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Culture Kazakhstan Central Asia

Movie Streaming Grows as Kazakhstan’s Film and Media Prices Rise

According to a report by Finprom.kz, subscriptions to streamed movie and television platforms in Kazakhstan are far more expensive than in Turkey and Egypt but two times cheaper than in Switzerland. Over the past year, costs have increased by 12% whilst the combined worth of the television, radio, film, music recording and publishing sector has risen by a third. In 2023, the production of programs for television and radio was valued at $259.1 million, while that of cinema and video, sound recording and publication of musical products, was calculated at $202.8 million. Kazakhstan's expenditure of $244 million on the creation and broadcast of TV programmes represented an increase of 34.1% compared to 2022, and that of $15.1 million on radio programmes, showed a rise of 25.1%. Cinema production was valued $81.2 million in 2023 and the cost of screening amounted to $76.3 million. The sector's most significant growth however, lay in distribution which doubled to $37.8 million. The production value of sound recording and publication of musical works showed the greatest increase of all, rising to $4.8 million from $397,000. Against this backdrop, the price of cinema tickets tickets soared by 11.6%. As reported by VisualCapitalist, online streaming media services have been gaining popularity year-on-year. The cost in Kazakhstan of a standard subscription to Netflix, recently increased to $10.76 per month, is on par with rates charged in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and Central Asia, apart from Tajikistan where subscribers pay $12.70 per month.

Culture Central Asia Uzbekistan

Land Cleared for Tourism next to Old Bukhara; UNESCO Urges Pause

Despite UNESCO’s concerns, Uzbekistan is pushing ahead with plans for a big tourist complex next to the historical center of Bukhara, a jewel of medieval architecture in Central Asia. Workers are already clearing areas for “Eternal Bukhara,” a tourist facility that will boast a museum, teahouses and restaurants offering national cuisine, craft stalls and workshops for gold and blacksmithing, embroidery, wood carving, pottery, and painting. The design intends to evoke the urban layout of past centuries, with traditional drainage systems and ponds. All this construction would happen in part of the buffer zone surrounding the old city, potentially increasing the flow of tourists, but also putting more pressure on the integrity of the ancient site. Bukhara, a destination on the Silk Route that is more than 2,000 years old, contains the tomb of the ruler Ismail Samani, an emblem of 10th century Muslim architecture, as well as many ancient madrasas, or Islamic schools, according to UNESCO. Traveler Veronika Karobitskaya looks toward the Kalyan Mosque in the ancient city of Bukhara, Uzbekistan. Karobitskaya, a Russian citizen, visited Bukhara in September 2022 and said she was “completely fascinated” by the city’s heritage. Photograph: Veronika Karobitskaya. A view of the Kalon Minaret, a major landmark in Bukhara. Photograph: Veronika Karobitskaya. The historical center of Bukhara, registered on the world heritage list of the U.N. cultural agency in 1993, comprises 216 hectares and its buffer zone comprises 339 hectares. Some demolition has begun on the 32.6 hectares earmarked for the tourist complex, including at a sports stadium. Last year, some Bukharan residents appealed to the government not to dismantle the stadium, saying 1,200 children and 50 coaches use the stadium every day. A total of 29 buildings and facilities are slated for demolition. They include the Bukhara government building, designed by Uzbek architect Richard Blaise and built in 1980, as well as secondary and music schools, and social centers. Local authorities have tried to reassure residents who say they wish the tourist complex could be built further from the historical center. “It should be noted that on the basis of this project, it is planned to create a green park for residents and guests of Bukhara to walk in two-thirds of the area planned. In this regard, the trees in the area established earlier in accordance with the ´Green Bukhara´ program in the project area will be fully preserved and will be enriched as a new garden landscape,” the regional administration said in a report. According to UNESCO, however, there are laws and urban planning codes that “provide protection of monuments of cultural heritage and their buffer zones.” Sara Noshadi, director of UNESCO’s office in Uzbekistan, said on X, formerly Twitter, on March 2 that the U.N. agency is closely monitoring the Bukhara’s ancient site and was aware of local concerns about “potential construction plans” in the buffer zone. Russian tourist Veronika Karobitskaya, who visited Bukhara in 2022, stands next to the carved wooden columns of the Bolo Haouz Mosque in the...

Central Asia Kazakhstan Culture

Kazakhstan’s Dimash Kudaibergen becomes UN Ambassador

The Kazakhstani musician, singer and composer Dimash Kudaibergen has been named a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador for Migration, according to a post by Kudaibergen on his Instagram page. The UN's International Organization for Migration (IOM) called Dimash "an extremely popular singer in Central Asia and beyond". The 29-year-old singer is originally from Aktobe, and became a global celebrity after participating in the Chinese musical competition The Singer in 2017. "Our new regional and national Goodwill Ambassadors are inspiring people around the world. With IOM, they will contribute to improving people's lives. We welcome you to IOM!" the organization said in a statement. The United Nations International Organization for Migration is an intergovernmental organization in the field of migration. It was founded in 1951 and is committed to the principle that humane and orderly migration benefits migrants and society. The organization has 175 member states and eight observer states.

UNESCO Culture

Turkmenistan and UNESCO: joint efforts to preserve cultural heritage

A regular meeting of the National Commission for UNESCO was held in the capital of Turkmenistan, Ashgabat. It was chaired by foreign minister Rashid Meredov. The meeting was attended by high-ranking representatives of the government and heads of key Turkmen agencies and ministries. Last year four documents were signed between Turkmenistan and UNESCO. This made it possible to take active measures to preserve the cultural and natural heritage of the Turkmen people. One of the main topics for discussion at this meeting was efforts to include Turkmenistan's national values in the UNESCO World Heritage Lists. During the past year, three objects of Turkmen culture were added to the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Another important step for Turkmenistan is the inclusion of a collection of manuscripts by Makhtumkuli Fraghi in the UNESCO International Memory of the World List. UNESCO’s list of commemorative dates for 2024-2025 includes the 300th anniversary of the birth of this important figure in Turkmen literature.

Economy China Central Asia Culture Education

China’s soft power in Central Asia

BISHKEK (TCA) — As anti-Chinese sentiments have grown in Central Asia countries in recent years, China is increasing its cultural and educational presence in the region with the purpose to facilitate the achievement of Beijing’s economic and political goals in this part of the world. We are republishing the following article on the issue, written by Nurlan Aliyev: Continue reading

Turkmenistan Culture

Turkmenistan: The art of carpet weaving included into UNESCO World Heritage List

ASHGABAT (TCA) — The Turkmen national art of carpet weaving has been included into the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List. The decision was made at the 14th annual meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) held in Bogota (Colombia) last week. Continue reading