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Music

Kazakhstan to Host Filming of International Music Show Led by Dimash Kudaibergen

Kazakhstan will serve as the backdrop for a new international music project produced in collaboration with Chinese media giant Hunan TV. Dimash Kudaibergen, Kazakhstan’s most internationally recognized vocalist, will take on the role of executive producer for the first time in his career. According to Dimashnews.com, filming is scheduled from September 8 to 29 in several cities across Kazakhstan, including Turkestan, Almaty, Aktau, and Astana. The project will bring together vocalists from various countries to showcase their talents while exploring the country’s landscapes and cultural heritage. “Almost ten years ago, my journey on Hunan TV began with the show Singer. Today, I am returning in a new role, as the creator of an international show. This opens a new chapter in the history of cultural cooperation and music, bringing people together around the world,” Kudaibergen said. Partnership with Hunan TV The show marks a renewed partnership between Kudaibergen and Hunan TV, one of China’s leading entertainment networks. Earlier this year, the artist announced that he had signed an agreement with Cai Huaiyun, head of the Hunan TV media holding company. The agreement paves the way for the launch of a new music reality show, with Kudaibergen at the helm as executive producer. Fans responded enthusiastically on social media. “How proud I am of you! You always try to put Kazakhstan on the map. We will be here to support you,” one follower wrote. Another added, “A new chapter, a new role, interesting work, and great responsibility. This is a wonderful reason to be proud and recognize your talent.” Career Highlights and Achievements Dinmukhammed (Dimash) Kanatovich Kudaibergen was born on May 24, 1994, in Aktobe. He was named a People’s Artist of Kazakhstan in 2023 and received the same honor from Kyrgyzstan in 2025. Known for his extraordinary vocal range, spanning seven octaves and seven semitones, Kudaibergen’s style blends pop, opera, and traditional Kazakh motifs. In 2015 he won the Grand Prix at the Slavonic Bazaar in Belarus, and in 2017, he became the youngest-ever participant on Singer, Hunan TV’s prestigious vocal competition, ultimately placing second. His debut performance in China amassed over 600 million views on Sina Weibo within a single day. Throughout his career, Kudaibergen has gained a substantial following in Central Asia, Eastern Europe, and beyond. He has performed at international events including Song of the Year and New Wave and was awarded the Soundtrack Award. Upcoming Madison Square Garden Concert The music project coincides with another major milestone for the artist. On October 5, Kudaibergen will headline a solo concert at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Entrepreneurship

Kazakh Entrepreneur in Paris Launches Perfume Inspired by the “Kiz-Jibek” Epic

An ethnic Kazakh living in Paris has launched a perfume called Kiz-Jibek on the French market. Its founder, Nurzhan Tolegen, was born in China’s Ili Kazakh region and grew up in Kulja before eventually settling in the French capital. “I am the grandson of a nomadic people. My grandparents left their homeland during the civil war, carrying with them the soul of Kazakhstan etched into their stories, their songs, and their memories. Yet I had never set foot on those vast steppes whose grandeur my mother, a professor of literature, so often evoked,” he shares on his personal website. [caption id="attachment_35686" align="aligncenter" width="466"] Nurzhan Tolegen; image: www.tolegenparis.com[/caption] In 2021, Nurzhan traveled to Kazakhstan for the first time, spending a month reconnecting with his ancestral homeland. Those four weeks felt like a rebirth for him and marked a turning point in his life. Returning to France, he established a luxury perfume house, Tolegen Paris: a tribute to both his surname and to a heroic figure celebrated in a 16th-century Kazakh epic. In May 2025 he introduced Kiz-Jibek, describing it as “a fragrance honoring eternal love” and “a scent laced with wormwood.” The Kiz-Jibek epic, a cornerstone of Kazakh cultural heritage, reflects the values of traditional society. It emphasizes unity and loyalty to the homeland while exploring universal themes of love, virtue, honesty, and beauty. Through the character of Kiz-Jibek, one encounters the timeless image of the Kazakh woman—gentle yet resilient, modest yet dignified. [caption id="attachment_35688" align="aligncenter" width="624"] The epic characters Kiz-Jibek and Tolegen[/caption] For over five centuries, Kazakhs have sung the tale of Kiz-Jibek. Its central figures—Bazarbai, Tolegen, Kiz-Jibek, and Sansyzbai—are believed to have lived in history, with the story unfolding along the Ural River among the Jagalbaily tribe. In both the epic and the famous film, Tolegen is treacherously slain by Bekezhan, after which Kiz-Jibek, devastated by grief, throws herself into the river.

Society

97% of Uzbeks Express Pride in Independence, Survey Finds

Ahead of Uzbekistan’s 34th Independence Day, a national survey conducted by the “Ijtimoiy Fikr” Public Opinion Research Center revealed widespread pride and optimism among citizens. According to the findings, 97% of respondents said they feel proud of their country on Independence Day, while 87.6% described the occasion as joyful and festive. Another 84.7% associated the holiday with national unity, and 95.5% expressed pride in being citizens of Uzbekistan. The survey also reflected how deeply independence is viewed as both a historic milestone and a catalyst for personal growth. Some 79.1% of respondents reported that, in recent years, they have had more opportunities to realize their potential and achieve personal goals. Nearly all participants shared a positive outlook for the country’s future. When asked about their vision for Uzbekistan, 97.8% imagined it as strong and prosperous, 88.9% as peaceful and stable, 85.3% as spiritually rich and cultured, and 81.9% as modern and innovative. Researchers concluded that Independence Day has become not just a commemorative date but a potent symbol of national pride and collective confidence in the country’s direction. The findings echo Uzbekistan’s rising profile in international well-being indices. According to the World Happiness Report, published by the World Population Review and based on Gallup poll data, Uzbekistan ranked 47th globally in 2024, making it the happiest country in Central Asia. The ranking considers six categories: income, social support, life expectancy, freedom of choice, generosity, and perceptions of corruption. Kazakhstan followed at 49th, down from 44th the previous year.

Mountaineering

Rescue Operations Formally End on Kyrgyz Mountain; Russian Climber Natalya Nagovitsyna Presumed Dead

The head of Kyrgyzstan’s mountaineering federation says another high-altitude drone inspection of a mountain ridge where injured Russian climber Natalya Nagovitsyna was stranded failed to show any “signs of life.” The announcement by Eduard Kubatov was expected because few people had held out hope that Nagovitsyna was still alive on Pobeda Peak, Kyrgyzstan’s highest mountain at 7,439 meters above sea level. She broke a leg high on the mountain on August 12 and subsequent efforts to rescue her failed in extremely difficult conditions, placing other climbers and officials at risk. The drone fly-by on Tuesday and the involvement in the operation of Kubatov, who had recently returned from an ascent of K2 mountain in Pakistan without supplementary oxygen, appeared to be a last attempt to address any lingering doubts about Nagovitsyna’s fate. Accompanied by a rescue mountaineer and a drone operator, Kubatov flew by helicopter to South Inylchek base camp at Pobeda Peak to participate in the search. Further rescue efforts were “inappropriate,” they said in a signed letter. “All rescue operations have been stopped, and we must acknowledge this sad fact for all of us. All video materials from the inspection (over 10 minutes) will be handed personally to Natalya’s son,” Kubatov said on Instagram. Saying that “we must state that there are no signs of life” from Nagovitsyna, Kubatov also posted drone footage that showed an orange tent on snow at the foot of a rock face, high on Pobeda. The surface of the tent rippled lightly in the wind, but it was impossible to see inside. On August 19, a drone filmed movement at the same tent, where Nagovitsyna had stayed as other climbers tried to get help. One of those climbers, Italian Luca Sinigaglia, fell ill and died. Kyrgyz security officials said another drone flight on August 27 did not show any movement at the site. “The Kyrgyz side did everything possible to organize the rescue of the mountaineer, but the extreme altitude, the harsh weather conditions, the hard helicopter landing, and the physical state of the rescuers did not allow us to achieve the hoped-for results,” Kubatov said. “In the history of Pobeda, there has not been a single successful rescue operation at an altitude of 7,200 meters, and we had no right to further risk the lives of the mountaineer rescuers.” Victoria Bonya, a Russian model, entertainer and mountaineering enthusiast, helped to organize the drone mission on Tuesday. Bonya said Nagovitsyna “has passed away in peace.”

Comics

“Ergenekon Is Not Just a Myth, It’s a Cultural Bridge”: An Interview with Artist and Designer Emre Erdur

Today, comics and visual storytelling are increasingly going beyond entertainment. They are becoming part of a cultural dialogue, helping audiences reconnect with their roots. One such project is the graphic novel series The Legend of Ergenekon (Ergenekon Destanı), created by Turkish artist and designer Emre Erdur. The Legend of Ergenekon is a Turkic origin myth that tells of a people driven into a remote valley after defeat in battle, where they lived in isolation for centuries until a blacksmith forged a path through the surrounding mountains. Guided by a gray wolf, they emerged to reclaim their strength and expand across the steppe. In Central Asia, the story symbolizes resilience, unity, and renewal, often invoked as a metaphor for nations overcoming hardship to reassert independence and identity on the Eurasian crossroads. It resonates strongly in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, where Turkic identity, language, and heritage are foundational. Born in Istanbul and trained as an architect at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, Emre Erdur worked for many years in the entertainment and design industries. Since 2019, however, he has dedicated himself to developing a multi-volume graphic novel series inspired by ancient Turkic history and mythology. His work was first presented at a festival in Taldykorgan. As part of his research, he visited the National Museum of Kazakhstan in Astana and collaborated with historian Assoc. Prof. Dr. Talgat Moldabay to ensure historical accuracy. [caption id="attachment_35647" align="aligncenter" width="1824"] Image: Emre Erdur[/caption] For Central Asia, Ergenekon Destanı is more than a creative project; it represents an effort to connect a shared heritage through the language of comics and popular culture. In an interview with The Times of Central Asia, Emre Erdur spoke about his inspiration, research, the role Kazakhstan plays in his work, and his plans for expanding this unique visual universe. TCA: You were born and educated in Turkey, yet you chose to dedicate yourself to wider ancient legends and Turkic history. When did you first feel drawn to this theme? Erdur: Yes, I was born in the westernmost corner of Turkic geography, but every individual in this world has cultural roots that reach out and nourish them. Naturally, as an artist, the desire to draw from and explore my own roots is an inner force. Although I was born and raised in Istanbul, you can find traces of our roots as far as Yakutia in Russia, Buryatia, Mongolia, the Altai, further south in East Turkestan, in the Gobi Desert, and even in Korea. None of these places feels separate from us; you can sense the connection. Of course, as a human being, every part of this world is valuable and fascinating; each region holds its own beauty and heritage. But there is also something called “national identity,” which is different from our individual identity. Our soul cannot be confined to this world; it knows no geography or race, it belongs beyond time and space. Yet during our lifetime on Earth, we do carry both national and individual identities, and defining them correctly...

Independence Day

Kyrgyzstan Independence Day Marked by Celebrations

Kyrgyzstan marked the 34th anniversary of its independence on August 31 with large-scale celebrations across the country. For the first time, the central venue for the national festivities was the southern city of Jalal-Abad, the country’s third largest urban center. The official program featured cultural, social, and sporting events, including a large-scale choreographic performance titled Future Kyrgyzstan, involving 600 dancers in the city’s main square. [caption id="attachment_35595" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] @president.kg[/caption] [caption id="attachment_35596" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] @president.kg[/caption] Celebrations Nationwide Events were held across all regions. In Bishkek, several thousand people gathered in Ala-Too Square for a garrison parade by the Internal Affairs Directorate. In the Issyk-Kul region, festivities included traditional equestrian competitions and other national games. Development and Investment During the festivities, President Sadyr Japarov inaugurated 100 new social facilities and more than 60 industrial facilities via online launch. He also encouraged domestic and foreign investors to take advantage of the country’s ready-made industrial zones: “We invite all business structures, from small to large enterprises. We have ready-made industrial zones, we can provide land, help with infrastructure and documentation,” he said. [caption id="attachment_35597" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] @president.kg[/caption] In Jalal-Abad, Japarov also opened a new art school and a 450-unit social housing complex. Concluding his address, Japarov offered a metaphor for the country's trajectory: “Kyrgyzstan is like a galloping horse,” he said. “Thirty-four years of independence is only the beginning of our long journey.”