Official Statements:

KAZAKH DELEGATION AT THE 21ST UN CONFERENCE

ON DISARMAMENT ISSUES IN NIIGATA

Secretary of State Kanat Saudabayev delivered a keynote speech at the 21st UN Conference on Disarmament Issues in Niigata, Japan, on August 26. The event, titled “From Niigata to the world: renewed determination and action towards a nuclear weapon-free world”, was attended by high-profile international politicians, diplomats and professionals in the field of non-proliferation. During his speech, Secretary Saudabayev also delivered a message to conference participants from Kazakhstan’s President Nursultan Nazarbayev. Read remarks...

EURASIAN ENERGY FORUM

Astana, August 27: The 4th Eurasian Energy Forum KAZENERGY takes place - 24–25 September 2009 at the Palace of Independence, Astana, Kazakhstan. The Forum – with a tagline this year of ‘Global Challenges & Strategic Alliances’ – will provide a unique, timely, in-depth assessment for decision-makers on industry shifts that will impact on all governments, companies, investors, financiers etc.

The 4th Forum will unite over 800 of the most influential professionals in the energy industries and more than 55 top-level speakers - all internationally recognized leaders and experts.

The inevitable depletion of traditional energy resources, geopolitical discrepancies, high competition for long-term investments, increasing industry costs, disturbance of ecological balance, technology transfer issues, shortage of skilled personnel, increasing risk management requirements – all these and other challenges require dialogue between resource-rich regions and energy consumers beyond the limits of individual energy markets.

In other words, the ultimate goal of the 4th Forum is to focus attention on the energy sector’s development in a changing world market situation; formulate and agree upon a unified policy of action - using modern approaches to regulate partnerships with Kazakhstan.

Specifically, the Forum will address topics such as…

·         World energy outlook: Today and 2030

·         Kazakhstan: Long-term strategy of energy development and use

·      Role of innovations and high technologies in resolving global energy problems

·       Media Energy: ‘Company Reputations in the Context of Global Energy Challenges’

The Forum is part of ‘Kazakhstan Energy Week 2009’ – 21-26  September - which also sees the 4th EuroAsian Energy Forum ‘KazEnergy’, Kazakhstan Oil & Gas Exhibition, the 4th Kazakhstan Oil & Gas Awards (including the ‘Golden Prometheus’ award) held on the evening of Thursday, 24 September in the Norman Foster-designed Palace of Peace & Accord, Astana. The Awards acknowledge and celebrate business excellence across Kazakhstan’s energy industries.

Journalists from all media are invited to attend both the Forum and all other events during ‘Kazakhstan Energy Week 2009’.

To register or for further information visit www.eurasianenergyforum.com.

BIG TO DESIGN KAZAKHSTAN’S NEW NATIONAL LIBRARY

Astana, 27 August: The Danish architectural practice BIG was awarded first prize in an open international design competition to design Kazakhstan’s National Library.

The competition attracted 19 entrants - among them Norman Foster and Zaha Hadid – but BIG was the ultimate winner due to the modern, rational and classically anchored library vocabulary employed.

The new National Library will be named after Nursultan Nazarbayev, the President of Kazakhstan, and will cover an area of  33.000m2 in the country’s capital, Astana.

BIG’s winning proposal was chosen by Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister Masimov, Astana’s akim (mayor) Imangaly Tasmagambetov and a council of architects.

BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group) was founded just three years ago by Bjarke Ingels, who, although just 35-years-old, is already famous for his playful and practical design approach. BIG has recently won competitions to design a city hall in Estonia, a museum in Mexico City - and last year won a World Architecture Festival Award for Best Residential Building.

The design of Kazakhstan’s National Library combines four universal archetypes into a new national symbol: the circle, the rotunda, the arch and the yurt are merged into a Möebius strip (a surface with only one side and only one boundary component). Visitors will move seamlessly from the inside to the outside and from ground to the sky - all the while being able to view the surrounding landscape and growing city skyline.

The building comes across as local and universal, contemporary and timeless, unique and archetypal at the same time. Representing the Kazakh national identity, the National Library will be the place where the citizens of Astana, the people of Kazakhstan, as well as foreign visitors explore the country’s history, rich culture, new capital and the legacy of the country’s first president.

Like Astana, which is located in the heart of the Kazakh mainland, the Library will be integrated into the heart of a re-created Kazakh landscape. The park around the building is designed like ‘a living library’ of trees, plants, minerals and rocks allowing visitors to experience a cross section of Kazakhstan’s natural landscape, and ‘sense’ the capital’s transition across the country from Almaty to Astana in 1997.

Thomas Christoffersen, BIG’s Project Leader said: "The public will be able to study the history of the Kazakh culture and language present in the massive collection of books, magazines, film and other media. The archive is organized as a circular loop of knowledge, surrounded by light and air on both sides. On the periphery, a 360 degree panorama of Astana - at the heart of the building a contemplative courtyard domed by a celestial vault."

US LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS WELCOME KAZAKH OFFICIALS

Astana, 27 August: The League of Women Voters of Tyler/Smith County will welcome a delegation of elected officials from Kazakhstan on September 12 for an eight-day visit. Learning about local and regional government, with an emphasis on accountability and transparency, is the principle purpose of the visit.

The Kazakh delegation will meet regional leaders in many fields, make contacts that can be pursued in the future, experience life in Texas homes, and enjoy the cultural and social benefits of the area.

The trip is sponsored by the Open World Leadership Center, a US Congress programme designed to help emerging leaders in Russia and former Soviet Socialist Republics to gain first-hand exposure to American democracy through visits to local communities.

The Kazakh delegation will be accompanied by a facilitator and translator and local Russian speakers are volunteering to help delegates communicate with Texas citizens at informal and festive events.

“We expect this cross-cultural exchange to be an enlightening experience for our visitors, for our organizations, and for our whole community” said Kristi Roberts, president of LWV-Tyler/Smith County.

The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan, multi-issue organization that encourages the informed and active participation of citizens in government and works to increase understanding of major public policy issues.