The Permanent Delegation of the Republic of Kazakhstan to UNESCO and other international organizations in Paris (SIRET: 934 067 133 00017), with its registered address at 59 rue Pierre Charron, 75008, Paris, hereby announces an open auction for the sale of a motor vehicle.
The auction will be conducted by ascending bids.
The auction will take place at 11:00 on 29 October 2026 at 59 rue Pierre Charron, 75008, Paris.
Details of the vehicles offered for sale
Passenger vehicle
Make and model: BMW Serie 3
Colour: Black
Year of manufacture: 2012
Mileage: 136 297,00
Engine capacity and fuel type: 1997 cm³, petrol
General condition: In working order; repairs required vehicles body
Starting price: EUR 5300 (five thousand and three hundred)
Security deposit, equal to 15% of the starting price: EUR 795 (seven hundred and ninety-five)
Bid increment, equal to 5% of the starting price: EUR 265 (two hundred and sixty-five)
The auction winner is responsible for paying the customs duty of EUR 1623 (one thousand six hundred and twenty-three).
Eligibility and application procedure
1. Individuals and legal entities that submit their applications and pay the security deposit within the prescribed time limit are eligible to participate in the auction.
2. Applications must be submitted, and participants registered, in writing at 59 rue Pierre Charron, 75008, Paris.
3. The deadline for submitting applications is 17:30 on 26 October 2026.
4. The participant submitting the highest bid will be declared the successful bidder.
5. The security deposit paid by the successful bidder will be credited towards the purchase price of the vehicle. Security deposits paid by the other participants will be refunded within 15 working days.
6. Applicants must submit the following documents to the auction organiser at the address specified above:
a) a completed application form in the prescribed format;
b) for individuals: a copy of an identity document;
For legal entities: a copy of the identity document of the legal entity’s authorised representative and a document confirming the legal entity’s registration in accordance with the legislation of the French Republic;
c) a copy of the payment document confirming payment of the security deposit.
7. Before paying the security deposit and submitting an application, participants must carefully review this notice and the draft sale and purchase agreement and inspect the technical condition of the relevant vehicle. Participants may not request any improvements, modifications or repairs to the vehicle, nor may they claim exemption from any taxes, fees or other costs associated with the transfer of registration or ownership.
8. If the successful bidder fails to fulfil the terms of the agreement within the prescribed period, the bidder will be deemed to have waived the right to purchase the vehicle. Any payments already made, including the security deposit, will not be refunded. Bank charges incurred in transferring the security deposit are non-refundable. Bid rigging and any other form of unlawful interference with the auction are strictly prohibited.
Bank details for payment of the security deposit
Beneficiary: Permanent Delegation of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Address: 59 rue Pierre Charron, 75008, Paris
SIRET: 934 067 133 00017
Bank account number: FR76 3000 4034 9300 0100 0168 688
Beneficiary bank: BNP Paribas
Swift: BNPAFRPPXXX
Payment reference: Security deposit for participation in the auction
Buyer’s obligations and collection of the vehicle
The participant submitting the highest bid must sign the Record of Auction Results immediately after the auction has concluded.
The buyer must pay the full purchase price of the vehicle, less the security deposit already paid, within 10 working days of signing the sale and purchase agreement.
The buyer will bear in full all costs associated with the transfer of ownership, including taxes, administrative fees, customs duties and any other payments arising from the purchase of the vehicle.
Vehicle inspection and contact details
The vehicles and the relevant documentation may be inspected, and application forms obtained, at 59 rue Pierre Charron, 75008, Paris, on working days between 09:00 and 18:30.
Telephone enquiries: +33 7 68 28 80 45, +33 7 69 50 05 77
Email: pd.paris@mfa.kz
On October 1, 2026, Farabi University hosted the second meeting with representatives of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). This time, OECD experts delivered an open lecture for students, attracting around 350 participants.
The event continued the dialogue launched the previous day between OECD representatives and the academic staff of the Higher School of Economics and Business. While the first meeting focused primarily on faculty members and opportunities to integrate integrity principles into university curricula, the second session was designed specifically for students.
The lecture was held as part of the OECD project “Fair Market Conditions for Competitiveness in Kazakhstan” and focused on “Introduction to Integrity / Integrity in the Private Sector.”
The session was delivered by William Tompson, Head of the OECD Eurasia Division; Céleste Laporte-Talamon, Policy Analyst for Central Asia; and Egor Polishchuk, Junior Policy Analyst for Central Asia.
At the beginning of the lecture, the experts introduced students to the OECD, its key areas of activity, and the development of cooperation between Kazakhstan and the Organisation. They noted that Kazakhstan’s cooperation with the OECD has expanded since 2008. Kazakhstan also participates in several regional initiatives, including the OECD Eurasia Competitiveness Programme and the Anti-Corruption Network for Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
A central topic of the session was the concept of integrity, presented as a positive commitment to transparency, accountability, and honest dealing. The experts discussed practices that can undermine integrity, including bribery, conflicts of interest, bid rigging, and facilitation payments.
Particular attention was given to why integrity matters for the private sector and the economy as a whole. The speakers discussed how corruption risks can affect competition, foreign direct investment, international trade, and long-term economic growth. The lecture also addressed specific features of Kazakhstan’s economy and the importance of creating fair and transparent conditions for doing business.
Students were also introduced to key OECD instruments, including the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises on Responsible Business Conduct, the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention, and the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Business Conduct. Through practical examples, the speakers demonstrated how international standards can be applied in companies’ relations with government institutions, business partners, suppliers, and local communities.
An important part of the programme was a case workshop, which gave participants an opportunity to apply the concepts discussed during the lecture to practical situations. Overall, the session covered six thematic areas: an introduction to the OECD and OECD–Kazakhstan cooperation, the concept of integrity, the importance of integrity for the private sector, OECD instruments, OECD findings on Kazakhstan, and practical case-based work.
The participation of around 350 attendees demonstrated strong interest in the topic. The meeting gave students a valuable opportunity to engage directly with international experts, learn about OECD approaches and standards, and discuss the importance of transparency, accountability, and integrity for future economists, managers, entrepreneurs, and public-sector professionals.
As part of the visit, a campus tour of Farabi University was also organized for the OECD representatives. The guests had an opportunity to explore the university’s infrastructure and visit the University Museum, where they learned about the history and development of Farabi University, its major achievements, and its contribution to education and research in Kazakhstan.
A particular highlight of the campus tour was a visit to Farabi University’s supercomputer center. The OECD representatives were introduced to the university’s advanced computing infrastructure and its potential for scientific research, large-scale data processing, digital technologies, and artificial intelligence.
The two-day programme, which brought together OECD experts, faculty members, and students, provided an important platform for professional and academic dialogue. The visit also allowed the OECD delegation to gain a broader understanding of Farabi University’s academic, scientific, and technological potential and contributed to exploring further opportunities for cooperation between Farabi University and the OECD in education, research, and the promotion of responsible business conduct.
Paris, 18 September 2026 — A gala concert entitled “Voice of an Era”, dedicated to the centenary of the outstanding Kazakh opera singer Ermek Serkebaev, was held at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris.
The event was attended by Minister of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan Arman Kyrykbayev, Director of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre Lazare Eloundou Assomo, and representatives of the diplomatic corps, the Kazakh diaspora and French civil society.
At the initiative of Kazakhstan, Ermek Serkebaev’s centenary was included in the list of anniversaries with which UNESCO is associated in 2026, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to world culture and the arts.
Prior to the concert, Minister of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan Arman Kyrykbayev held a bilateral meeting with UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany. The parties discussed current issues of cooperation between Kazakhstan and the Organization, including the nominations to international registers and safeguarding of the country’s monuments of material culture and its rich spiritual and documentary heritage, as well as the activities of the UNESCO Regional Office in Almaty.
At the concert’s opening ceremony, the Minister highlighted the special place of the celebrated artist’s legacy in the history of Kazakhstan’s national culture and the significance of commemorating his centenary internationally.
“Ermek Serkebaev was one of the outstanding performers who made a major contribution to the development of Kazakhstan’s national school of musical theatre and brought Kazakh opera to the world stage. It is, of course, a great honour for Kazakhstan to celebrate his anniversary at UNESCO today. I see this evening as a continuation of the creative dialogue between the singer and his audience,” said Kyrykbayev.
In his turn, Director of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre Lazare Eloundou Assomo emphasized Ermek Serkebaev’s importance to world culture and his role in strengthening mutual understanding among peoples.
“Through the many roles he created and performed, he made a profound contribution to the development of Kazakh opera and to its recognition beyond Kazakhstan. His career reminds us that artists can serve as powerful ambassadors of culture. Through music, artists carry stories, traditions, emotions and values across borders, allowing audiences from different backgrounds to discover one another and find common ground,” stressed Lazare Eloundou Assomo.
“For several generations of Kazakhs, Ermek Serkebaev became a symbol of artistic excellence and an entire era in the history of our national culture. Through his performances around the world, he also introduced international audiences to Kazakh opera, while remaining steadfastly devoted to his country and helping to establish our own national school of professional musicians through his extensive work as a pedagogue,” added Askar Abdrakhmanov, Ambassador, Permanent Delegate of Kazakhstan to UNESCO.
The programme of the evening, entitled “Voice of an Era”, was presented by the soloists, chorus and symphony orchestra of the Abai Kazakh National Opera and Ballet Theatre. The UNESCO stage featured works from the Kazakh and international operatic canon, as well as pieces that held a special place in Ermek Serkebaev’s repertoire.
The programme included works by Mukan Tulebaev, Akhmet Zhubanov, Latif Khamidi and Sydyq Mukhamedzhanov, Kazakh folk songs, and masterpieces of the international operatic repertoire by Charles Gounod, Piotr Tchaikovsky, Gioachino Rossini and Georges Bizet. The pieces performed included Serke’s aria from the opera Aisulu, Robert’s aria from Iolanta, Figaro’s cavatina from The Barber of Seville, Valentin’s aria from Faust, the Habanera from Carmen, and others.
Leading soloists of the Abai Kazakh National Opera and Ballet Theatre, representing the contemporary Kazakh school of opera, performed on the UNESCO stage that evening. They were joined by the theatre’s chorus and symphony orchestra. A special place in the programme was given to the performance by the celebrated singer’s niece, Zhamilya Serkebayeva, who played vibrant works from the repertoire of Kazakh national music on the violin.
Ermek Serkebaev (1926–2013) is one of the foremost figures in the history of Kazakh music. Possessing a unique baritone and exceptional acting talent, he devoted more than six decades to the operatic stage, creating a remarkable gallery of vivid characters from the national and international repertoire.
Serkebaev’s artistry played a significant role in the development and international recognition of the Kazakh school of opera. His many years of teaching also helped nurture a new generation of Kazakhstani performers and preserve the continuity of the national vocal tradition.
The “Voice of an Era” concert at UNESCO was one of the central events of the year commemorating Ermek Serkebaev’s centenary and provided another opportunity to introduce international audiences to Kazakhstan’s rich cultural heritage and contemporary performing arts.
Every year on 10 August, celebrates Abai Day, on an anniversary of the great Kazakh poet, founder of modern Kazakh written literature Abai Kunanbaiuly.
On the day we are sharing with you an interview with Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan to UNESCO Askar Abdrakhmanov that was recently published by Abai literary magazine.
The interview covers topics such as Kazakhstan’s cooperation with this intergovernmental organization, the ongoing work to include the manuscripts of Abai’s works on the UNESCO Memory of the World Register and other issues.
The text of the interview in Kazakh language is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa-unesco/press/news/details/1270807?lang=kk
Busan, 25 July 2026 – Today, at the 48th session of the World Heritage Committee, ongoing in Busan, Republic of Korea, a decision was adopted to inscribe the “Rock Mosques and Associated Sacred Sites of Mangystau” on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The newly inscribed UNESCO World Heritage property comprises five rock-cut mosques: Beket Ata, Shopan Ata, Qaraman Ata, Shaqpaq Ata and Sultan Epe.
The decision represents international recognition of the Outstanding Universal Value of this complex of historical and cultural monuments in western Kazakhstan, which developed over many centuries and demonstrates how spiritual traditions and practices were adapted, through local architecture, to the region’s distinctive natural environment and geological features.
In March 2024, at the National Constituent Assembly meeting in Atyrau, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev instructed the competent bodies, together with the National Commission for UNESCO and ISESCO Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, to work on the inscription of the Mangystau Rock Mosques on the World Heritage List
The delegation of Kazakhstan to the Committee session is headed by Erlan Karin, Chairperson of the National Commission of the Republic of Kazakhstan for UNESCO and ICESCO and First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Administration of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The delegation also included representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan, as well as leading experts in the field of cultural and natural heritage conservation.
Speaking following the adoption of the decision, Erlan Karin thanked the members of the Committee, the UNESCO World Heritage Centre and the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) for their professional assessment, constructive dialogue and support throughout the preparation of the nomination.
He emphasized that the inscription of the sacred monuments of Mangystau on the World Heritage List was not only a recognition of their significance for humanity as a whole, but also a tribute to the rich history, spiritual heritage and cultural identity of the Kazakh people.
According to him, the decision places a special responsibility on Kazakhstan to preserve this exceptional heritage for future generations and reaffirms the country’s unwavering commitment to fulfilling the provisions of the 1972 Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage.
Following the adoption of the historic decision, a symbolic ceremony dedicated to the inscription of the sacred sites of Mangystau on the World Heritage List was held at the Busan Convention Centre. During the ceremony, delegates attending the session congratulated the people of Kazakhstan on this joyful occasion. Dombra player Meirban Seyitbay and zhetygen performer Sabina Bauyrzhanova presented musical works inspired by the history of the Great Steppe, the spiritual traditions of Mangystau and the cultural heritage of the Kazakh people.
The inscription of the property on the World Heritage List was the result of many years of joint efforts by the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Akimat of Mangystau Region, as well as national research institutions and experts who ensured the preparation of the nomination dossier in accordance with the international standards of the 1972 UNESCO Convention.
The best known of the five rock-cut mosques included in the newly inscribed UNESCO World Heritage property is Beket Ata, associated with the life and legacy of the prominent Sufi figure of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Today, it remains one of the most revered pilgrimage sites in Kazakhstan, welcoming hundreds of thousands of visitors from different countries every year.
According to tradition, Beket Ata received his spiritual guidance at the burial place of Shopan Ata, a distinguished Sufi figure of the late medieval period and a disciple of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi. Another major rock-cut mosque in Mangystau bears his name. For this reason, many pilgrims also make a point of visiting this mosque, together with the surrounding necropolis and wells.
The Qaraman Ata complex is one of the largest sacred centres in the region and includes an underground mosque and an extensive historic necropolis. For centuries, it has remained an important centre of religious life and spiritual guidance.
Carved into chalk rock, the Shaqpaq Ata Mosque is one of the oldest in Kazakhstan. Its unique cruciform layout, rich decorative features and numerous epigraphic monuments bear witness to the rich spiritual and artistic culture of medieval Mangystau.
Sultan Epe has long been venerated as the patron of travellers and sailors. Located near the coast of the Caspian Sea, the mosque bearing his name served for centuries as a place of pilgrimage and spiritual support for local communities and merchants travelling along overland and maritime trade routes.
With the inscription of the sacred sites of Mangystau, Kazakhstan now has seven properties on the UNESCO World Heritage List. These include the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, the Petroglyphs within the Archaeological Landscape of Tamgaly, Saryarka – Steppe and Lakes of Northern Kazakhstan, the Silk Roads: the Routes Network of the Chang’an–Tianshan Corridor, the Western Tien-Shan, and the Cold Winter Deserts of Turan.
“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.
Creative works will be accepted from June 17 to August 28, 2026.
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:
- 1st Place – Laptop;
- 2nd Place – Tablet;
- 3rd Place – Smartwatch.
Encouragement Prize: Bestemshe traditional board game.
The best artworks will be published on the organizers’ official information resources and featured in an online exhibition.
I. Organization and Conduct of the Competition
Ethnic Kazakh children aged 12–17 living abroad are eligible to participate. To confirm Kazakh ethnicity and foreign citizenship, participants must submit a copy of their passport together with their artwork.
Submitted artwork must correspond to the theme “Kazakhstan Through My Eyes.”
When submitting an entry, participants must provide the following:
- Personal information (full name, citizenship, school and grade, contact number);
- A self-introduction video of no more than 2 minutes explaining themselves and their artwork;
- A video recording of the drawing process, no longer than 3 minutes, to confirm authorship of the artwork, as well as several additional artworks created by the participant.
Entries will be accepted until August 28, 2026, via email at oqbaiqau@gmail.com.
II. Artwork Requirements
The competition accepts digital versions of hand-drawn artworks created on paper.
Participants may use any traditional art materials and tools, including pencil, colored pencils, markers, watercolor paints, gouache, oil paints, pastels, charcoal, acrylic paints, gel pens, other artistic drawing materials.
Artwork may cover the following themes:
- Nature of Kazakhstan;
- Historical and cultural monuments;
- National customs and traditions;
- Everyday life of the Kazakh people;
- National holidays and celebrations;
- Landmarks of Kazakhstan;
- Visions and aspirations for the future of Kazakhstan.
Each participant may submit multiple artworks.
Only original works created by the participant will be accepted.
Artwork created or edited using Artificial Intelligence (AI) will not be accepted.
By submitting an artwork, participants grant the organizer permission to display and publish it on official websites, social media platforms, and exhibitions.
Entries must be submitted in JPEG, JPG, PNG, or PDF format.
On 19 July, the 48th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee opened in Busan, Republic of Korea. The session will run until 29 July.
The official opening ceremony was attended by the President of the Republic of Korea, Lee Jae-myung, and the Director-General of UNESCO, Khaled El-Enany.
The event has brought together approximately 3,000 participants from the 196 States Parties to the UNESCO Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, as well as representatives of international organizations and the expert community.
During the session, the World Heritage Committee will examine 30 new nominations for inscription on the World Heritage List, along with 147 State of Conservation reports on properties already inscribed on the List.
The delegation of Kazakhstan is actively participating in the session in its capacity as a member of the World Heritage Committee.
The Committee is also expected to examine Kazakhstan's nomination, "The Rock Mosques of Mangystau and Associated Sacred Sites".
It is worth recalling that, during the meeting of the National Kurultai held in Atyrau, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev instructed the Government to initiate the process of nominating the unique underground mosques of Mangystau for inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/1260833?lang=en
Paris, 17 June 2026 – A delegation of the Republic of Kazakhstan participated in the meetings of the OECD Green Action Task Force (GATF) held in Paris. The Kazakh delegation included Saule Sabiyeva, Director of the Climate Policy Department at the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, Yerzhan Nessibkulov, Director of the Department of International Economic Cooperation at the Ministry of National Economy, representatives of the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) and the Permanent Delegation of Kazakhstan to international organisations in Paris. The Green Action Task Force serves as a key platform for advancing green policy and sustainable development across Central Asia, Eastern Europe, and the Caucasus.
During the sessions, Kazakhstan’s delegates highlighted the outcomes of the Regional Environmental Summit held in Astana on 22 –24 April 2026 and expressed their appreciation to the OECD for its valuable contribution to the successful organisation of the event.
Ms. Sabiyeva took part in a roundtable discussion on green economy planning in Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia. In her remarks, she outlined Kazakhstan’s progress in implementing its Green Economy Transition Concept and Carbon Neutrality Strategy, highlighting current priorities and ongoing policy measures.
As part of the discussion on the implementation of measures to ensure sustainable infrastructure in Central Asia, Mr. Nessibkulov shared the country’s experience in implementing the Sustainable Infrastructure Program in Asia (SIPA), in particular, developing, with the support of the SIPA team, of a draft Strategy for Kazakhstan's low-carbon development until 2060, elaborating measures to improve the country's investment policy, especially on investments in "green" projects, and expressed strong interest in continuing the implementation of the SIPA program in Kazakhstan.
Particular attention was devoted to the water sector, which has been identified as one of the priority areas under the National Action Plan. The Kazakh delegation reaffirmed its interest in exchanging experience on the design and implementation of water-related policies and in exploring international best practices for integrating water management into broader sustainable development strategies.
As a result of the meeting, Mansur Oshurbayev, Vice Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Kazakhstan, was elected Vice-Chair of the GATF Bureau for the 2027-2028 term.
On the sidelines of the event, Kazakh delegates held a series of bilateral meetings, including discussions with senior officials from the OECD Development Centre and the Eurasia Competitiveness Programme. The meetings focused on opportunities for further cooperation, implementation of joint initiatives, and priority areas for future engagement.
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.
Paris, 10 June 2026 – The outcomes of the symposium on the history of the Golden Horde held in Astana were among the topics discussed at the international conference “Heritage, Travel and Traditions of the Silk Roads: A Journey of Intercultural Dialogue,” organized at UNESCO Headquarters on the occasion of the International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations.
UNESCO’s senior leadership, ambassadors of countries situated along the historic overland and maritime Silk Roads, as well as prominent scholars and experts in history and cultural heritage, took part in the event.
In his remarks, Kazakhstan’s Permanent Delegate to UNESCO, Ambassador Askar Abdrakhmanov, highlighted his country’s role in the development of the Silk Roads and their contemporary manifestations as a vehicle not only for economic exchange but also for intercultural dialogue and interaction.
In this context, the Ambassador informed participants of the meeting in Paris about the outcomes of the international symposium “The Golden Horde as a Model of Steppe Civilization: History, Archaeology, Culture and Identity,” held in Astana on 19–20 May 2026.
According to him, the participation of more than 300 delegates from over 20 countries across Asia, Europe, the Americas and the Middle East, representing various research schools specializing in the history of the Golden Horde and the Great Steppe, reflected the high international importance of a systematic study of the political, socio-economic and cultural heritage of this large medieval state and the continued relevance of further in-depth research on the broad range of related topics.
As the Ambassador recalled, during the era of the Golden Horde, which controlled the northern branch of the Silk Roads and ensured the security of trade routes across the Great Steppe, tons of goods regularly passed through its territory, including silk from China, spices from India, furs from Russia, horses from Central Asia, and handicraft products from Europe and the Middle East. He noted that the minting of a vast number of coins in the name of the rulers of the Ulus of Jochi (Golden Horde) was evidence of its economic power, while discoveries of these coins across various regions of Eurasia help us today to trace more accurately the history of trade and other exchanges along this section of the Silk Roads.
“The grand symposium on the heritage of the Golden Horde, held in Kazakhstan under the patronage of UNESCO, clearly demonstrated the strong interest of the international scholarly community in rethinking the interconnected histories of Eurasia and the Great Steppe through a broader and more inclusive perspective,” the diplomat emphasized.
In this regard, he thanked the leadership of this reputable intergovernmental organization for its valuable support for the Kazakh initiative, its high-level participation in the symposium, and its substantive contribution to the academic discussions held in Astana.
For his part, Lazare Eloundou Assomo, Director of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, who headed the Organization’s delegation to the symposium in Astana, praised the event’s high organizational and substantive quality. He underscored the importance of such initiatives for a comprehensive study of the contribution made by the peoples of Eurasia to the common cultural heritage of humanity and expressed appreciation to Kazakhstan for its long-standing support of UNESCO’s Silk Roads Program.
At the conclusion of the day’s program, conference participants were able to sample national cuisines reflecting the culinary heritage of the countries of the Silk Roads, including one from Kazakhstan.