Kazakhstan’s Minister of Culture and Information highlights growing ties with Armenia

Minister of Culture and Information of Kazakhstan Aida Balayeva has lauded the rapidly developing ties with Armenia, stressing that the growing relationship shows the efforts made by the leadership of both countries aimed at elevating the ties to a higher level.

In an interview with Armenpress during her visit to Armenia, Minister Balayeva said that Armenia and Kazakhstan have significant and promising potential for cooperation given the historical ties, cultural traditions and both countries’ desire to strengthen the ties.

“Kazakhstan and Armenia have always had friendly and reliable relations. Thanks to the efforts of the leaders of our countries, the cooperation in cultural and humanitarian sectors has reached a qualitatively new level. Kazakhstan pays special attention to the development of ties with Armenia which have been developing on mutual basis,” Minister Balayeva said.

“Reciprocally organizing cultural days is a good tradition in the partnership of our countries,” she said.

Yerevan hosted Kazakhstan Culture Days April 18-19.

“Last year, Armenian Culture Days were successfully held in Kazakhstan. The Kazakh audience was happy to get acquainted with the Armenian culture through film screenings, visiting the photo exhibition dedicated to renowned filmmaker Sergey Parajanov and the gala concert. This time, we have arrived on a reciprocal visit for the April 18-19 Kazakhstan Culture Days,” Balayeva said.

The series of events featured the inauguration of a park named in honor of Kazakh poet Abay Kunanbayev.

“On behalf of the Kazakh people, I’d like to convey warmest gratitude to the leadership of Armenia and all those involved for such a great tribute to the memory of Abay,” the Minister said.

“The Kazakh-Armenian relations are a bright example of strong friendship based on close cultural and humanitarian partnership. This is highly significant also for Kazakhs living in Armenia and the Armenians of Kazakhstan. Today, over sixteen thousand representatives of the ethnic Armenian group lives in our country, twenty-seven ethno-cultural unions of Armenians are functioning. Their activities are aimed at promoting the culture, language, traditions and history of the Armenian people,” the Minister said, adding that the Armenian community is directly involved in exercising the state policy aimed at strengthening ethnic harmony in the country by being actively involved in the People’s Assembly.

“The cooperation between our countries has significant and promising potential, given the historical ties, cultural traditions and desire of both countries to strengthen bilateral ties,” the minister said.

Full interview available in Armenian.