Chernobyl Fungus Appears to Have Evolved an Incredible Ability

Kazakhstan will complete its nationwide plan to plant 2 billion trees by 2027, announced Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Yerlan Nyssanbayev, Qazinform News Agency reports.

Reporting on the progress of the President's large-scale greening initiative, the minister stated that 1.4 billion seedlings have already been planted across the country’s forest fund.

Kazakhstan has already planted 270 million of the 370 million trees scheduled for this year’s plan. To ensure a supply of high-quality material for future efforts, construction of six new forest seed complexes will begin next year. Furthermore, a special 30-hectare nursery on the dried Aral seabed is being established to cultivate climate-adapted seedlings.

 

Screening of Kazakh short film "Ray of Hope" was held at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris as part of the 2nd UNESCO Festival of Short Films on Disability Inclusion, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.

The event, organized on the occasion of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, celebrated annually on December 3, is designed to support films that raise awareness about the inalienable rights, testing life stories and impressive achievements of people with disabilities.

The plot of the film presented at the festival by the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the State Centre for Support of National Film of Kazakhstan and the Permanent Delegation of the Republic of Kazakhstan to UNESCO, was based on the twists of the fate of Kazakh judoka Yergali Shamey. The most important struggle for the protagonist in this film takes place not on a tatami, but in his mind, in which, despite all doubts and trials, he learns overcoming his fears and moving forward. The film, shot by Dala Cinema studios, was directed by Duman Yerkimbek, produced by Zhalyn Tleubergenov, and starred Nazar Sherkhan.

It should be noted that well after the film production was completed, Yergali Shamey performed brilliantly at the Paralympic Games in Paris in September 2024, where he won a silver medal in para judo in the weight category up to 73 kg.

As part of the UNESCO event, 25 short films from all continents were screened, revealing the everyday reality of people with disabilities, the challenges they face, and how they consistently overcome them. Through the universal language of cinema, this initiative aims to highlight the values of cultural diversity and to promote inclusive approaches in education, sports and other areas of contemporary societies development.

 

The Embassy of Kazakhstan in Indonesia, in partnership with the Association of the Indonesian Tours & Travel Agencies (ASITA), hosted a roundtable in Jakarta titled "Tourism Opportunities of Kazakhstan". The event aimed to expand bilateral cooperation in the tourism sector and attract more Indonesian travelers to Kazakhstan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.

The roundtable brought together representatives from over 40 Indonesian travel companies, international airlines, and business circles. The Ambassador of Kazakhstan, Serzhan Abdykarimov, made a detailed presentation of the country’s tourism potential, emphasizing its unique regional features and sightseeings.

The Ambassador also underscored the 30-day visa-free regime currently available to Indonesian citizens and invited travel agencies to intensify joint efforts to significantly increase two-way tourist flows, strengthen business cooperation, and foster long-term people-to-people connections between the two friendly nations. It was also noted that foreign investors contributing at least USD 300,000 to Kazakhstan’s economy are eligible for a Golden Visa and a 10-year residence permit.

ASITA leadership and Indonesian travel companies expressed strong interest and willingness to further expand mutually beneficial tourist and people-to-people ties with Kazakhstan, as well as to strengthen business partnerships between two countries.

During the roundtable, participants were shown videos about Kazakhstan’s rich tourism potential and a photo exhibition featuring the country’s most beautiful natural landscapes. Guests also tried traditional Kazakh cuisine and received informational and touristic brochures about the country.

 

Germany hosted the 45th meeting of the Berlin Eurasian Club (BEC) titled "Dialogue and Trust: Media and Expert Communication on Kazakhstan". The event brought together representatives from political and business circles, expert communities, civil society organisations, as well as Kazakh and German media outlets, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.

The discussions centred on strengthening trust, expanding expert-level interaction and enhancing the quality of communication between Kazakhstan and Germany, while also noting the growing European interest in the political and socio-economic reforms under way in the world’s ninth-largest country.

In his opening remarks, Kazakhstan’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Arman Issetov emphasized that Kazakhstan has, in recent years, carried out a comprehensive transformation of its state governance system and implemented significant political and socio-economic reforms. These efforts have helped build greater trust both domestically and within the international community. He noted that Kazakhstan continues to reinforce its role as an active and responsible participant in the international agenda, open to constructive dialogue and cooperation.

Christian Görke, Member of the Bundestag and Chair of the Parliamentary Group "Germany-Central Asia", noted in his address that strengthening professional and expert contacts contributes to deeper trust and expands opportunities for cooperation between the two countries.

The keynote address was delivered by prominent journalist and founder of the media platform "diplo.news", Ewald König, who presented an overview of current communication trends and an analysis of German media coverage on Kazakhstan. He highlighted the growing interest among European journalists and analysts in the country’s political transformation, Kazakhstan’s role in the region and on the international stage, as well as its commitment to openness and constructive dialogue with partners.

The panel discussion featured representatives of leading Kazakh and German media outlets. Experts examined mechanisms for advancing media and expert cooperation, the role of journalism in building trust and the importance of objective reporting on political, economic and social developments in Kazakhstan.

In conclusion, participants noted that Kazakhstan continues to strengthen its position as a state open to dialogue and international partnership and expressed readiness to further expand contacts between expert and media communities of both countries.

 

Flu cases are surging across Kostanay region, Qazinform News Agency reports.

17,228 acute respiratory viral infection cases were recorded in the region in the past week, that is 2080.4 per 100,000 population, which is 1.6 times more than the week before (10,561 cases, 1264.9 per 100,000 population).

Of which 11,267 acute respiratory viral infection cases or 65.3% were reported among children aged under 14, the sanitary and epidemiological control department reports.

 

More than 30 Kazakh students studying at leading Hungarian universities took part in a special meeting held at the Lakitelek Folk High School (Lakitelek Népfőiskola). Students from ELTE, Corvinus, Debrecen, BUEB and Pécs universities participated in the event. The meeting was held under the patronage of Deputy Speaker of the Hungarian Parliament Sándor Lezsák and was dedicated to Kazakhstan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.

The event was attended by Abzal Saparbekuly, Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Hungary; Daniyar Kadyrov, President of the "Otandastar Foundation"; as well as Professor of the Lakitelek Folk High School and Deputy Speaker of the Hungarian Parliament, Sándor Lezsák. Hungarian citizens interested in Kazakh culture and national sports were also invited.

The main purpose of the event was to strengthen ties with Kazakh students studying abroad, foster their patriotism, and expand cultural and educational cooperation.

During the meeting, participants listened to Ambassador A.Saparbekuly’s lecture on Kazakh-Hungarian strategic partnership, and students presented reports they had prepared about Kazakhstan. In addition, master classes in asyk atu and togyzkumalak were conducted by the "Hungarian-Kazakh Ethnosport and Culture Association" led by Zhanargul Fenyvesi.

Tauyekel Shadyar, a third-year student at the Faculty of International Relations of ELTE University, spoke about student initiatives: "Here in Hungary, we have created the Quryltai Hu association to unite Kazakh students. We hold cultural and educational events every month. We are also members of the Qazaq Society, which brings together Kazakh student organizations from 11 European countries. Our goal is to strengthen unity and expand cooperation," he said.

Elnara Israyil, a fourth-year student of Business Administration and Management at Corvinus University, shared her impressions: "We students often gather together. We actively participate in events organized by the Embassy and those we arrange ourselves. On holidays, we get together to cook beshbarmak and speak only Kazakh. Such gatherings help us stay connected with our homeland. Kazakhstan is always in my heart," she noted.

As part of the meeting, D. Kadyrov, President of the "Otandastar Foundation," held discussions with the leaders and members of the "Barys" Hungarian-Kazakh society and the "Hungarian-Kazakh" cultural association. At the end of the gathering, Kazakh cultural organizations received dombra instruments and national attire as part of the "Qorzhyn" project.

 

From 27 November to 1 December 2025, the Fourth International New Music Festival Asia-Europe was held in Ha Noi. It was arranged jointly by the Organizing Committee comprised of representatives from two continents, and the Union of Vietnamese Composers, with the support of the central state bodies of Viet Nam and the People’s Committee of Ha Noi, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.

Honourable Tolegen Muhamedzhanov, the world-famous composer, Meritorious Artist of Kazakhstan, presented at the Festival his musical masterpiece - the symphony "Astana". The Vietnamese public received it with special enthusiasm and deep appreciation. It was also highly evaluated by international experts. The Gala Concert of the Festival was held at the National Academy of Music of Viet Nam.

The international festival was attended by more than 30 composers and artists from Australia, Belgium, China, Denmark, Germany, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Russia, Spain, Switzerland and Viet Nam.

On the margins of the festival, composer T. Mukhamedzhanov and Kazakh Ambassador to Viet Nam Kanat Tumysh held meetings with Hoang Dao Cuong, Deputy Minister of Culture, Arts, and Sports of Viet Nam; Do Hong Quan, Chairman of the Alliance of Arts and Literature Associations of Viet Nam; Luong Xuan Doan, President of the Viet Nam Fine Arts Association, as well as with the leadership of the Viet Nam National Academy of Music.

Festival participants visited the provinces of Phú Thọ and Hòa Bình. For Viet Nam this cross-regional event was one of the most important gatherings in the field of professional music.

The festival has become a cultural bridge between the countries of Asia and Europe, bringing together both Vietnamese and international audiences that follow new trends in classical music.

The symphony "Astana" was a valuable gift in terms of the celebration in Viet Nam of the 35th Anniversary of State Sovereignty of Kazakhstan, as well as the upcoming Independence Day of the country.

 

An annual charity fair was held in Skopje under the auspices of the "Dobredojde" Macedonian Welcome Center. The Embassy of Kazakhstan presented a variety of souvenirs, books and culinary products. The visitors were particularly interested in Kazakh jewelry, felt and confectionery products. The guests of the fair tasted baursaks, samsa, and irimshik, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.

Dombra, household items and colorful national costumes were placed at the Kazakhstan stand called "Kazakhstan: Born Bold", where many visitors took memorable photos. Videos about Kazakhstan were shown to the general public throughout the event.

By tradition, at the fair, the President of North Macedonia, Madame Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, got acquainted with the cultural diversity of different countries. At the stand of the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan, she showed a deep interest in the items of national culture. The Ambassador of Kazakhstan to North Macedonia Satybaldy Burshakov introduced the distinguished guest the art and rich cultural and historical heritage of our country.

In a conversation with Kazakh diplomats and students, the President fondly recalled her visit to Kazakhstan in May of this year, specifically noting the deep impression left by her acquaintance with the cultural sites of Astana. She conveyed her best wishes to the people of Kazakhstan and to President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

At the conclusion of the fair, the organizers unanimously gave high praise to the Kazakhstan stand and expressed gratitude to the Embassy for its participation in the event.