Kazakhstan's art and culture represented at best world venues, Aida Balayeva
You have recently visited France, Great Britain and Spain to meet with distinguished local publishers and agree on publishing books by Kazakhstani authors. Could you tell us about the details of the agreements concluded?
I will brief on the results of the work of the Contemporary Kazakhstan's Culture in Global World group. Currently we work at promoting achievements of Kazakhstan's literature, music and fine art, choreography, cinema and theater abroad.
We observe actual results achieved in each of the directions. In particular, we have selected literary works to be translated into six languages of the UN pursuant to the President's tasks.
Mindful that there are lots of authors and works, we have initially decided jointly with well-known authors, critics and literary elite to translate them as an anthology of contemporary literature in prose and verse.
We have held negotiations and signed cooperation agreements with the world's leading translation bureaus and publishing houses for its efficient practical realization. The British Council, Cambridge University, Culture Ministry of Spain, The Cervantes Institute, National Book Store and Éditions Michel de Maule publisher in France are our strategic partners.
We will soon sign corresponding agreements with our partners in Russia, China, and the UAE.
It is noteworthy, big job lies ahead under the project aimed at disseminating the books translated not only in the said four countries but also the countries where the languages of translation are spoken.
There are currently over 220 million French speakers worldwide, about 600 million people speak Spanish.
Consequently, the project has huge prospects intended to attract wide readership.
Who will translate literary works from Kazakh into the world languages? Are there any experts of such a high level?
Literary translation is an intricate creative process. We have the necessary pool of translators.
From the viewpoint of our international project the task of the National Translation Bureau is to prepare high-quality word-for-word translations upon which our partners will create literary texts.
I would like to note that we will translate only from the official language. For the purpose of more precise conveyance of artistic originality we propose to hold meetings involving our authors and foreign interpreters and publishers.
It will let establish a cultural dialogue and strengthen cultural ties with foreign countries.
What other projects, but for translation of books into the languages of world, will be implemented under the Promotion of Contemporary Kazakhstan's Culture Abroad?
In particular, in terms of Fine Arts the Kazakh Culture and Sports Ministry continues realization of foreign exposition projects of the National Museum of Kazakhstan, the Kasteyev Museum of Arts. Since the beginning of the year we have held visiting exhibitions themed Nomads of Eurasia, At the crossroads of Asia and Europe, Tour of the Golden Man Around the World Museums at the leading venues of the US, Great Britain, China, Belarus, Azerbaijan and other countries.
It is also important to note the regional museums set to intensify their efforts and prepare their best collections for exhibitions to be displayed at home and abroad. We continue digitalization of museum exponents. The Kasteyev Museum of Arts digitalized above 14,000 units, above 100 sculptures in 3D formats. The regions also work at digitalization, above 20% of museum collections of Kostanay, Aktobe, Atyrau and other regions have already been digitized.
In terms of Traditional and Classic Music, I would like to note that the country's on-stage performance groups, including the best regional theaters toured Italy, Russia and Great Britain. The second stage of I am a Singer Kazakhstan international TV project has been already launched.
International music festivals, such as Voice of Astana and Star of Asia held traditionally in Astana and Almaty, bring together participants from 15 states of the world.
Abai, Kyz-Zhibek, Birzhan-Sara national operas will be staged in Russia, Italy, France, Turkey, China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Georgia, etc., in order to further showcase achievements of the country's performing arts.
The opening of Kazakhstan's pavilion at the 71st edition of the Cannes Film Festival became a milestone event for the country's cinematography. 18 Kazakhstani films took part in 14 international film festivals since the beginning of the year to win 11 prizes.
Days of Kazakhstan's Cinema took place this June in Italy and Estonia. It is planned to hold Days of Kazakhstan's Cinema in Thailand, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Romania till the end of the year.
Actually all the directions of Kazakhstan's arts and culture are represented at the best world's platforms. Our strategic goal is to get integrated into the global cultural area.
You happen to be the curator of the direction called The promotion of Kazakhstani culture in the global world. What a creative individual, writer, musician, artist should do to become a part of that direction? What should they bring to the table?
As far as the Kazakhstani modern culture is concerned, one of our key tasks is to promote all-round support of our talents through the demonstration of achievements of the country's independence. In fact, our work with the creative community is based on a number of specific criteria developed by representatives of each direction of art themselves. That is why everyone can participate in the program and become its part. It is important to note that this is not a one-time contest, it is a long-term process. Thanks to the program initiated by Head of State Nursultan Nazarbayev Kazakhstani cultural figures got a unique opportunity to demonstrate their talent at the global scale.
This February you announced the launch of the Literary Belt Project which will stimulate the growth of young writers in the regions. What is going on with this project?
The Literary Belt Project is called to unite gifted and talented writers who depict cultural peculiarities about the regions of the country, uniqueness of their birthplaces and their historical peculiarities in their works.
To date, we have formed several traveling groups of 50 modern writers who will head to each region of the country.
Together with local literary societies they will study historical facts, sacred geography and other peculiarities of the regions.
The project will kick off in the cultural capital of Kazakhstan - Almaty - and embrace all regions of the country. All works written during the trips will serve as the basis for an encyclopedia called Tugan Zher (Motherland).
You also coordinate the Rukhani Janghyru project office. What is the project office up to these days? Is it too early to talk about it achievements in the promotion of the program aimed at modernization of the public conscience?
The project office is the driving force behind the Rukhani Janghyru program and all of its directions. The project method allowed us to map out a program of work for all regions and government bodies concerned.
Presently the project office is going through a transformation as the Ministry of Public Development got more functions.
The key outcomes of our work are specific projects and tremendous informational support by all types of mass media countrywide.
All directions of the program initiated by Head of State Nursultan Nazarbayev were widely supported by the population.
We clearly see the results of our joint work. The regional project Tugan Zher is one of the brightest examples in that respect.
Since the launch of the project 32 playgrounds for children, 17 schools, 62 kindergartens, 36 cultural, 23 healthcare and 169 sports facilities have been constructed with generous support of sponsors and philanthropists. Not to mention personal initiatives when sponsors buy computers for schools, etc. Such things make us happy and instill optimism about the future of our projects.
Have you been personally involved into the Tugan Zher project? How do you support your motherland?
It is very important to be personally involved in every big project.
In that respect, the program of modernization of public conscience offers a universal platform for individual initiatives. As we can see, the program and all of its directions was widely supported countrywide.
As for my personal contribution, I published a book for children entitled ‘Kyzyr kongan kut meken'.
This book is about the history of my birthplace. Basically, it is a textbook filled with interesting facts with the help of which children can learn more about the history of settlements of Zhambyl district of Almaty region.
Of course, the book is mainly for the growing generation, so they could learn about the history of this part of the country, its sacred places and outstanding people. Utmost attention is paid to how local rivers, mountains and settlements got their names. I hope that the material collected in the book will motivate young researchers to conduct their own research.
As Head of State Nursultan Nazarbayev noted it is through history of our birthplaces me and my countrymen can understand better the history of the entire country and the events which happen at the republican level. In this context, the success of modernization of public sciences largely depends on all of us.
That is why Rukhani Janghyru is not just a project, it is a long-term program, the program which will generate new ideas and new projects every year.
Thank you!