Kazakhstan citizens want to restore as deadly as beautiful mascots of EXPO 2017

Astana. 19 January. Kazakhstan Today - The sensational mascots of EXPO 2017 are restored and in the nearest future will be presented in the new format. The director of the department of marketing and promotion of JSC NC Astana EXPO 2017 Allen Chayzhunusov noted that the restoration will take into account the public comments that mascots will represent the exhibition with dignity.

Kaznet violently discusses the mascots of EXPO 2017 which were installed in Astana on the Eve of the international exhibition. The users express the dissatisfaction with the appearance of mascots of EXPO 2017.

Let's remind that these mascots were chosen in 2014 by the open voting of Kazakhstan citizens and the special commission. The contest on the best design of mascots took place in three stages.

Within the first qualifying round the contest committee chose only seven best works. The designs of finalists of the first stage were presented to the national vote, the results of which determined three leaders. It was reported that the winner of contest which will be determined by the state commission from three finalists of the second stage will sign the agreement on the development of brand book of mascots of EXPO 2017, and also officially will secure authorship of a mascot of the international exhibition.

In total over 20,000 people voted for mascots. The majority of votes got mascot Tengri and Bori - 3, 705 voices. Three leaders in mascots contest were Kunsulu, Bobek i Uhlan" (3, 198 votes) and Kunsulu, Dauylkhan i Tolkynay (3, 019 votes).

The organizers said that they paid attention to two main issues in choosing the best. They are the compliance of mascot to the subject Future Energy, and, of course, the reflection of Kazakhstan national culture's features in it. Designers from Brazil, Mexico, Venezuela, Portugal, the USA, Germany, Switzerland, Great Britain, Spain, India, Ukraine, Romania, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine and many other countries presented over 80 unique works to the contest commission.

Let's note that the approved official mascots of EXPO 2017 bear names Saule, Kuat and Moldir. However after their installation in the city, the users of network expressed the dissatisfaction with appearance of mascots of EXPO 2017. Later the mascot Saule disappeared. The press service explained that the figure was sent for restoration.

"The contest history is familiar to me, this contest was held once, then the company which represented those mascots the public chose was excluded from the contest. Therefore the results of contest were cancelled at that time. Because the winner didn't participate. He was officially called the winner, then cancelled the request. There is concept "author's rights", especially that company asked not to use their materials as a basis for mascot.

These mascots symbolize very clear good things, Saule - the sun, Kuat - earth force, Moldir - clean air and water. It very well corresponds to our logo of an exhibition with shamrock, logically everything is clear," the director of the department of marketing and promotion of JSC NC Astana EXPO 2017 Allen Chayzhunusov said to journalists today.

As the director of department explained to journalists, the mascots were removed by, "now they are restored and in the nearest future they will be presented in the new format." At the same time, as Chayzhunusov note, these mascots were made by the sponsor's finance, and "they are restored also by the sponsor's finance."

Earlier one design company in Almaty commented on a situation with mascots of EXPO 2017. As Duende studio explained, they has no relation to mascots of EXPO 2017 installed in Astana.

" There is an information on the internet websites on expected authors of these "masterpieces" with reference to our Duende company allegedly responsible for creation of these images. Friends, we need to clear the current situation which not only creates negative opinion about symbols of EXPO 2017, but also causes serious harm to our company.

Artists of our company carried out the difficult work. All three mascots: Saule, Moldir and Kuat were made and decorated according to the design project of the customer and with deadline. Each stage of work on figures was fixed and approved with customers. All mascots are painted manually by the professional artists and designers having the higher education," the design company explained.

"In April, 2016 mascots were ready, sent to the customer and moved from the masterful of company Duende to the office of EXPO 2017 in Almaty where they are now. The Duende company has no relation to mascots of EXPO 2017 installed in Astana as other contractor dealt with production of these figures," the company said.

As Allen Chayzhunusov noted, the restoration will take into account the public comments that mascots will represent Astana EXPO 2017 with dignity.

"We just want to consider all the people's comments, to restore and then to install that they will decorate our city. The question is that they were damaged, there was the negative reaction after the damage, I wouldn't like to comment, intentional it or not intentional, we quickly reacted, asked the sponsor to consider people's comments, for example, someone didn't like a smile or eye shape. It is a production. Everything is so clear," he said.

Let's remind that the EXPO 2017 will take place in Astana from June 10 to September 10, 2017. It is planned that 100 countries, at least ten international organizations, ten companies - leaders of innovative technologies will take part in it. In general about five million visits of an exhibition and more than two million visitors are expected.

News Agency Bnews

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