The Turan Ethno-Folk Ensemble Performed on the San Francisco Stage
Images | gov.kz
The city hosted a remarkable cultural event celebrating the richness of Kazakhstan’s national heritage. Through the powerful sounds of traditional instruments, the audience experienced the spiritual richness and artistic depth of Kazakh culture, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.
The event, organized by the Consulate General of Kazakhstan in San Francisco, brought together representatives of the Mayor’s Office, members of the cultural community, the diplomatic corps, and active members of the Kazakh diaspora. The evening opened with welcoming remarks by Consul General Nazira Nurbayeva and Mark Chandler, Director of International Affairs for the City of San Francisco.
The main goal of the cultural evening was to strengthen friendship and mutual cooperation between Kazakhstan and the United States, while promoting the spiritual traditions of Kazakh culture.
The highlight of the evening was the internationally acclaimed Turan Ethno-Folk Ensemble. Recognized as a distinctive musical brand of the Turkic world, the ensemble warmly introduced American guests to the culture, rich history, and enduring spirit of the Kazakh people.
The ensemble’s tour across the United States was organized with the support of Hugh Hallman, Honorary Consul of Kazakhstan in the State of Arizona. This unforgettable evening, filled with music and emotion, left a lasting impression on all attendees. The ensemble’s concert tour continued in the State of Arizona.
This information may not be reproduced without reference to Kazakhstan Today. Copyright of materials of News Agency Kazakhstan Today.
relevant news
Heavy snow and snowstorms to sweep across Kazakhstan
On Sunday, a northwestern cyclone and associated atmospheric fronts will continue to affect most of Kazakhstan, Qazinform News Agency reports, citing Kazhydromet National Weather Service.
Rain and snow are expected across the country. Forecasters also warn of snowstorms and black ice. There will be heavy snow in the northern and northwestern regions. Additionally, patchy fog and strong winds are expected nationwide.
This information may not be reproduced without reference to Kazakhstan Today. Copyright of materials of News Agency Kazakhstan Today.
Population of snow leopards jumps four times in Ile-Alatau National Park
Images | depositphotos.com
The Ile-Alatau National Park said in a statement on Friday there were a mere 5-10 snow leopards on its territory in 1996, Qazinform News Agency reports.
The park revealed the population of snow leopards has jumped by four times to 39 as of now. It also reported a rise in numbers of the brown bear from 15-20 to 85, the stone marten from 100 to 493, and the golden eagle from 50 to 97.
The Ile-Alatau National Park said it houses two genetic reserves, maintains an archive of red-listed Sievers' apple tree, while carrying out efforts to protect its gene pool.
This information may not be reproduced without reference to Kazakhstan Today. Copyright of materials of News Agency Kazakhstan Today.
Measles cases in Kazakhstan dropped 6.8 times in 2025, Healthcare Ministry
Images | depositphotos.com
Last year, measles incidence in Kazakhstan decreased 6.8 times compared to 2024, though the situation remains unstable, Qazinform News Agency quotes sanitary and epidemiological control committee chairwoman Sarkhat Beyssenova, as saying.
WHO recorded over 247,000 measles cases globally in 2025, driven by gaps in immunization coverage.
She stressed in Kazakhstan, despite the decline, cases began rising again from November 2025, continuing into January-February 2026.
Since the beginning of 2026, 3,343 cases have been registered countrywide, with 72% among children under 5 years old. 78% of cases were detected among those unvaccinated, of which 56% due to parental refusal, 14% due to medical exemptions and 30% because children had not yet reached vaccination age.
Last year, 323,700 children aged one year or 96.4%, and 348,300 children aged six years or 95% coverage were vaccinated against measles.
Catch-up immunization continues for children up to 18 years.
Additional immunization was introduced for infants aged 6-11 months due to rising cases.
New measures were introduced nationwide on February 18, 2026. The sanitary and epidemiological control committee chairwoman signed a decree on expanded immunization against measles, rubella, and mumps for children aged 6 months to 10 months 29 days, catch-up vaccination for unvaccinated children aged 2-5 years and 7-18 years and vaccination of healthcare workers under 30 without documented immunization.
This information may not be reproduced without reference to Kazakhstan Today. Copyright of materials of News Agency Kazakhstan Today.
Wizz Air’s former managing director appointed to lead Kazakh low-cost carrier
The Air Astana Group, in a statement on Wednesday, announced the appointment of Johan Eidhagen as the President of FlyArystan, the Group's low-cost airline, which will come into force on March 1, 2026, Qazinform News Agency cites the press service of Air Astana.
According to the statement, Johan Eidhagen joins from Wizz Air where he held several senior roles, including most recently that of the Managing Director of Wizz Air, Abu Dhabi. During his time at Wizz Air, he was also the Chief People & ESG Officer and the Chief Marketing Officer at Wizz Air Group. Prior to Wizz Air, Johan spent fourteen years with Nokia in a range of senior executive positions across multiple jurisdictions.
Johan takes over from Richard Ledger, who will now transition to a new senior executive position in the Air Astana Group as Vice President, Partnerships and Alliances.
This information may not be reproduced without reference to Kazakhstan Today. Copyright of materials of News Agency Kazakhstan Today.
World Day of Turkic Languages Marked in Kuala Lumpur
Images | gov.kz
A cultural event dedicated to the designation of 15 December as the World Day of Turkic Languages by decision of UNESCO was held at the premises of the Embassy of Türkiye in Malaysia, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.
The decision was adopted at the 43rd General Conference of UNESCO held in November 2025 in Samarkand. The date of 15 December is linked to a historic milestone - the decipherment of the Orkhon inscriptions, which revealed to the world the ancient written tradition of the Turkic peoples.
The event was attended by the Ambassadors of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Türkiye and Uzbekistan to Malaysia, as well as diplomats, members of the academic community and representatives of the public.
In his remarks, Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Malaysia, Bulat Sugurbayev, noted that the adoption of the resolution represents a logical and important step toward strengthening cultural dialogue and solidarity among Turkic peoples, taking into account their shared history and cultural heritage. Kazakhstan consistently supports the development of the Kazakh language as an integral part of the Turkic language family and as an important tool of international communication.
Ambassador of Türkiye to Malaysia, Emir Salim Yuksel, noted that the establishment of the World Day of Turkic Languages opens a new chapter in cultural cooperation among Turkic states.
The cultural programme featured a dombra performance by students from Kazakhstan.
Following the meeting, the ambassadors of the Turkic-speaking states came to agreement to hold such events in Malaysia on a regular basis and to jointly celebrate the first anniversary of the World Day of Turkic Languages on 15 December this year in Kuala Lumpur.
This information may not be reproduced without reference to Kazakhstan Today. Copyright of materials of News Agency Kazakhstan Today.