voluntary support for its activities. The Kazakh diplomat called on all Member States to fulfil their financial obligations in a timely manner, emphasizing that the Organization’s sustainability depends directly on the collective discipline and solidarity of its membership.
The Kazakh side further supported the adoption of the draft resolutions presented at the session and reaffirmed its readiness to continue and expand practical cooperation with ICESCO through the implementation of joint projects and programs.
Kazakhstan’s participation in the Extraordinary Session of the General Conference reaffirms the country’s consistent commitment to supporting ICESCO’s institutional and financial sustainability, as well as its dedication to multilateral cooperation in the fields of education, science and culture across the Islamic world.
On September 17, 2026 Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Arman Issagaliyev received copies of the credentials from Braima Embalo, Ambassador-designate of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau to the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Congratulating Ambassador Embalo on his appointment, A. Issagaliyev expressed confidence that his diplomatic mission would contribute to further strengthening the traditionally friendly relations and mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries.
The parties discussed issues related to further developing political dialogue, expanding trade and economic partnership, as well as cultural and humanitarian cooperation.
Ambassador B. Embalo expressed his gratitude for the warm welcome and reaffirmed his readiness to make every effort to further develop relations between Astana and Bissau.
Malaysia's Ambassador to the Kingdom of Morocco, Edi Irwan bin Mahmud, paid a courtesy visit to Saulekul Saylaukyzy, the Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Kingdom of Morocco and Dean of the Asia-Pacific Ambassadors' Group.
During the meeting, the two sides expressed hope for fruitful cooperation and the strengthening of bilateral relations. S.Saylaukyzy wished her new Malaysian counterpart a successful diplomatic mission and significant professional achievements in this responsible position.
Edi Irwan bin Mahmud is a career diplomat who has served in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia since 2001. He has held positions in Malaysian diplomatic missions in Yemen, Vietnam, Fiji, and Australia, and was Malaysia's Ambassador to Laos.