H.E. Mr. Satybaldy Burshakov, Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan and his wife Mrs Maira Karakeshova, hosted a joyous reception at the Dan Tel Aviv hotel on Tuesday evening, marking the 30th Anniversary of the Independence of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The evening celebrated Kazakhstan’s natural beauty and rich cultural heritage, as well as the country’s development in the last three decades, and its strong bilateral ties with Israel.
At the entry all of the guests received a special 30th anniversary edition of the SonoMask featuring the flags of Israel and Kazakhstan from industry leader Sonovia, ensuring that the evening would be celebrated in comfort, safety and style.
H.E. Ambassador Satybaldy Burshakov opened the evening with a short presentation about the transformation that the republic of Kazakhstan has undergone in thirty years since achieving independence in 1991. The ambassador noted that the initial years as an independent country were difficult, with high unemployment and inflation and low economic growth. But under the leadership of the first president, Nursultan Nazabayev, and continued by current president Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Kazakhstan has become a success story–it’s economic development evidenced by the glittering skylines of Nur-Sultan and Almaty.
Ambassador Burshakov thanked the President of Israel, H.E. Isaac Herzog, who remarked on Kazakhstan’s contributions to “peace, stability and mutual understanding in the region and beyond” during his congratulatory remarks to Kazakhstan. The ambassador highlighted the historic contributions of Jewish citizens to Kazakhstan culture, science, economy, and industry. Focusing on the present challenges of Covid-19, the ambassador cited some of the areas of cooperation between the countries: partnerships with Israeli companies like Aid Genomics, Elbit Systems, Defense Engineering Solutions, and Sonovia, virtual conferences between public health experts in Israel and Kazakhstan, and Kazakhstani doctors serving in leading Israeli hospitals.
Among the other important milestones commemorated by the embassy, were the 2020 celebration of the great philosopher Aby Nassr Al-Farabi, celebrated under the auspices of UNESCO, which included installing a memorial plaque in the city of Haifa on the street named after Al-Farabi, and the 175th anniversary of the great Kazakh poet Abai Kunanbayuly, whose book "The words of wisdom” was translated to Hebrew for the occasion.
Israeli Minister of Tourism Yoel Razvozov spoke following the ambassador’s speech. Minister Razvozov noted that Israel’s diplomatic relationship with Kazakhstan, beginning with Kazakhstan’s first year as an independent state, is founded on “mutual
efforts to promote innovation, co-existence and dialogue.” That relationship has only strengthened in recent years, with the latest achievement being the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the two national development agencies Mashav and KazAid, and Kazakhstan’s staunch support for Israel in various international forums.
The minister recalled that Kazakhstan’s friendship with Israel is built on historical ties, as during World War II “the Kazakh leadership and people welcomed with open arms” Jewish refugees fleeing from the Nazis.
Minister Razvozov mentioned that he had the opportunity to visit Nur-Sultan earlier this year, where he met with the Minister of Trade and Integration, Mr. Bakhyt Sultanov, co-chair of the Joint Economic Commission, and attended the 6th ministerial meeting of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA). In closing, the minister wished the people and government of Kazakhstan a happy anniversary day on behalf of the state of Israel.
Following the speeches, the ambassadors offered a toast to the continued success of Kazakhstan, and Israel-Kazakhstan ties. The guests then enjoyed a lavish dinner, as well as an artistic display highlighting the beauty of Kazakhstan and its diverse regions, and an impressive collection of publications showcasing Kazakhstan’s cultural and historical richness. The highlight however was a Yurt, a traditional Kazakh tent which reflects the nomadic lifestyle of Central Asia. Guests waited for their turn to walk around inside the Yurt, and take photos in traditional clothing.
Among the distinguished guests in attendance were Yoel Razvozov, Israel’s Minister of Tourism; Member of Knesset Elina Bardachyalov; The new Ambassador of Israel in Kazakhstan, H.E. Edwin Yabo Glusman; Mr. David Luxemburg, Honorary Consul of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Israel; Ambassador Gil Haskel, head of protocol and former director of Mashav; Michal Hershkovitz, Director of the Central Asia and Caucasus Department at the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Mr. Panigar Baibekov, Consul at the embassy of Kazakhstan; Dr. Laurence Weinbaum, Executive Director of WJC Israel section and Director of the Israel Council on Foreign Relations; Mr. Shuki Herchcovici, founder of Sonovia; Ms. Olga Gelfand, chairman, member of the Coordinating Council of the Compatriots of Russia in Israel, and supermarket mogul Mr. Rami Levi.
www.Diplomacy.co.il congratulates the embassy of Kazakhstan on 30 years of independence.
Photos by Silvia Graciela Golan
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