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Culture

Ashgabat Exhibition to Mark Ukraine’s Independence Day

The Embassy of Ukraine in Turkmenistan is poised to display an exhibition of archival photographs in Ashgabat, dedicated to Ukraine's Independence Day. Titled “Ukraine and Ukrainians," the exhibition will run from August 30 - September 6 2024, and comprise a selection of rare images from the Ivan Honchar Museum. Funded by the National Center of Folk Culture, an organization actively engaged in preserving and disseminating folk cultural traditions, the museum's vast collections of historical photographs provide the younger generation with a deeper understanding of their cultural roots and heritage. The forthcoming exhibition follows “Cultural Values of the Turkmen People”; an exhibition of photographs, books, and national dress previously mounted in Kyiv to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the birth of Turkmen poet and philosopher Makhtumkuli Fraghi. Aimed to attract young audiences, the exhibition was complemented by excursions for pupils of eight of Kyiv's schools and lyceums, as well as students studying journalism, with talks presented on Turkmenistan's archaeological monuments located in the ancient cities of Merv, Kunyaurgench, and Nisa fortresses, and included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Cultural Heritage

Burabay National Park: A Place of Respite, Legends and Cultural Heritage

Burabay National Park, located just 250 kilometers from Kazakhstan’s capital Astana, is a place of outstanding natural beauty offering easily accessible respite from the hustle and bustle of city life. Known by its Russian name ‘Borovoye’, from boro meaning pine forest - until 2000, the park spans 85,000 hectares on which visitors can participate in outdoor pursuits from cycling, horseback riding and skiing, to swimming, kayaking, sailing and water skiing, or simply relax and enjoy the fresh clean air and magnificent views of the hills and mountains. [caption id="attachment_22204" align="aligncenter" width="1260"] Photo: Mt Okzhetpes - TCA, Tamila Olzhbaekova[/caption] Mountaineers can test their skills on Mt Kokshetau, the highest peak standing at 957 meters. For those less experienced, The Three Sisters provide a range of gradients suited to different levels of hikers and climbers, and Mt Bolektau affords panoramic views within an easy 20-minute ascent. For many, the pearls in Burabay’s crown are its crystal-clear lakes. The park boasts no fewer than fourteen, each with its own unique beauty and atmosphere. Amongst the best known are Maloye, Shchuchye, Chebachye, home to 300 species of fish, and the largest, Lake Borovoye, popular for its well-maintained beaches and water sports. Burabay is also a place of great archaeological, cultural, and historic significance and both its origins and natural landmarks are steeped in legends. Origins Different myths tell how disappointed by its barren terrain, either Allah or Tengri decided to enhance the flat Kazakh steppe by scattering it with small mountains, lakes, and forests. The area and its settlers were guarded by a beautiful white camel; a bura in Kazakh, and hence the name, Burabay. Coveting it as a trophy, robbers shot it with an arrow but were instantly flattened when the camel turned into a rock. Today, it is but one of the park’s many legendary landmarks. [caption id="attachment_22211" align="aligncenter" width="752"] Photo: Adobe stock -Zhumbaktas[/caption] Zhumbaktas In the center of Borovoe Lake stands a rocky outcrop known as ‘Zhumbaktas’ which translates as ‘mysterious stone’ in Kazakh. According to legend, a rich Khan sought a wealthy husband for his beautiful daughter but instead, she fell in love with a talented, roaming musician. The couple fled and pursued by the girl’s brothers, sailed to the middle of the lake. The young man, shot through the chest with an arrow, toppled into the water. The girl appealed Tengri, who granting her wish to join her beloved, turned her into a rock. From one side, the island looks like a boat, from another, a girl with her hair blowing in the wind, and when viewed from a different angle, an old woman. [caption id="attachment_22205" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Photo: Dancing Birch Grove - TCA, Tamila Olzhbaekova[/caption] Dancing Birch Grove Amid the park’s vast forests, stands an enchanting grove, where blown by the wind, birch trees sway and intertwine. According to legend, village girls dancing in a clearing froze in fear and turned into trees when they noticed the khan watching them. Mount Okzhetpes According to research...

Education

Uzbekistan Builds a Religious School in Afghanistan

TOLOnews is reporting that Uzbekistan has agreed to finance the construction of a religious school in the Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif. The school, which will be built on sixty acres of land and will cost $6 million, is intended for one thousand pupils. The Consul General of Uzbekistan in Mazar-i-Sharif, Furqat Nazarov, said that the school is being built at the request of the governor of Afghanistan's Balkh province. Nazarov added: “We have allocated one year for this project, and it will be completed by then.” Balkh's Deputy Governor Nurul Hadi Abu Idris commented: “This is a sign of the coordination of the Islamic Ummah. Unity among Muslims is increasing daily.” Afghan officials consider Uzbekistan's establishment of this school to be a practical step in strengthening relations between the two countries. Abdul Jalil Shaheedkhil, the head of Balkh province's education department, said: “The establishment of this school, God willing, will further strengthen relations between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan.” Zabihullah Noorani, the head of information and culture in Balkh, said: “This will be the largest school in Afghanistan, and it will improve our education sector.” The Consul General of Uzbekistan in Mazar-i-Sharif promised to strengthen ties with Afghanistan, and added that Uzbekistan would soon resume providing education and business visas for Afghan citizens. Uzbekistan and Afghanistan are developing their trade relations. This year there are opportunities to increase the volume of mutual trade to $1 billion and, soon after, to $3 billion. Uzbekistan has also finished repairing the Naibabad railway station in Afghanistan.

Environment

New Neural Network for Kazakh Study of Snow Leopards

Kazakhstan has launched an innovative project to study and protect snow leopards supported by a new neural navigation network, Yandex Qazaqstan. The network, developed with Kazakh-British Technical University students, scientists from the Institute of Zoology of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and the Snow Leopard Foundation, will significantly accelerate and simplify data analysis from camera traps and other sources, enabling a more effective means of tracking these rare animals' behavior and migration routes. The snow leopard, a symbol of Kazakhstan's mountain ecosystems, is found in regions such as Altai, Zhetysu Alatau, Saur, and Tien Shan. Although Kazakhstan's leopard population has doubled over the past 30 years, to between 141-183, their existence remains under threat from human activities and climate change, making conservation projects essential. Yandex Qazaqstan will help optimize the monitoring of snow leopards by automatically analyzing images from camera traps and quickly identifying the presence of the animals. As a result, scientists will be able to more accurately and quickly track changes in these rare predators' populations and migration routes. This collaboration between scientists, students, and IT specialists demonstrates Kazakhstan's commitment to protecting its nature and sustainable development and moreover, provide a template for the application of similar technologies in other conservation projects.

Silk Road Treasures

Silk Road Treasures: A Few of My Favorite Things

Under the banner of "Silk Road Treasures", TCA’s people – journalists, editors, authors – share their personal experiences of Central Asia and her people, and by listing their favorite places, literature, films, art, architecture and archaeological sites, alongside encounters with customs and traditions, provide pointers for readers wishing to visit the region. Stephen M. Bland - Senior Editor and Head of Investigations Architecture: Bukhara - The Kalon Trinity [caption id="attachment_21936" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] The Kalon Mosque, Bukhara; image: TCA, Stephen M. Bland[/caption] From the ninth century Pit of the Herbalists to the Ismail Samani Mausoleum and the bird market, the old town in Bukhara isn’t really about its separate sights, it’s the sum of its parts, the timeless city permeated by an air of antiquity like a window into the past. That having been said, however, the jewel in the crown of Bukhara is the trinity of the Kalon Mosque, Minaret, and the Mir-i-Arab Madrasah. Built as an inland lighthouse for desert caravans, the Kalon Minaret - “great” in Tajik - was probably the tallest building in Central Asia upon its completion in 1127. The third minaret to have been built on this site, previous incarnations had caught fire and collapsed onto the mosque below, officially because of the “evil eye.” Also known as the “Tower of Death,” over the centuries the minaret has seen countless bodies sewn into entrail catching sacks and tossed from its 47-meter-tall lantern. Particularly popular during Manjit times, this practice survived until the 1920s. [caption id="attachment_21937" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] The lantern of the Kalon Minaret, Bukhara; image: TCA, Stephen M. Bland[/caption] Home of the first recorded use of the now ubiquitous blue tile in Central Asia, the 14 distinct bands of the minaret are majestic in the pink evening light, its scale and intricacy remarkable. While the sense of history lingers, everyday life continues unabated at its stout base, and when the heat of the day abates, head-scarfed babushkas sat chit-chatting on the cool stone steps of the Madrassa, while kids kick soccer balls against the ancient stones. Art: The State Art Museum of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, Nukus [caption id="attachment_21939" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Lev Galperin - "On his Knees"[/caption] Once a thriving agricultural center, Karakalpakstan is now one of the sickest places on Earth. Respiratory illness, typhoid, tuberculosis and cancers are rife, birth defects and infant mortality rates amongst the highest in the world. The deliberate destruction of the Aral Sea for irrigation purposes has caused toxic dust storms so vast they are visible from space, ravaging a 1.5-million-kilometre square area. Spreading nitrates and carcinogens, these storms used to hit once every five years, but now come ten times a year. Yet it is in the capital of Karakalpakstan, Nukus, that a remarkable collection of art has survived in part because of its inhospitable location. Risking denouncement as an “enemy of the people,” obsessive Ukrainian-born painter, archaeologist and art collector, Igor Savitsky spirited away thousands of avant-garde pieces banned in the Soviet Union....

Archaeology

New Species of Dinosaur Discovered in Kyrgyzstan

German and Kyrgyz palaeontologists have discovered the remains of a previously unknown species of predatory dinosaur in the vicinity of the town of Tash-Kumyr. Named Alpkarakush kyrgyzicus after the mythological bird Alpkarakush from the great Kyrgyz epic 'Manas', it is the first theropod to be found on Kyrgyz territory. The dinosaur's remains, found in the Balaban-Sai Formation, date to the Middle Jurassic period, about 165 million years ago. Remarkably intact, the skeleton including the skull and vertebrae, has enabled the team to gauge its appearance. Although similar to members of the Metriacanthosauridae family and close to large predators of East Asia, the unusual “eyebrow” on the skull -- which according to scientists indicates the presence of a horn -- makes the Alpkarakush kyrgyzicus unique among other theropods. As such, the discovery marks a significant step in our understanding of both the biogeography of theropods and the evolution of Central Asia. In due course, the reconstruction of the dinosaur's skeleton will take pride of place in the National History Museum in Bishkek.