Diamond kingdom holds national day at Astana EXPO 2017

ASTANA. KAZINFORM Citizens of Astana and guests of Expo 2017 international exhibition have discovered another unusual tourist route in Africa. Today, the Kingdom of Lesotho, known for its giant diamonds that are found in the bowels of the country, has celebrated its national day at the exhibition.

Traditionally, the national day began with Kazakhstan and Lesotho's state flags raising and national anthems. Kazakh Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Kairat Balykbayev congratulated the African guests on behalf of the Government of Kazakhstan.

"Lesotho is a 'kingdom in the sky'. It is the only country in Africa that is entirely located in the highlands. Tourists from all over the world are attracted by picturesque deep canyons, majestic waterfalls and fascinating fishing," he said, wishing the guests a pleasant stay in Astana.

Lesotho is an enclave state in South Africa, completely surrounded by the territory of the Republic of South Africa. Moreover, Lesotho is the only country in the world, the entire territory of which lies above 1,400 meters in elevation. The capital of the country is the city of Maseru. It is worth noting that the two diamond pipes of Lesotho-Letseng-la-Terae and Kao are listed in the world's top 10 largest mines, and large gem-quality diamonds were found in the former one.

"Currently, Lesotho is the ninth largest diamond-producing county in the world. Our goal is to become the seventh in 2017. We produce one of the largest, most precious and high-quality diamonds in the world. The big diamonds include the Lesotho Promise (603 carats), Lesotho Brown (601 carats), Lesotho Legacy (493 carats), Leseli La Letšeng (478 carats). The diamonds of Lesotho are highly valued in the world. On average, the price of 1 carat is $2,500, " said Minister of Trade and Industry of the Kingdom of Lesotho Tefo Mapesela.

After the official part, artists from Lesotho sang ethnic accordion songs and performed traditional dances. The remarkable thing is that a lot of interesting traditional and music festivals are held in Lesotho every year. The most popular of which is Morija arts festival. Music and dances closely link to the everyday life of the population. Using a variety of musical instruments makes it possible to create interesting compositions.