AGP Executive Report

University Scrutiny: An investigative report says a 23-year-old relative of Kazakhstan’s president owns two state-backed universities. One received a government contract worth more than $2.5 million; neither has released financial statements. Kazakh Heritage Abroad: The HasSak ensemble brought dombra, zhetygen and other traditional sounds to the Smithsonian in Washington, as part of a cultural exchange ahead of the 2027 Smithsonian Folklife Festival. Music and Identity: Kazakh performers also presented traditional melodies at Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate, drawing attention to the country’s musical heritage. Kazakh Cinema: Cinema Days opened in Hungary, showcasing films about Kazakhstan’s history and culture.

Kazakh Music Abroad: HasSak brought dombra, zhetygen, sybyzgy and kylkobyz to the Smithsonian in Washington, presenting traditional melodies and modern interpretations as part of a US-Kazakhstan heritage partnership. Steppe Sounds in Berlin: Kazakh performers in national dress drew a crowd at the Brandenburg Gate, using song to introduce the country’s cultural heritage to international visitors. Education and Faith: A school in northern Kazakhstan brings together more than 200 students from Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant and Muslim families, combining intercultural learning with technology skills. Kazakh Cinema in Hungary: Cinema Days opened in Budapest with films including Amre and Qaitadan, giving audiences a window into Kazakhstan’s history and contemporary filmmaking. Dimash’s Influence: Brazilian singer Vanderlei Júnior says discovering Dimash Qudaibergen at 13 inspired his interest in classical music; the Kazakh artist was also featured in the GRAMMYs’ new “Global Mixtape” series.

Kazakh Cinema Abroad: Kazakh Cinema Days opened in Budapest with films including Amre and The Road to Mother, bringing local stories and history to Hungarian audiences. Dimash on the Global Stage: The singer featured in GRAMMY’s “Global Mixtape,” describing Kazakh music through the dombra, kobyz and the storytelling tradition of küi. Reading and Education: Kazakhstan’s PISA 2025 reading score was 385, compared with the OECD average of 461; a new national reading initiative aims to build stronger reading habits. Women’s Safety: Kazakhstan pledged to make domestic violence a standalone crime, but advocates say the government must act after repeated failures to protect women who sought help. Arts Access: Kazakhstan says it has built 312 cultural facilities as part of a drive to widen access to the arts.

Education: A rural school in Korneewka is giving more than 200 students a chance to build a future close to home. The push to make Kazakhstan a reading nation faces a tougher test: just 36% of 15-year-olds reached basic reading proficiency in PISA 2025, against 69% across the OECD. Women’s Safety: Kazakhstan has pledged legislation making domestic violence a standalone crime, but advocates say action is urgent after repeated reports of women being failed by authorities. Heritage: Researchers say archives across Eastern countries have yielded thousands of sources on the Golden Horde and Kazakh Khanate, helping recover parts of the country’s historical memory. Arts Access: Kazakhstan has built 312 cultural facilities as it expands access to the arts; meanwhile, a student theatre production inspired by Kazakh tradition won recognition at an international festival in Turkestan.

Women’s Safety: Kazakhstan pledged at a UN review to make domestic violence a standalone crime, but the deaths and abuse of women who had sought help underline the need for action. Education Links: Kazakhstan and Belgium agreed to expand university exchanges, joint research and AI cooperation, signing more than 20 agreements at a forum attended by President Tokayev and the Belgian royal couple. Heritage: King Philippe and Queen Mathilde visited Astana’s National Museum, viewing the Golden Man, ancient jewellery and Kazakh cultural displays. Theatre: A student production about legendary Ahal-Teke horses won a prize at the TURKSOY festival in Turkestan, which brought together theatre groups from six Turkic countries. Arts Access: Kazakhstan has built 312 cultural facilities as part of a drive to broaden access to the arts.

Museum Visit: King Philippe and Queen Mathilde explored Astana’s National Museum on Oct. 13, viewing the Golden Man, Kazakh cultural exhibits and paintings by Belgian artist James Ensor. Theatre: Bedew Sarpasy, a Turkmen student production about legendary Akhal-Teke horses, won a prize at TURKSOY’s international student theatre festival in Turkestan, which brought together performers from six countries. Youth & Culture: Kazakhstan joined the opening of the Turkic World Youth Center in Khiva, a new platform for cultural, educational and youth projects. Travel: Vietjet launched twice-weekly routes linking Hanoi with Almaty and Almaty with Prague, adding new options for visitors and cultural exchange. Arts Access: Kazakhstan says it has built 312 cultural facilities to broaden access to the arts. Literature: Writer Rollan Seisenbayev’s 80th birthday was celebrated as a milestone for an author who carried Kazakhstan’s voice abroad.

Museum Diplomacy: King Philippe and Queen Mathilde visited Astana’s National Museum, viewing the Golden Man, ancient jewellery and Kazakh ethnography exhibits, alongside paintings by Belgian artist James Ensor. Travel and Leisure: Kazakhstan’s resort areas drew 510,800 business visitors in the first half of 2026; the Almaty Mountain Cluster accounted for more than three-quarters. Youth and Culture: Kazakhstan joined fellow Turkic countries at the new Youth Center of the Turkic World in Khiva, set to support cultural exchange and joint projects. Kazakh Heritage Abroad: Kazakhstan’s flag flew over Brussels’ Grand-Place as Kazakh students in traditional dress performed and shared national food with visitors. Falconry: The Shygys Salburyny festival drew nearly 15,000 visitors to East Kazakhstan, where 176 falconers from 10 countries competed in the first Open Asian Cup.

Kazakh Culture Abroad: Kazakhstan’s flag flew over Brussels’ UNESCO-listed Grand-Place, where students in traditional dress shared music and national dishes. Kazakhstan–Belgium Ties: A higher education forum is set to produce 12 agreements, including joint programmes and research exchanges; the royal visit also includes a planned exhibition of Belgian artist James Ensor at Kazakhstan’s National Museum. Arts Access: Kazakhstan has built 312 cultural facilities as part of a push to widen access to the arts. Heritage: A new feature celebrates writer Rollan Seisenbayev’s 80th birthday and his role in carrying Kazakhstan’s voice abroad, while the first Asian Falconry Cup brought more than 170 traditional hunters from 10 countries together to showcase the centuries-old practice.

Royal Visit: King Philippe and Queen Mathilde began their first state visit to Central Asia in Kazakhstan. Their programme includes a tour of the National Museum and the opening of a James Ensor exhibition. Kazakh Cinema: Kazakhstan’s feature “Sasyq (Stinker)” is among 55 films at the Ngilngig Asian Fantastic Film Festival in the Philippines, running Oct. 24–28. Living Heritage: Kazakhstan’s first Asian Falconry Cup brought together more than 170 hunters from 10 countries to showcase the centuries-old art. Arts Access: Kazakhstan says it has built 312 cultural facilities in seven years, while upgrading libraries and expanding theatre networks. Literary Legacy: Writer Rollan Seisenbayev marked his 80th birthday on Oct. 11, after a career that brought Kazakh literature to international audiences.

Living Heritage: Kazakhstan’s first Asian Falconry Cup brought together 170 berkutchi from 10 countries to showcase the centuries-old art; Turkistan’s Makhmudkhan Zaki won the hawk competition. Arts Access: The country has built 312 cultural facilities in seven years, including theaters, museums, libraries and cultural centers, with further upgrades and new arts education projects planned. Literature: Writer Rollan Seisenbayev celebrated his 80th birthday on Oct. 11, marking a career that carried Kazakh literature abroad. Music Education: Almaty’s Tchaikovsky Music College has agreed to exchanges, joint concerts and master classes with four music institutions in Kyrgyzstan. Royal Visit: Belgium’s King Philippe and Queen Mathilde are due to tour Kazakhstan’s National Museum and open an exhibition of Belgian artist James Ensor during their first state visit to Central Asia.

Royal Visit: Belgium’s King Philippe and Queen Mathilde arrive in Kazakhstan for a state visit beginning today, with stops in Astana and Almaty. The program includes the National Museum, where they will open an exhibition of Belgian artist James Ensor, and a visit to the Alem.ai centre to meet students. Kazakh Poetry: Kazakhstan marks the 115th anniversary of poet Kassym Amanzholov’s birth, celebrating a writer whose work helped shape modern Kazakh verse. Living Tradition: An Astana exhibition explores betashar, the Kazakh wedding ritual, through artist Issatay Issabayev’s lifelong study of the custom. Ancient History: Archaeologists in eastern Kazakhstan have uncovered a sixth- or seventh-century fortified settlement, including fire-damaged defences and a ceramic bird figurine.

Literary Heritage: Kazakhstan marked the 115th anniversary of poet and translator Kassym Amanzholov, whose work helped shape modern Kazakh verse. Living Traditions: An Astana exhibition explores betashar through the work of artist Issatay Issabayev, who spent decades studying the Kazakh wedding ritual. Archaeology: Researchers uncovered a sixth- or seventh-century fortified settlement at Kalzhyr in eastern Kazakhstan, with fire-damaged defenses and a ceramic bird figurine. Media Education: At a Central Asian conference in Bishkek, journalism educators discussed preparing students for digital newsrooms; Kazakhstan’s Maral Aitmagambetova joined the panel.

Archaeological Discovery: Researchers in eastern Kazakhstan uncovered a sixth- or seventh-century fortified settlement, with fire-damaged walls, decorated plaster and a ceramic bird figurine. Education: Northwestern Polytechnical University’s Kazakhstan campus has trained nearly 300 students, combining AI studies with Chinese language learning. Student Wellbeing: A study of university students in Almaty found chronic stress was linked to heavier phone use. Theatre: The play Jamilia took second place at an international festival in Astana. Cultural Heritage: Kazakhstan’s historic rock-hewn mosques have received UNESCO recognition, while a Turkic States Cooperation Day event in Istanbul featured an exhibition on regional collaboration.

Ancient Heritage: Archaeologists uncovered a sixth- or seventh-century fortified settlement at Kalzhyr in eastern Kazakhstan, with fire-damaged defences, decorated plaster and a ceramic bird figurine. Researchers tentatively link the site to the First Turkic Khaganate. Sports Education: Kazakhstan’s National University of Sports has graduated its first class and grown to more than 5,000 students. Its founder says training now combines coaching with AI, data analytics and sports business. Student Wellbeing: A study of 174 university students in Almaty found chronic stress was associated with heavier phone use, while resilience offered little protection. Regional Learning and Culture: A Chinese university campus in Almaty has trained nearly 300 Kazakh students, pairing AI studies with Chinese-language learning. At the CIS summit, President Tokayev also urged stronger cultural ties, more reading among young people and a shared regional calendar of cultural and tourism events.

Education: A Chinese university campus in Almaty is pairing AI studies with Chinese-language learning. Northwestern Polytechnical University’s Kazakhstan branch has trained nearly 300 students since opening in 2023, with undergraduates able to earn dual degrees. Regional Connections: President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev proposed a Central Asian youth volunteering forum for 2027 and a shared calendar of cultural, scientific, sporting and tourism events. Sports Education: Kazakhstan’s National University of Sports graduated its first class as enrollment topped 5,000, up from 260 in 2022. Film: Jackie Chan praised Kazakhstan’s potential for major productions after filming wrapped on Armour of God IV: Ultimatum in Almaty and Mangystau; the film is due for international release in 2027. Theatre: Kyrgyz production Jamilia won second place for Best Acting Ensemble at Astana’s TeatrALL festival, which featured 16 productions from four countries. Cultural Ties: Goethe-Institut Kazakhstan director Friederike van Stephaudt highlighted literary translation and youth exchanges as ways to deepen cultural links between Germany and Kazakhstan.

Theatre: Kyrgyz company Baken Kydykeeva State Theatre for Young Spectators won second place for its production of Jamilia at Astana’s TeatrALL festival, taking home 800,000 tenge. Cultural Ties: Goethe-Institut Kazakhstan director Friederike van Stephaudt says literary translation and young people’s interest in studying abroad can build lasting cultural links between Germany and Kazakhstan. Heritage: Five rock-hewn mosques in Mangystau have gained UNESCO World Heritage recognition, bringing fresh attention to the region’s Sufi traditions and sacred landscapes. Women’s Rights: Kazakhstan joined a cross-regional group behind a UN resolution on protecting women and girls in the digital age, including tackling technology-related discrimination and barriers to participation. Chess: New FIDE president Timur Turlov plans to invest about €30 million in the sport over four years; Kazakhstan’s priorities include youth development, school chess and wider access to training.