International media forum

International media forum dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the permanent Neutrality of Turkmenistan and the election of our country as Vice-Chairman of the 75th session of the UN General Assembly was held in Ashgabat

 

On September 16, 2020, International media forum dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the permanent Neutrality of Turkmenistan and the election of our country as Vice-Chairman of the upcoming 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly was held in the building of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Turkmenistan. The session was held in the format of a video conference.

The International media forum was organized by the Turkmen side together with the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU).

The meeting was attended by the heads and representatives of a number of ministries of Turkmenistan, diplomatic missions and representative offices of international organizations accredited in the country, representatives of the national media, heads of authoritative foreign public and television and radio broadcasting organizations, as well as more than 300 correspondents of news agencies from over 65 countries of the world.

The participants especially noted the importance of the next delegation to Turkmenistan of the Vice-Chairmanship of the session of the United Nations General Assembly, where our country has a positive experience. As you know, Turkmenistan took part in the 58th, 62nd, 64th, 68th and 71st sessions as Vice-Chairman.

Delegates from Turkmenistan and foreign countries who spoke during the meeting highlighted the status of the country’s permanent Neutrality, which was recognized by the United Nations by relevant resolutions. In this context, the participants expressed the success and effectiveness of Turkmenistan’s foreign policy pursued under the wise leadership of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.

In particular, Ibrahim Eren, Acting President of the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU), Director General and Chairman of the Turkish Television and Radio Broadcasting Corporation “TRT”, stated during his speech that from the very beginning Turkmenistan has chosen this political course to promote global peace and stability, and to reinforce the importance of coexistence and sustainable development.

 

In his speech, Javad Mottaghi, Secretary General of the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) noted that, being a new phenomenon in international legal practice, Turkmen neutrality became the basis for a new concept of cooperation and preservation of peace on earth.

As part of his speech, Shashi Shekhar Vempati, Chief Executive Officer of the Indian Broadcasting Company Prasar Bharati, underlined that the Neutrality of Turkmenistan is of great importance in the international arena and the policy pursued by the President of Turkmenistan fully coincides with the course of strengthening good neighborliness in the region and around the world.

Nedra Weerasinghe, director of MTV Channel (Ptv) Limited (MBC / MTV) from Sri Lanka, also shared her vision of the peculiar aspects of the positive Neutrality policy and noted that Neutrality will help to consolidate the position of the fairway in International forums that play an important role in protecting values ​​and common interests of humanity.

Emmanuel Dupyi, President of the European Institute for Prospects and Security, paid attention to the important role of the neutral status of Turkmenistan in the region which can become a source of consolidation for the Central Asian countries and a platform for accelerated integration in the region.

During the speech of the Chairman of the National TV and Radio Company of Uzbekistan, A. Khadzhaev, it was noted that this Forum, without a doubt, was one of the important events, designed to reaffirm the aspirations of Turkmenistan to further strengthen stability and peace, socio-economic prosperity, as well as the development of diplomatic relations with the countries of the world and good neighborly relations in the region.

During their speeches, Neda Berger, Chairman of the Turkmen-Austrian Society, B. Amansaryev, Chairman of the State News Agency of Turkmenistan, A. Kakaev, Deputy Chairman of the State Committee of Turkmenistan on Television, Radio Broadcasting and Cinematography and K. Rejepov, editor-in-chief of the newspaper “Turkmenistan” also spoke about the uniqueness of Turkmenistan’s permanent neutrality, its role in promoting international humanitarian cooperation, and it was noted that peacefulness, equality, non-interference in the affairs of other states, non-participation in military blocs, the implementation of mutually beneficial cooperation are integral components of the policy of positive neutrality.

Press service
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan

 

OCA PEOPLE: LENAR SHAEKHOV

Lenar (Lenar Shaekhov), a Tatar poet, children’s writer, translator, publicist. Born on 4 October 1982 in the village of Taktalachuk of the Aktanyshsky District of the Republic of Tatarstan (Russia). Graduated from the Menzelinsk Pedagogical College, Department of Tatar Philology and History of Kazan State University, Post Graduate Programme. Chief Editor of the Tatarstan Book House. Author of twenty four books. Member of Union of Writers of the Republic of Tatarstan and Tatar PEN-Center and PEN International, Union of Journalists of Tatarstan and Russia, as well as of International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), and Eurasian Creative Guild (London). Winner of the Musa Jalil Republic’s Award, Abdulla Alish Literary Award (for achievements in children’s literature), the Volga Region Literary Award “NEWBOOK. Volga-2015”, Eurasian International Award. Academician of International Public Academy of Poetry of Omor Sultanov of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan. Candidate of Philological Sciences. Honoured Artist of the Republic of Tatarstan.

OCA: Tell us about yourself and your activity / work?
LS: I am a Tatar poet living in the city of Kazan in the Republic of Tatarstan of the Russian Federation. I am the author of more than twenty books published in several languages: Tatar (Kazan, Naberezhnye Chelny), English (London), Russian (Moscow, Yakutsk), Kirghiz (Bishkek), and Bashkir (Ufa). My work is divided equally between books for children – verses, fairy tales, riddles, and so on – and more adult verses, poems and short stories, alongside tracts based on research. I am a Candidate of Philological Sciences, winner of Tatarstan, Russian, and international awards, and an Honoured Art Worker of the Republic of Tatarstan.

As chief editor at the Tatarstan Book House, I translate poetry from Russian, Bashkir, Kirghiz, Kazakh and other languages, and compile books of Tatar classical literature and encyclopaedias of children’s literature. My whole life has been inseparably connected with books.

OCA: What is “Eurasianism” for you?
LS: “Eurasianism” to me, is the huge literary heritage of the brotherly peoples of the Soviet domain and the Turkic world. The modern Tatars are an intrinsic part of a huge Turkic world, rich in ancient history and culture. Though now divided, we continue to preserve our mother tongues, culture, customs, and national spirit.

OCA: What are your favourite artists?
LS: My work has been inspired by many great writers, including first and foremost, the founder of modern Tatar literature, Gabdoullah Tukay; authors of classical works Derdmend, Gayaz Ishaki, Musa Jalil, Fatih Karim and Amirkhan Yeniki; and Tatarstan’s national poets, Gamil Afzal and Ildar Yuzeyev. I admire the work of Russian classicists Alexander Pushkin, Mikhail Lermontov, Anna Akhmatova and Boris Pasternak, and from further afield, that of Omar Khayyam, Byron Goethe and Heine. With regard to contemporary Tatar literature, I was delighted to discover the work of London- based, Rustam Sulti, whose book of verses titled ‘Mosafir’, (‘Pilgrim’) was published last year. I consider him one of the most genial Tatar poets of our time.

OCA:Have you taken part in the events of the Eurasian Creative Guild (London)?
LS: I have been a member of the Eurasian Creative Guild since 2016 and have participated in every Open Eurasian Book Forum & Literature Festival. I first met Marat Akhmetjanov, festival organiser, founder and Vice Chair of the Guild, and Director of Hertfordshire Press Publishing House, as if by fate in Yakutia, where we were both honoured guests at the international poetry festival ‘The Blessing of the Big Snow’.

I am immensely grateful to Marat-efendi for introducing me to the Guild and for his hard endeavours in sharing our work with the world. Writers cannot afford to hide and linger in the shadows and nor can they afford to be merely wordsmiths. In order to succeed, he or she must also master business skills and be prepared to act as their own literary agent.

OCA:What does the Eurasian Creative Guild mean to you, and how did it affect your creativity / activity?
LS: The Eurasian Creative Guild offers a large union of creative people a means of communication through which creative acquaintances and close friendship develop. The whole world is like one big’ kazan’, or cauldron, bubbling with numerous opportunities for the promotion of one’s art. Creative people cannot withdraw into themselves. In order to thrive, they require a constant stream of new stimuli through exposure to new people, new cultures, new ideas, new sources of inspiration… And that is exactly what the Guild provides.

From a personal perspective, membership of the Guild has helped me stay positive and given me the impetus to develop my work.

OCA:What projects have you participated in and in which do you plan to participate?
LS: In 2017, Hertfordshire Press published a book of my poems entitled “One of You”. Translated into English by Dana Zheteyeva, it included a foreword by David Perry, who was also the editor. To have my work presented in the country of Shakespeare’s birth was beyond my wildest dreams! In the same year, I won second place in the Small Prose category of the Open Eurasian Book Forum & Literature Festival in Stockholm. Then in 2019, in Brussels, I received the Generals for Peace Award for the best work dedicated to the theme of consolidation of peace, friendship and mutual understanding between peoples. As for current projects, I am now preparing my submission for the ninth Open Eurasian Book Forum & Literature Festival in tandem with finalising a draft of ‘Modern Tatar Prose’, for a forthcoming launch in Paris.

I praise the Almighty for granting me such a plenitude of ideas and projects!

OCA: Do you have any personal project that you would like to talk about?
LS: My first children’s book was recently published in Russian by Bichik, Yakutia’s national publishing house. I continue working in this genre and hope that one day, my work will be available in Bashkir, Chuvash, Udmurt, as well as in English. Over the past few years, I have also written many lyrical and philosophical verses, which I want to publish as a new collection.

In addition to writing, I am heavily involved in the Tatarstan Book House which I founded in 2015. We publish works by Kirghiz, Yakut, and Crimean Tatar authors and to date, I have complied over forty books and translated six. In May 2020, I edited and contributed to the translation into Tatar, an ‘Anthology of the Yakut Poetry’, the fifth in a series to appear under the umbrella of ‘Turkic Literature’. Last year, we published ‘Selected Works’ by Alexander Pushkin in our mother tongue and will soon launch a collection of verses by Sergei Yesenin, again in Tatar.

OCA: What would you advise the members of the Guild, who’re just starting their career?
LS: My key advice for new writers is to work hard and keep moving forward. Don’t get discouraged by failures. If you have ideas and something to say, follow your path. Literature enrichens people’s souls, makes their hearts kinder, and broadens their vision. So, grasp your pen tightly and believe me, success will surely follow!

OCA PEOPLE: LARISSA PRODAN

Larissa was born in Uzbekistan, her childhood and youth were spent in Ukraine, Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan. She graduated from university in Kazakhstan. After receiving her PhD, I taught economics in Central Asian and Caucasus countries. At the moment she lives in the USA. She’s a prose writer. Her historical novel “The Fine Thread of Fate”, translated into English in 2014, became a bestseller in the United States. In 2019, her books were presented at the Moscow International Book Fair.

OCA: Tell me about yourself and your creative work. How did your journey start?
LP: My name is Larissa Prodan. I am a writer. I write under the name: Lara Prodan. I was born and raised in a country – the USSR, that no longer exists on any of the world maps because it was dismembered into fifteen independent republics. Till today, I view USSR as my homeland, because I was born in Uzbekistan, spent my childhood and school years in Ukraine, Russia and Belarus, and graduated university in Kazakhstan. After graduation and receiving my PhD, I taught economics in Central Asian and Caucasus countries. My extended family moved to various parts of the world – Germany, Hungary, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, and Canada. Today, I live in the USA. I proudly consider myself a citizen of the world.

For most people, the childhood years are the most memorable and personality shaping; throughout life one often returns to them. It is, for this reason, I focus the plots on my books on the Central-Asian part of the world – in countries like Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Ukraine. My characters, however, live in various continents – Europe, America, Asia, and are connected through physical or spiritual bonds.

OCA: Have you taken part in the events of the Eurasian Creative Guild (London)?
LP: I am very fortunate and grateful to be an active member of the Eurasian Creative Guild (London) – an organization that connects creative and interesting people not only in the Eurasian territory but all over the world. The first event that I participated in through the Guild was a Literacy Week in London held in October of 2018. There I presented my new at that time book “Why are we so alike?”, which was published by Hertfordshire Press. I was very impressed by the seriousness, scale, and intellectual agenda of the event, which included the participation of various international writers from countries like Great Britain, Belarus, Russia, Israel, USA and Kazakhstan.

OCA: What does the Eurasian Creative Guild mean to you, and how did it affect your creativity / activity? Did you take part at our Open Eurasian Literary Festival?
LP: For an author, each presentation is a form of an exam before their readers and colleagues. The Guild fosters an environment for creative people to communicate, share ideas, and get to know each other. The Eurasian Open Literacy Festivals that are organized by the Guild plays an important role in bringing writers together from all over the world. For us, writers, these festivals have become a much-anticipated celebration, which we all await and prepare for. Within the framework of the festivals, many competitions take place for writers and poets. The spirit of healthy competition, which these activities create, is important for every creative person. In 2018, I too participated in the short story competition with my children’s book “How the Hedgehog Taught the Fox Manners”, and in 2019 with my story “Smeda”. Both times my pieces were well recognized and made it to the finals. I hope that I, along with all other members of the Guild, will be able to participate in the Open Eurasian Literary Festival in 2020.

OCA: What ECG projects do you plan to participate in?
LP: Today, the whole world is going through an uncertain and difficult time, a time of forced isolation. However, even when isolated and self-guaranteed, the members of the Guild continue to meet through online Zoom conferences. The nature of these conferences includes various subjects and themes that are relevant in today’s world. Unfortunately, the meetings are held at 2 pm Moscow time, which translates to 4 am time in Seattle, USA – which for me causes some difficulty in participating. While I am a relatively passive member of the online conferences, I proactively seek information online on the topics discussed, inclusive of discussions of topics and issues on social blogs.

I think one of the forms of promoting creative art could be reading of the poetry or short stories by the writers during the Zoom meetings. The Eurasian Creative Guild today serves not only as a gathering platform for writers and poets, but also for painters, photographers, filmmakers, and musicians. Such a diverse platform opens doors and provides a collective environment for people of all creative work. In my opinion, the opportunities of creative collaboration are endless – what I mean by that is that filmmakers can partner with writers, photographers and illustrators can support the works of the written form.

OCA: What does the Eurasian Creative Guild mean to you, and how did it affect your creativity / activity?
LP: I would like to speak to the younger generation, who are embarking on a wonderful journey of creative expression. As you know, one in the field is not a warrior. You can, of course, work at your table, write your own work, and periodically admire the works of others. But, if you truly want your work to be noticed and recognized, I recommend belonging to the Eurasian Creative Guild. The Guild will very attentively care for their young talent, and will help open the doors into the creative path forward. It will allow for you to participate in various organized events; inspiring writers, poets, screenwriters, artists, and photographs to only express themselves, but also to promote their creativity, and, most importantly, learn from others and communicate with each other.

OCA PEOPLE: JOHN FARNDON

John is an author, playwright, songwriter and poet, and chairman of the Eurasian Creative Guild. He is the author of over thousand books on many topics, and has been shortlisted for the Young People’s Science Book Prize five times. He is also a translator of literature from Russia and Central Asia. He was joint winner of the European Bank Literary Prize 2019 for the translation of Uzbek writer Hamid Ismailov’s The Devil’s Dance and Finalist for the US PEN Translation Award 2020 for his translation with Olga Nakston of Kazakh author Rollan Seisenbayev’s The Dead Wander in the Desert.
www.johnfarndon.com

OCA: Tell us about yourself and your activity / work?
JF: I earn my living mostly writing non-fiction books and so far I’ve written well over a thousand. I write on just about every topic, and it’s such a pleasure learning new things all the time. But I write especially on science and nature – which is one reason, I’ve become deeply concerned about the ecological and climate crisis the world faces. You cannot write about it and not be aware that we are in deep, deep trouble! But I’m also a poet, playwright and songwriter – and a literary translator. I work entirely from my ancient home with its beautiful roof garden right in the centre of London, but translation gives me a wonderful window on the world. I don’t speak any foreign languages, but collaborating with native speakers has opened up a wealth of literature especially from Russia and Central Asian languages. I feel deeply privileged to have been given the chance to put into English for the first time the works of great writers such as Vladimir Vysotsky and Ravil Bukharaev. Personally, it’s hugely enlightening to learn and understand how writers from such different cultures and faiths think. But I also think that sharing literature and art is one of the best ways of building bridges of understanding and emotion across the world – and making the world richer and kinder for it. That is hugely important right now, with the world so divided and frightened.

OCA:What is “Eurasianism” for you?
JF: I’ve not heard this phrase before, but to be honest, I’m distrustful of blanket terms like this which try to label varied cultures or catch an imaginary wave. But I do think that there is something rather wonderful happening across Eurasia. Ancient Central Asian cultures, so long in the shadows of world consciousness that they were in danger of vanishing, seem to be emerging into the light again; and rightly – they have so much to offer. Yes, there are problems, but it’s no accident that people in the West are beginning to get excited by the history and culture of the ‘Silk Road’, as they call it, even though the view here maybe full of misunderstandings. It’s no accident, I feel, that in the last year Central Asian books have been involved in major literature prizes for the first time – and I was lucky enough to have had a hand in two. First the wonderful Uzbek writer Hamid Ismailov’s The Devil’s Dance, for which I translated the poertry, won the European Bank RD literature prize in 2019. Second, this year the Kazakh writer Rollan Seysenbaev’s epic The Dead Wander in the Desert, which I translated with Olga Nakston, was a finalist for the US PEN Translation Award. So watch this space! I am sure there are more to come.

OCA: What are your favourite artists?
JF: Ah, I have so many! Of course, I love British writers such as Shakespeare and Blake, Dickens and Hopkin, and the wonderful Irish and Scottish writers who also write in English. I could spend months waxing about their merits. They have shaped our culture and given it the richness and depth which the false patriots of Brexit utterly miss. I love our music, too – it’s rich heritage of traditional songs, and the new writers emerging all the time. I am blessed to know such young talents as Zoe Wren, Ayanna Witter-Johnson, Kim Lowings, Flora Curzon and Luke Jackson. You may not have heard of them yet, but you should. But this is a Eurasian magazine, so I will venture further afield! Which playwright could not fall in love with the plays of Chekhov, whose subtle dramas show the deep tragedy and comedy of life in such small details, multum in parvo, or which poet not love Pushkin, with his intoxicating use of language, his romance, passion and vision? But I’ve been lucky enough to discover artists from Central Asia, too. I’ve got to say one of the towering talents is Hamid Ismailov. I am convinced he will be seen as one of the great writers of this century, and his short novel The Dead Lake is true masterpiece. And my favourite painting right now, because I see it all time on my wall, is a large and wonderfully atmospheric painting from 1960 by a Ukrainian artist whose name escapes me of Kiev’s Mariensky Park in winter. Two lovers walk, wind and rainswept into the distance, between the ranks black trees bedded in snow. The dark slushy path with it coloured reflections and the headlights like stars in the gloomy street beyond create a vision of hope. It’s a true masterpiece, worthy of a great gallery, which I am very lucky to possess.

OCA:Have you taken part in the events of the Eurasian Creative Guild (London)?
JF: Yes indeed. They are remarkable events bringing writers and artists from many countries together. It’s so wonderful to see writers from Moldova to Moscow meet and share their work, and to have a chance to share my work too. Remarkably, thanks to the tireless and inspirational efforts of Marat Ahmedjanov, and a new team of incredibly committed and energetic interns, this year – the year the world went Into lockdown – is proving the most dynamic and exciting yet. The calendar is packed with events, and the ECG’s regular zoom meetings, each covering a different topic, are proving absolutely fascinating. We are not cut of at all, but making new connections.

OCA:What does the Eurasian Creative Guild mean to you, and how did it affect your creativity / activity?
JF: The ECG is a very special organization, and it is true privilege to be connected through it to artists across Eurasia. Amazingly, they feel like my family. How extraordinary to say that! And right now, that international kinship seems so, so important as boundaries, physical and emotional, real and imaginary, divide us in such a dangerous way. I am chairman of ECG this year and next, and I feel deeply touched to be in this fortunate position. Being part of ECG has enabled me to work with great poets such as Belarusian Anna Komar and Uzbek Xosiyat Rustamova, amazing painter Alesia Issa and 3D artist Emile Goozairow, and get to know the, work of many more. In one’s own country, one can sometimes feel limited and marginalized. But the international companionship In the ECG show inspire with their wider vision – and it’s that shared and varied artistry and vision that keep me more optimistic about the future in these rather dark times.

OCA:Do you have any personal project that you would like to talk about?
JF: Next year, thanks partly to ECG and Marat, I hope to be bringing to English audiences for the first time the famous Kazakh opera Abai by Latif Khamidi and Akhmet Zhubanov, on a libretto by Mukhtar Auezov. The idea is that we’ll do a compact touring version, with music brilliantly condensed by Australian Warren Wills, to take to the more offbeat venues where younger and more varied audiences go. We have been blessed by the enthusiastic support of the Kazakh embassy in London, and in particular His Excellency Erian Idrissov and Counsellor Dana Masalimova. We were hoping to get it on this year and take it to the Edinburgh Festival amongst other places. But the pandemic means that it will have to be next year now! I’ve also got a musical I wrote, Anya, set mainly in Russia but also in the USA in the decades after the war, which I would love to see staged somewhere in Eurasia, and play about Pushkin. I’m deeply involved in translations too. But like many writers and artists, I can’t help but be stirred by the state of the world. Over the last year, for instance, I’ve been helping create work for the climate activists Extinction Rebellion including a poem with music by Lewis Murphy for mass audience participation, performed across the UK. This kind of work is hugely important to me, and I’d like to see it reach even further

OCA:What projects have you participated in and in which do you plan to participate?
JF: Actually one of the most amazing projects I’ve been involved in was the #Resolution2020 choir projects. The driving force behind it is London theatre director Abbey Wright, and the idea was to get choirs, singers and families around the world to sing their version of the specially written song World on Our Shoulders and make a resolution to solve the climate and ecological crisis. So many ECG members joined in such as Anna Komar and Ilona Vilit in Belarus, and It was truly amazing to see people from most countries in the world, from villages and cities, young and old, come together to contribute versions of amazing power, beauty and commitment. To hear kids singing in harmony and hope, to see brilliant artists employ their talent for the good of the world, to find people who live in situations of strife sing out in unison – this is truly moving and inspirational. Last week, in a completely different vein, I was performing In the first English version (online, of course) of a play created by the amazing Teatr.Doc of Moscow and translated by Alex Thomas about the trial of Chechen human rights activist Oyub Titiev. But of course there’s a host of ECG events, including the creation of the Almanac of Poetry and the Open Eurasia Festival with its amazing array of contests and opportunities for writers and artists across Eurasia.

OCA: What would you wish the members of the Guild, just starting their career?
JF: Luck, inspiration, persistence and happiness – but above all the courage and vision to see and speak the truth. Don’t create what someone tells you create ¬– create what you absolutely need or want to create. That should be a given, unless of course you’re working to commission… 😉 But going your own way doesn’t mean staying in a bubble. Learn your craft from the best, and never stop learning. Learn about the world. And think about your audience. Artistry is sometimes called a gift – and that’s just what art should be: a gift to your audience and the world. Mostly, though, I just wish you support, friendship and love.

OCA PEOPLE: HAMID LARBI

Hamid Larbi is a journalist and poet, born in Algiers, currently lives at Montpellier. He is the author of various essays and poetry collections translated into Spanish, Italian, Russian, Ukrainian, Romanian, Arabic and Serbian languages. He received the journalism award from the Press Circle of Milan for Giornalistàesterain Milan, Italy.He won the Silver Medal at the International Festival of Literature (LIFFT) in Baku (Azerbaijan). He was awarded the International Poetry Contest, Concours International de Poésie, « L’amour de la liberté » from the European Academy of Science, Arts and Letters in France. He also received the commemorative medal of TarasChevchenko and was elected as a member of the academy as well. Member of the Movimieto Poetas del Mundo. He has also participated in various poetry festivals worldwide.

OCA: Tell us about yourself and your activity / work?
HL: I am a journalist and a poet. I was born in Algiers. I lived in Milan for five years. After a long period of uncertainty and worries. Thanks to my meeting many Italian friends in the fields of music, theater, literature, and cinema have allowed me to gain a certain maturity and a real self development.

In 1998, another trip took me towards a new country and a new town Montpellier (France) where I have been working and living ever since. First of all, I have published two political essays and then four poetry essays : “this meadow of words” 2007, « fleeting moments » 2017, « A being without shadow » 2018, « reflexion of the verb » 2019. My poetry work has been published and translated in nine languages. 1995, I was awarded a journalism prize by « Giornalistà estera » at the Milan Press Club. In october 2019, I received a silver medal at the international literature forum (LIFFT) in Baku (Azerbaijan). Finally, I was awarded in January 2018 a price at the International Poetry contest in Paris under patronage of the European Academy sciences arts letters.

OCA: What does poetry mean to you?
HL: When I started writing poetry. My ignorance was high . Ignorance of who I was. Ignorance of the realities of life. Ignorance of what I was going to ask from life… over the years and after many travels and questionings . It appeared to me that I wrote to pull myself out of the confusion, to free myself from certain hindrances, trying to be myself. So, without knowing it, I was getting myself in a long and disturbing adventure of self acknowledgement. I was convinced that poetry is the substance that generates in myself this peacefulness that feeds my dreams. Artistic creativity contributes enormously to my self development but mostly to hope to reach this harmony between my body and mind. Poetry must provoke a kind of escape and dreams. Poems of poetics when they mention the lost civilisations, the unknown worlds, creates this kind of escape outside of reality. The magic of poetry comes from the dialogue between the poet and the pain. Poetry has other functions; it stimulates reflexions of great seriousness, it can also generate awareness, to give notice to tragic human existence. It leads man towards the truth which lights their way by affirming their faith in humanity and their optimistic confidence in the future of man.

OCA: What role should culture have?
HL: I would answer your question with a quote « culture allows a man or a woman to rise above himself or herself. Culture is an aspiration to freedom ». Culture is an open window to the wild world and to be curious. It opens someone’s mind to the new universe either technical, artistic, scientific or historical. The diversity of languages in the world is a great richness. Sharing culture is an extraordinary impulse to break imaginary walls, borders and ideologies of exclusion. Knowledge is the only barrier to obscurity and racism. A woman or a man without culture is a tree without fruits.

OCA: What is “Eurasianism” for you?
HL: Eurasianism is a space where exchange and above all a place of emancipation between different cultures. Culture in its all forms is a vision of a world without borders which reminds us that we belong to the human genre.

OCA: Who are your favorite artists?
HL: I read to surpass myself, to rise up and mostly to love. I discovered these sensations in many writers such as Nicolas Gogol. I was fortunate enough to visit his museum in Poltava (Ukraine), the French writer Margue Marguerite Duras, Ernest Hemingway and Samuel Beckett. I had opportunity to meet also Marsel Salimov a member of Eurasian guild and russian poet Konstantin Kedrov the great specialist of the russian poet Alexandre Pouchkine at the fourth LiFFt Eurasian Literary Festival in Baku (Azerbaijan).

OCA: Have you taken part in the events of the Eurasian Creative Guild (London)?
HL: I took part in the 4th LiFFt Eurasian Literary Festival which was held in Baku from September 30th to October 3rd 2019. I am hoping to be part of 4th Eurasian culture week from October 6th to October 16th 2020 in London and in the 9th literary festival and book forum of November 2020.

OCA: What does the Eurasian Creative Guild mean to you, and how did it affect your creativity / activity?
HL: It is the venue of artistic and literary creation with the writers, poets and artists. It is a showcase for the works of all these artists. The most important thing is to discover the artistic creations of the anglosaxon world. As matter of fact I took part in the « Friends Voices’’ Poetry Almanah » with two poems which were published in English and Russian. I am convinced that the Eurasian Creative Guild can convey these intrinsic values and to be a bridge between two continents.

OCA: Do you have any personal projects that you would like to talk about?
HL: I have already several projects underway this year, a collection of poems « the odyssey of the imaginary ‘’ which will come out in September 2020, this collection will be published in France with calligraphic illustrations in latin. I have an audio CD of 22 poems bound to come out at the end of the year. The copyright will be donated to an association that helps children in Africa. ‘I am’ a mediteranean poet anthology which will be published by Harmattan Edition in 2021.

OCA: What projects have you participated in and in which do you plan to participate?
HL: I participated in several international festivals of poetry and literature in Roumania, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Morocco, Italy, Mexico and France. I will be present from August 29th to September 5th 2020 at the international poetry festival of Medellin (Colombia). I would certainly be pleased to take part next year at « Open Eurasian Literature Festival ‘’ organized by the Eurasian Creative Guild and hopefully my first novel will be published next year.

OCA: What would you wish the members of the Guild, just starting their career?
HL: This Guild is a big place where people of different artistic, literary synergies meet. It is an international association which promotes values on which it was funded. A great job had been done by the organizers and I think particularly of my friend Marat Akhmedzhanov, who devoted himself to giving birth to many literary forums and artistic events organised every year.

OCA PEOPLE: GARETH STAMP

Gareth is originally from the UK, with Welsh routes and heritage. He originally trained as a designer and then, over thirty years ago, he found his passion for education, both teaching shared ideas and learning new things every day.

He worked in Kazakhstan for nearly nine years in a wide variety of educational settings; from new government initiatives, universities and international schools through to volunteering with young people and adults in the regions and in neighbouring Kyrgyzstan. In 2018 he was awarded a gold medal for his contribution to Design Education in Kazakhstan.

He is a well-respected photographer and writer, documenting his travels and encounters He regularly exhibits his art work, contributes articles to journals and online publications and has recently been able to focus on writing and illustrating children’s books – the first of which will be published in the Summer of 2020.

Following his heart means that he is shortly heading back to the region and new adventures in Uzbekistan, where he is looking forward to meeting new people and hopes to continue to develop and share his experiences.

OCA: Tell us about yourself and your activity / work?
GS: When you are asked to tell people about yourself and what you do it should be easy to answer but as I get older, I find my life has so many facets that there is no simple answer. Technically I am a teacher, which I have been doing all over the world for over thirty years. Initially I trained as a designer – solving problems and developing creative solutions. I suppose that is what I do in my teaching too, only I get to do it with open minded and ingenious young people. I am also a writer, artist and entrepreneur, encouraging other people to develop their own work and ideas. The confidence to do these things only really came about after moving to Central Asia. I felt I could really make a difference and the people’s enthusiasm and positivity was infectious and really got under my skin. I was able to set up my own company and move away from a traditional 9 to 5 existence. With the support of amazing colleagues, I was able to undertake projects training teachers, developing older students, even some acting and voice over work and supporting traditional artists in expanding their work. For the past two years I carried out similar work (on a smaller scale) in India and I am sure that where ever I go, I will focus on helping others. I have grand plans for the future so watch this space!

OCA:What is “Eurasianism” for you?
GS: I have always considered myself as European, but it was only when I moved to Kazakhstan nearly ten years ago that I realised how insular even that label was. Central Asia is an amazing place with stunning landscapes, untapped culture and history and the warmest people. I also found the amazing connections that exist linking east and west. Whether it is the history of nomadic tribes, the artistic culture or agriculture there is so much to link us. Central Asia is almost the common glue that holds it together. I am ashamed to say how little I knew about the region but the more I learnt the more I realised the commonality and the opportunities there are culturally.

OCA: What are your favourite artists?
GS: Art has always been in my blood, I remember winning a drawing competition when I was about five years old and my work being put on the wall at school – its lovely being praised for something I enjoy doing. Through my formal training I studied Art History and visited some of the great museums, but it was coming across artists unexpectedly that have made their biggest mark on me. An exhibition of Japanese Art in London in the 1980s introduced me to print makers, an exhibition of Hundertwasser’s work, Picasso’s paintings done as a child, Raoul Dufy’s amazing theatre work all have their influence, but it is often the little-known book illustrators who have had the most influence. Everyday pictures held in your hand rather than on a gallery wall, the graphic novel or even the familiar ladybird book and also the film poster or vinyl LP cover, these have been the real inspiration to me. I am now able to bring together experiences and techniques in a much more confident and complete manner – it’s only taken me fifty years!

OCA:Have you taken part in the events of the Eurasian Creative Guild (London)?
GS: I always seem to be working or travelling when the London events are on – It is a poor excuse as I follow the extensive calendar of events that ECG deliver and this year I intend to be at a number of the events – I am particularly looking forward to the Literary Festival and the Film festival. That is a promise!

OCA:What does the Eurasian Creative Guild mean to you, and how did it affect your creativity / activity?
GS: The Eurasian Creative Guild has been a great support and encouragement to me in my work. It has also been a great way to meet authors and other creative people in the Central Asian region. In Kazakhstan we regularly held meetings to discuss the work of the group and to share the work of individuals. It also gave me an excuse to read new works when I was asked to proof read translations or to review works. The insight this has given me into the publishing word has spurred me on to analyse my ideas and complete my own works. Getting the novel out of one’s head is the hardest thing but meeting other ECG members has been a real catalyst for me.

OCA:Do you have any personal project that you would like to talk about?
GS: As an artist I have always been fascinated by the link between the visual work and the story that the artist is trying to tell. As I have already mentioned I love the book illustrators bringing works to life and so I decided to produce a number of illustrated children’s books – these are recent, and I have had to put my short stories and the novel on the back burner for the time being. They are all based around the relationship between nature and man and the relationships between different animals. They have been produced during my time in India and have a more ‘tropical’ feel but I hope to continue the series when I move back to Central Asia later in the year. The first one will be published this summer and is about the relationship between an Egret and a Cow! Although I am a teacher, I had to test the books out on a new younger audience, including my nephew in the UK, and I had to rethink what I wanted to get across in the illustrations without destroying the readers own imagination.

OCA:What projects have you participated in and in which do you plan to participate?
GS: Over the coming twelve months I plan to set up an arts centre and gallery where students can come and learn new techniques and display their work. I am also determined to reinstate a number of exhibitions of my own that were cancelled due to the global situation. These include a series of portraits of everyday people I have met in my travels – each has a story to go with it and I am using a number of traditional techniques in a modern way. I also hope to continue writing, there are a number of other children’s books in the pipe line and the ‘novel’ is itching to be released from my mind too!

OCA:What would you wish the members of the Guild, just starting their career?
GS: We are entering a very different world, where I hope that the value of creativity and particularly writing will be seen as more important. The last few months have made people revisit their old record collections, view art in virtual galleries and share their favourite classic books. These people are now looking for their new classic book – an inspiration or a gripping tale that they can share in the future. Now is the perfect time to get your story into print, your film script polished or your art exhibition ready . I know how hard it is to take that leap of faith but with the help and support of the Guild you will find it is not as scary as you think. We are all rethinking our lives and if now is not the time when is?

OCA PEOPLE: ELVIRA SVETLOVA

Elvira Svetlova was born in Russia. She graduated from Pedagogical University. After moving to Almaty, Elvira’s articles were published in many media sources. She also wrote several books. She received the title of Doctor of Creative Sciences and Teachings of the Moscow Academy of Sciences.

OCA: Tell us about yourself and your creative activity/work
ES: I was born in Urals in 1947, my parents lived nearby in the village of Serebryanka, which is located on a river with the same name and flows into the Chusovaya River. After the war, my parents got married and moved to Yekaterinburg. I graduated from school, then a pedagogical institute, specializing in Russian language and literature. I married Alexander and it’s been more than 40 years since we all moved to Almaty. We were working, raising two children. It seems like a usual biography that doesn’t have anything special. But then something happened that changed my life with Alexander dramatically.

Before Perestroika, I worked in the district executive committee and was the Chairman of the Book Lovers Society. This gave me the opportunity to communicate with many interesting people and present their books, organizing creative meetings. Thus, I met Sergey Dudin, who expanded my knowledge about human beings by talking about the energy of humains. I began to develop myself in this direction.

ECG: Do you have any personal project that you would like to talk about?
ES: I began to receive interesting information from the Master and started to share it with people. In Soviet times, no one even heard about the knowledge that Master had given me.

Hundreds of people came to my lectures on human energy. I gave them practical knowledge on how to clean biofield and mind. How to fill yourself with energy from Space by your thoughts. It was very relevant and at the same time unexpected for many people. Besides we made “spiritual missions”: to Asia, Europe, Africa, America, with a specific goal – to see and show people the world is not accessible to everyone. And I shared this knowledge that we brought from our travels in my lectures. During our creative business trips, we visited India, Temples and sacred river Ganges, we walked along the path of Nikolai Konstantinovich and Elena Ivanovna Roerich. I was lucky to get an invitation and meet with Devika Rani, the last representative of their great family. All trips reports are reflected in our books. “What the Mahatmas say”

On November 1, 2008, my husband Alexander passed away. Over the past years he powerfully supported me, he was everywhere with me, our bond grew tremendously that after his death it seemed to me that I would die soon too. I was so sure about this that I even gave our supplies of cereals, vegetables, noodles, and canned food to a large family, which Sasha always helped. Slowly, with the help of my children, I came to my senses. Then Sasha “ordered” me to put myself together and go to work.

I was able to conduct charity lectures again, practical exercises on energy and individual meetings. Which I have done and still do.

But our conversations with Sasha continued and led me to write the book “Life Opened by Death”. This book is, of course, about life in Paradise and much more.
This book is about life on Earth and its significance for the Paradise worlds. This is the first book on the planet that carries such frank knowledge about those worlds in which we will all be, but do not know anything about them.

Today there is also a second book on this subject. It’s called simply “Life in Paradise”, it has many adventures and travels throughout the Universe, which Alexander and his team do in Those Worlds. Currently I am writing the third.

Time dictates its conditions and now I hold webinars for which like-minded people from around the world gather together. They are called “Keys of Happiness.” We try to regain our health by working with the energy of the Earth that the Masters gave us.

As Sasha predicted, a man appeared in my life. Like-minded person. Together with Victor, we wrote a script for Sasha’s book. And now the most important life project for us is to make a film on it, beautiful, optimistic and wise. As with Sasha, Victor and I travel to different countries, we relax and at the same time carry out the instructions of the Masters. There are moments that cannot be realized without human participation.

ECG: What does the Eurasian Creative Guild mean to you, and how has it influenced your creativity?
ES: I’m very glad that I found out about the Eurasian Creative Guild. For me it’s just a gift of fate. Having been to Guild events, I saw many individual personalities who are interesting to communicate with. I believe that the young members of the Guild are very lucky, because they receive support and attention from experienced leaders. I would like to thank Marat Akhmedzhanov and Saniya Seyilkhanova. It remains only to create and grow further.

ECG: What projects have you participated in and in which do you plan to participate?

ES: I’m preparing to publish a new book “Life Opened by Death” in the ECG Book Series. I would like to take part in all festivals and contests that the Guild conducts, especially in the ECG Film Festival.

OCA PEOPLE: ELENA KORNEEVA

Elena graduated from Ryazan State Pedagogical University, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Geography. Elena took part in research expeditions, scientific conferences, won several competitions of poetry and scientific works. She is a laureate of international and all-Russian music competitions of songs for children and teenagers. Her poetry is multifaceted, extending to recitations to music, the composition of lyrics, thematic concerts, and participation in international festivals, forums, and book fairs

OCA: Tell us about your work/ creative work.
EK: I have been the head of the Centre for Creative Development and Human Psycho-physiological Correction in Russia for ten years. My work is not just a job; it is a continuous and exciting creative process. Throughout my 17 years as a practicing psychophysiologist, I have taken a poetic view of the world.
Much to my surprise, my first poem, written as a schoolgirl, won recognition at the regional contest ‘Ecoskaz’ and since then, poetry and I have been inseparable. Forays into other literary genres resulted in the publication of two books of modern prose written in the form of a psychophysiologist’s diary. As a teacher, I work with adults but as a writer, I also cater for young readers who are far more demanding!

Two years ago, I initiated ‘Mastering the Word’; a contest for young Russian poets accompanied by a publication of winning entries, which offers participants an opportunity to communicate their ideas within a poetic sphere and find their readers. I believe that festivals are an essential platform on which writers from different countries can share their work and as a consequence, initiate new collaborations to enrich our creativity.

I collaborate with artists, folk and pop singers, bands and dance groups, and by working with the Ryazan Folk Dance Ensemble ‘Lel’, created a poetry and dance show. My songs have won prizes at various contests and forums and performed by children’s bands and cultural luminaries. I do my best to preserve classical forms of poetry whilst adding a modern outlook through the application of computer technologies.

OCA: What are your favorite artists?
EK: There are many prominent authors in the world of modern poetry with whom I am united by friendship and their creative support of me, but I would like to mention in particular, Natalia Ivanovna Harlampyeva, Elena Vasilyevna Sleptsova, Alexander Nawrotsky, Igor Pototsky, Tatyana Zhitkova, Karina Rashitovna Sarsenova, Kakhaber Onashvily, Alexander Ivanovich Timokhin. More than cultural figures and poets, I count them all as my close friends and mentors.

OCA: What is ‘Eurasianess’ for you?
EK: Friendship also played a part in my joining the Eurasian Creative Guild since it was through my friend Marat Akhmedzhanov, that I entered this diverse community of creative people. The Guild provides me with a much-needed opportunity to communicate with both creative people and scientists. I am inspired by the Guild’s ingenious approaches to contemporary issues affecting the creative sphere and equally, by its ongoing programme of up to date projects, discussions, festivals and contests.

OCA: Have you participated in The Eurasian Creative Guild (London) events?
EK: The first event in which I participated was the Open Eurasia competition in 2017, from which I emerged a prizewinner. I then attended the Eurasian Creative Forum II which focused on the theme: ‘Modern Eurasia: Synthesis of Science and Art’, and was announced a golden laureate of the Eurasian International Prize for a significant contribution to the preservation and development of sciences and arts of modern Eurasia.

OCA: What does The Eurasian Creative Guild mean to you, how has it told on your work/ creative work?
EK: Quality is of great importance in any sphere, and participation in any international event or project, requires special attention, a high level of responsibility and self-possession. Being a member of The Eurasian Creative Guild contributes to my personal growth and development of professionalism in my creative work.

OCA: Do you have a personal project you would like to tell us about?
EK: I instigated, and have been managing the ongoing international project ‘In the Same Language’ for seven years. It currently represents renowned modern poets from countries throughout the world including Russia, Poland, Belarus, Ukraine, the UK, Italy, Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania and Kazakhstan. I am responsible for the compilation of the annual almanac. Free of charge to contributors, each edition has a different design and is dedicated to a specific topic. Entries submitted in the poets’ native languages are translated and published in Russian, thus promoting the Russian language and providing access by Russian readers to authentic modern poetry from overseas.

OCA: In which projects have you participated and in which are you planning to participate?
EK: As far as ECG is concerned, I have recently supported Timur Akhmedzhanov’s project involving the publication of ‘Elish and the Wicker Tale’, in addition to contributing to the poetry almanac ‘Friends Voices’.

OCA: What would you wish to the members of the Guild who have just started their creative career?
EK: I would like to wish anyone embarking on a creative career, a constant stream of self-improvement, confidence, honing of their craft, love for their art, creative inspiration, mutual support, and in these unstable times, good health and good luck.

OCA PEOPLE: ELENA BOSLER-GUSEVA

Elena is a founder and director of a ‘Premium Group’ company in Kyrgyzstan, a member of the Eurasian Creative Guild, a recent chairman of the Expert Council in the category of “Translation”. Hobbies: literature (writing articles, children’s stories, poems, dubbing texts), foreign languages (individual teaching, drawing up progressive training programs, consulting), painting, travel.

OCA: Please tell us about yourself and your creative work.
EBG: Over the past 18 years I got to work in many organisations. My career started in the international French organization ACTED which I joined as an intern during my second year of university studies. And this was the place where I acquired my first experience and practical skills while studying at the Faculty of translation. This was a very busy period of my life. I traveled a lot and participated in joint projects with SDC, OBSE, UNDP, UNICEF, Red Cross, Red Crescent and so forth. In 2005, I received a diploma with honours and two days later went to Jalal-Abad (in the south of Kyrgyzstan), where I found out what it was like to work with refugees (from Uzbekistan). And it wasn’t a movie! The mission was accomplished, and I came back to Bishkek. After I got married and gave birth to my son, I completed a mini-version of MBA course and started working at the University of Central Asia. This was the next stage of my professional development: from a director assistant in the School of Professional and Continuing Education to a publication specialist.

For this relatively short period of time I was working with artisans in various projects, was an OXUS accountant in Bishkek, a French, English and Russian teacher for foreigners, was editing tutorials for the Youth Development Institute under the GIZ project, was creating work programs, guides and tests for various educational projects, was the director of “Alliance Française” in Bishkek, was editing the materials of the Walker story project, correcting publications in the “Neformat” photo school, working closely with the Polish magazine “Polonus” in Kyrgyzstan, and correcting it for the 50th anniversary of the founding of the first Catholic parish in Kyrgyzstan “Memoirs of the Prelate Mikhail Koehler” (the first rector of the Roman Catholic community in Bishkek), translated from German language.

OCA: Do you have any particular personal project that you want to tell us about?
EBG: Currently I have my own company. Together with my husband, we develop touristic destinations by offering exclusive tours to Central Asia, and trade with a number of international companies. As tea lovers, I actively develop this market. Tea in an integral part of the cultures and people’s lives in our region. Within the “Ethno tea” project we work with the best tea producers around the world and in particular, import tea from highland plantations of Rwanda.

My long-term love for the French language and France resulted in a cooperation with one of the world’s manufacturers of a natural French soap. Two times a year I personally take part in fairs where I really enjoy wrapping gifts and seeing happy customers.

I still keep working on charity projects. I guess, my first experience makes itself felt. I’ve been thinking about creating a ‘Children village’ which will include a kindergarten and a school. This is going to be a massive project.
OCA: What does “Eurasianism” mean to you?
EBG: For me it’s a “planet” of unique people.

OCA: Have you participated in any of the Eurasian Creative Guild (London) events? Which projects have you already joined and which projects do you plan to join?
EBG: In 2008, I met Anastasiya Li and Marat Akhmejanov for the first time and wrote my first article on a koumiss for Discovery Central Asia. Then, I wrote a lot of other different articles for DCA, “Horizons”, travel guides. There were also different interesting projects in the Eurasian Creative Guild and the first Literature Festival in Bishkek. And this is where I acquired editing skills, enhanced my translation skills and got the experience of socialising with creative people, which was quite useful for my translation and editorial skills workshop for interns at the Guild in Bishkek. I’ve been an active member of the Guild since it’s foundation till today.

One of the most important joint projects for me was Megan Verner’s book “This depends on me: 7 ways to make your life better”. Apart from translating the book of this ambitious girl, I also learnt to see life differently.

In 2018 I wrote a short story called “An unusual message from the peaks of the Tien Shan” for the literary collection “Thread 2”. This story is about 2 leopard cub brothers who addressed their message to people living in cities. I was inspired by one of my students – Suraya who at that time worked on a project about protection of leopards in Kyrgyzstan. And the mom of those two little leopard cubs – Heroine – a female leopard, who really lives in Tien-Shan mountains. Why a ‘Heroine’? Because she brought two lovely cubs in an already big leopard family. This year I plan to continue writing this story.

OCA: What does Eurasian Creative Guild mean to you and how did it influence your creative work?
EBG: It’s like a big family for me. We all are so different (translators, proofreaders, writers, artists, musicians, directors, artists …), but this is what makes it special. We all, the members of the Guild, are like glasses in a kaleidoscope, creating a single and unique image that changes every time but never ceases to amaze and delight us with its versatility. We often complement each other. Some write, others edit and translate, another group composes music, others play it on stage, and others embed all these into canvas for centuries.

OCA: What would you wish for those members of the Guild who just have just started their creative journey?
EBG: It’s never too late to become the one you want to be. Every person is unique in his or her own way. And everyone can find their own favourite activity. Don’t bury your talents but develop them. Some people consider art as a hobby. But I don’t really agree with that. If you take it seriously, you can transform your favourite activity into your lifetime work which will bring benefits to other people and society in general and will become a good source of revenue. Don’t neglect the opportunities!

OCA PEOPLE: MICHAEL DANIEL SAGATIS

Michael Daniel is a British independent researcher, composer and filmmaker with Baltic & Slavic roots. He created an intergenerational memory project “Józefa’s Letters” that’s been widely exhibited throughout the Eurasian space. In 2019, he made and co-scored the documentary short film “Józefa’s Letters” which has received 9 official film festival selections. Visit: https://vimeo.com/michaelsagatis

OCA: Tell us about yourself and your activity / work
MDS: I am an independent researcher, filmmaker and composer born and raised in the UK with Slavic and Celtic roots. I have recently finished making a short documentary film about intergenerational memory, Józefa’s Letters, which has received 9 film festival selections including for best original score. As a communicator and presenter, I’ve travelled extensively to present a series of exhibitions and talks in museums and cultural centres in the Eurasian space.

OCA: What is “Eurasianism” for you?
MDS: I see ‘Eurasianism’ as describing the exciting formation of a modern identity based on the sharing of rich, historic cultures among diverse ethnicities. As the result of intense political change that’s barely one generation old, Eurasianism positively embraces the vibrant intensity of globalised possibility, whilst respectfully acknowledging the sensitive legacies of a turbulent past. As a burgeoning artistic movement, Eurasianism is creating a mosaic of intellectuals and artists that current generations can be inspired by to learn how the past, connected to the present, is shaping the future.

OCA: Who are your favorite artists?
MDS: I am fascinated by how the artist Erbol Meldibekov continuously finds inspired ways using mediums of sculpture, photography and mixed media to powerfully depict the dialogue between past and present through social and political realities. The pianist, Khatia Buniatishvili exemplifies the fusion that produces prodigious musical skill with an enthralling visual performance. When reading to relax, the writings of Khalil Gilbran remain a comforting source of profound wisdom and deep philosophy expressed through wonderful sketches of word imagery. As a self-taught musician, I learned from the Beatles, so I am a certified Beatlemaniac!

OCA: Have you taken part in the events of the Eurasian Creative Guild (London)?
MDS: During this period of quarantine due to the Covid-19 pandemic, I have enjoyed taking part in the Guilds online meetings where we have shared opinions and creative responses to topics from the life of Shakespeare to the inspiration of Nature. These events have displayed the spirit of the Guild to remain connected in these challenging times.

OCA: What does the Eurasian Creative Guild mean to you, and how did it affect your
Creativity / activity?
MDS: I joined the Guild to broaden my understanding of the Eurasian creative space by exploring opportunities that could contribute to existing creative projects and co-operate with new ones. As a dynamic multi-national forum, the ECG connects members from varied backgrounds who are positively motivated to participate in cultural exchange and the promotion of personal and professional development. Through the activities of the Guild, I have discovered inspiring projects, fascinating books and connected with people from around the Eurasian space.

OCA: Do you have any personal project that you would like to talk about?
MDS: Since 2017, I have travelled and lived in Eurasia, presenting a multimedia auto-ethnographic project, Józefa’s Letters, which has been widely reported by local and national press in Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Lithuania and Belarus.

I have now returned to the UK with impressions and experiences that underline the success resulting from the joint efforts of many countries who have helped recover the hitherto lost identity of an ancestor and allowed for the better understanding of the Eurasian and European history that connects the fates between generations of family members.

I’m currently preparing a pitch for the Baltic Sea Co-Financing forum of international documentary projects that will powerfully tell the full story as a feature documentary. I’m also writing a transformational non-fiction title where historical narratives are introduced by a series of real and related characters, who each have a striking story that connects how the creation of ancestral trauma, its echo and subsequent healing, is accomplished by descendants determined to understand the events that have shaped and defined their family history.

OCA: What projects have you participated in and in which do you plan to participate?
MDS: Last year I was honoured to be part of a delegation from the Moscow School of Civic Education that attended the ‘Sapere Aude’ forum on Freedom of Speech, Media and Society held at Oxford University. As part of the celebrations marking 150-years since the founding of the city of Aktobe, I participated in the TEDx Aktobe event alongside inspirational local Kazakh artists, personalities and entrepreneurs. In October, I was invited to present my research and collection of historical artefacts at a conference held at Nazarbayev University, Nur-Sultan City. In March this year, I was invited to Minsk to attend the premiere of my film following its selection at the Minsk ‘Unfiltered’ Film Festival.

I have proudly supported the Guild’s crowd-funded project to change the established human worldview of Autism by creating a graphic novel based on the children’s book, Elish and the Wicker Tales by Kamran Slayer. I wish this important project every success!

I am currently submitting a film to the Guild’s Eurasian Film Festival and I have also entered the Top 25 Eurasian Artworks 2020 photography competition.

OCA: What would you wish the members of the Guild, just starting their career?
MDS: Read, research and reach out to those who have expertise you can learn from and experience that may also be able to help your projects develop. Travel as much as possible to let real experiences colour your impressions, challenge your assumptions and inspire your imagination!

OCA PEOPLE: MARGARITA MIKHAILOVA

Born in Russia, Margarita began her studies as a pianist and choral conductor in St Petersburg Academy of Art. Since 2002 she has worked in Norway and gradually extended her repertoire from classical and romantic composers to contemporary music. After completing her Master Degree in Choral Conducting at the Norwegian Academy of Music Margarita worked with leading Norwegian vocal ensembles, such as : Norwegian Soloist Choir and Kristiansand Vocal Ensemble. She achieved critical acclaim performing Russian Orthodox Church music and modern Scandinavian repertoire.

In June 2017 she graduated from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire — MMus, Orchestral Conducting. Margarita is currently working as a Visiting Tutor at the Conservatoire and as a freelance conductor.
During her studies in the UK she worked with various professional orchestras, such as The London Mozart Players, Philhamonisches Kammerorchester Berlin, Danub Orchestra(Budapest, Hungary), Amber Sound Symphony Orchestra( Liepaja, Latvia), Estonian National Youth Orchestra (Tallinn, Estonia), St Petersburg Chamber Philharmonic and the BBC Concert Orchestra.

Margarita has conducted a few contemporary music premieres both in Norway and the UK.

OCA: Tell us about yourself and your activity / work
MM: I was born and grew up in the northern part of Russia – often called the Russian North. For almost all of my life since the start of the millennium I have spent abroad – both in Norway and the UK.

I always found the fact that the place where you’re born influences the person you become a very fascinating one.

Seeing various cultures around the world, learning three new languages and becoming quite a multicultural person, I always save the warmest place in my heart for my hometown of Arkhangelsk. With its famous wooden architecture, bone and wood carving traditions, the long, cold and dark winter nights and the cordial hospitality of Pomor people.

OCA: Do you have any personal projects that you would like to talk about?
MM: Paradoxically, music was not my biggest passion when I was a kid. Just like the millions of other girls at the time, I dreamed about becoming a dancer. Anyhow, I chose ‘conducting’ for my main studies when I was 15 and I have never regretted it.

Conducting took me on an endless journey of an unbelievably wide range of music. I often get questions on whether I compose my own music. Strangely enough, I have never found this exciting. It is much more interesting for me to get into other composer’s musical ideas, to understand the message of their music, to use my fantasy and imagination to become “the composer’s advocate”. Furthermore, I love to inspire and motivate my musicians. A conductor is certainly a visual kind leader. Great conductors are those who share their leading glory with the musicians, those who trust them and immediately invite them to take the limelight. Without the orchestra, the conductor is nothing.

OCA: What is “Eurasianism” for you?
MM: I would like to leave out the geopolitical definition of “Eurasianism”. Everyone knows that Eurasianism as an ideological and philosophical movement originally developed in 1920th. I think many of us read something from Nikolay Trybetzkoy, Georgii Florovsky or Nikolay Berdyaev who were first key leaders of Eurasianism. At least I did.

My personal interest in Eurasia lies firstly in a cultural aspect. I perceive Eurasian as a cradleland for many civilizations. A place where our ethnic routes first met a thousand years ago. Nowadays many of us feel a strong requirement to develop and use multicultural links and integration as a global goal, but not as a political tool. Different cultural and religious heritages have always been a part of my native interest. To meet new people, exchange and support one another’s innovative ideas – what can be better for an artist than that: whether you are a writer, poet, musician, painter, architect or a filmmaker. Together our creative vision for the future is stronger and more fruitful.

OCA: Who are your favorite artists?
MM: This question always makes me feel embarrassed. The reason is that I have never favoured any particular art figure of any time. Even those who I admire greatly. I want to stay culturally open minded and make new “art discoveries” during my life.

OCA: Have you taken part in the events of the Eurasian Creative Guild (London)?
MM: I am looking forward to organising the first symphony orchestra performance under the Eurasian Cultural Week in London in October 2019. In March I came with the idea to the president of the Guild and I really hope we will be able to realise it.

Such performance involves lots of preparation which is happening at the moment. I decided to call the concert, “New Eurasian Wave” as my idea is to reveal and present music of composers who are connected to the Eurasian region. Composers from Armenia, Kuwait and Kazakhstan are already on the list of the concert program.

This initiative gave me a brilliant opportunity to present a new young orchestra in London working under the organisation ‘Harmony: Action through the Art’. I believe that together we will create a memorable event for the guests of Eurasian Cultural Week, composers and musicians – as well as everyone else involved. Furthermore, we aim to improve the first concert to a permanent concert program for the future events of ECG.

OCA: What would you wish the members of the Guild, just starting their career?
MM: Find your individual voice and stay in harmony with yourself.

OCA PEOPLE: GULNARA KAPANOVA

Gulnara is a stage movement researcher, professional ballerina – leading soloist of the Kazakhstan Opera House, master of arts (choreography), certified specialist in functional anatomy. Author of documentaries about classical ballet, founder of the “Gift” award for graduates of the Almaty Choreographic School named after Seleznev. Author of a number of scientific articles from the book “Modern Competencies of a Ballet Dancer”.

OCA: Tell us about yourself and your activity / work
GK: Up until recently, I was a leading solo ballet dancer at the State Opera House and now teach at the choreographic school and train dancers at the Academy of Arts. My professional life in the theatre and as a teacher coupled with personal experience, led to a desire to write a book on the mastery of ballet. Being on stage and working behind the scenes gave me a unique opportunity to capture in photographs and video, a professional ballet environment, and as commented by my journalist husband, produce an independent creative genre. Love for ballet is the basis of my creative life. And of course, the “Giving” award, which I have been presenting for ten years, to the most gifted graduates in our school, has a very special place in my heart. In my view, any means of increasing self-esteem and self-confidence is as valuable as any material support.

OCA: What is “Eurasianism” for you?
GK: For me, ‘Eurasianism’ is not only a geopolitical, but also a philosophical issue and from my perspective as someone associated with choreography, offers a sense of belonging to two great civilizations: settled and nomadic, western and eastern … It is something that finds expression across the board; from material things to appearance and mentality, and of course, dance. The intersections, collisions of these powerful cultural streams help us to rise upwards and by looking at the world beyond, identify commonalities whilst emphasizing something special in oneself and others. In a truly choreographic art, there are no countries and continents, nationalities and languages, where people understand each other without the use of words.

OCA: What are your favourite artists?
GK: Everyone has their guiding stars. For me, these are Olzhas Suleimenov with his famous aphorism “to elevate the steppe without lowering the mountains”, and Chingiz Aitmatov with his extremely “naked” prose. I so greatly admire the magical realism of Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s ‘One Hundred Years of Solitude’. I consider Sylvia Guillem the greatest ballerina of our time for her astonishing ability to demonstrate the true spirit of dance, and cite my mentor Lyudmila Rudakova, as a role model of how to teach and communicate with students.

OCA: Have you taken part in the events of the Eurasian Creative Guild (London)?
GK: I participate in events organised by the Eurasian Creative Guild (London) whenever time allows. As one of the very few representatives of my profession, communicating with creative people is always an incentive for development and offers me an opportunity to expand my interests, knowledge and horizons. My husband and son are also members of the Guild, so together, we are a fully-fledged ‘Eurasian’ creative family!

OCA: What does the Eurasian Creative Guild mean to you, and how did it affect your
creativity / activity?
GK: As for me, the Eurasian Creative Guild, is primarily a means through which I can develop and expose my work on a completely new and different level. It enabled me to first publish my book as part of the Guild’s ‘academic’ series and then present it in London and Cambridge; something I never imagined would happen! It is just one example of how the organisation can offer creative people, especially those living so far away in Eurasia, the chance to realise their dreams. In ballet and opera, the audience expresses their appreciation of performers’ skills and dedication with exclamations of “bravo!” and following suit and with sincere thanks, I say: “Bravo, Eurasian Creative Guild!”

OCA: Do you have any personal project that you would like to talk about?
GK: My projects are related to choreography. Together with my husband and like-minded people, I have been nurturing the idea of creating an international choreographic portal: ‘Ballet Eurasia’. It is an ambitious project for which we have been collecting material for several years. I also have many plans related to photography and video projects that reveal the identity of the dancers in unexpected ways, and am considering the creation of special ballet gymnastics and distance- learning in a number of disciplines. I shall continue writing articles and books which I would love to translate into English and this year, with the help of the Guild, hope to publish the English translation of my book “Professional Competence of a Ballet Dancer”. In addition, I would love to participate in the festival of documentaries and photo exhibitions as part of the annual meetings of the Eurasian Creative Guild.

OCA: What would you advise the members of the Guild, who’re just starting their career?
GK: The Eurasian Creative Guild is a magical place where ABILITIES CONNECT WITH OPPORTUNITIES!

I would therefore advise creative newcomers not to spend their time in vain and instead, follow the road paved by Marat Akhmetzhanov – a great enthusiast and tireless traveller This path will lead to new horizons and help you find yourself. Just like the Ballet, the Guild can provide you with a magnificent stage on an international level, and what you show on it depends on you! Don’t miss your chance!

 

OCA PEOPLE: NURYM TAIBEK

Nurym is a mathematician, business manager, ideologue of general prosperity (through natural market / ‘Islamic’ economic system), scholar of philosophy of religion, theologian, author of scientific works, articles in the press and interviews with major media, blogger, translator.

He is an author of dozens of scientific publications on philosophy of religion, appeared in the media dozens of times (TV, press, radio, including BBC). Expert in simultaneous and written translation, incl. for Baker & McKenzie, Editor-in-Chief WSJ Canada, USAID, etc. He also has a journalist experience with: MTA Intl, CaspioNet, BBC Radio Kazakh Service (1997), translations from Businessweek.

OCA: Tell us about yourself and your activity / work?
NT: My main activities are spiritual ministry and spiritual enlightenment. I propagate something people have forgotten and are moving away from and suffering as a result. Today, one has little time to adapt to one difficulty, when another one befalls one. The peoples of the world are tired of the compounding problems, but they cannot (or are unwilling to) understand that every problem is solved when one starts with oneself, i.e. starts to thank the Creator for the life given, the way He expects from us. Exactly this way and not otherwise.

OCA: What is “Eurasianism” for you?
NT: Eurasia is the territory where the greatest ever spiritual prosperity is to take place – the 1000-year spiritual and, as its result, worldly prosperity – after the current period of severe global upheavals, the culmination of which is expected in 2021-2022.

The golden era of mankind is predicted in the Bible, the Qur’an and the traditions. Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the Messiah-Mahdi and the founder of 200 million-strong Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, predicted all this in detail, coming true with 100% accuracy.

Back in 1905 (when all this seemed unthinkable), he prophesied of the WWI and the sad end of tsarism.

He also predicted rise in natural disasters, epidemics and military conflicts (including 3 World Wars), as well as an upsurge in the number of victims from all of these. Most of the survivors would admit their guilt, repent, live righteously and prosper.

Jesus, Muhammad and all previous prophets (peace be upon them all) predicted about him in depth, up to his name (Ahmad, or Paracletes in the Greek Bible) and his birthplace (Kada in India, a shortened popular name of his native village of Qadian). He belonged to the expanded Mughal dynasty and became the crown of the religious efforts of this dynasty and the greatest saintly scholar of our time.

OCA: Who are your favorite artists?
NT: All the spiritual teachers of mankind. It is the books and traditions they brought that are the most living, life-giving and most interesting sources of knowledge and satisfaction of curiosity. They cover all possible areas of knowledge. In the documents they left, other people introduced interpolations that can be calculated and eliminated purely logically. Secular scientists have already accomplished this task by 90%, too.

OCA: Have you taken part in the events of the Eurasian Creative Guild (London)?
NT: Yes, since 2013: in all Book Forums, except for one; and in all events in London.

OCA: What does the Eurasian Creative Guild mean to you, and how did it affect your creativity?
NT: ECG is a wonderful platform, it is a model of the future Eurasia, where everyone is heard. It has helped me to realize my potential further.

OCA: Do you have any personal project that you would like to talk about?
NT: In 2018, I completed the Russian translation of the greatest contemporary treatise – “Revelation, Rationality, Knowledge and Truth” and presented it at the ECG Book Forum 2018.

OCA: What projects have you participated in and in which do you plan to participate?
NT: I participated in almost all Book Forums as well as in the Academic Series: my PhD monograph on topical issues of modern Islamic studies was published by Cambridge International Press in 2018. Its title is Love for All, Hatred for None – the Raison d’Être of Ahmadi Muslims. Also, I took part in the crowdfunding project Elish and the Wicker Tale. I plan to participate in other projects like Zoom meetings starting Autumn 2020.

OCA: What would you wish the members of the Guild, just starting their career?
NT: Go for it!

OCA PEOPLE: Emil Guzairov

Emil Guzairov was born in Russia. He’s engaged in graphics, painting, architecture, graphic design, and book engineering. He designs interiors and private houses. He also draws illustrations, designs and publishes in limited editions author’s books in the genre “Artist’s Book” and “Book Art”. He came up with unusual book designs and non-standard stylistic solutions. He writes stories, fairy tales and adventure stories. Written and directed by several animated films

 

OCA Magazine: Tell us about yourself and your creative activity/work

Emil Guzairov: My speciality is architecture, so I’m used to thinking in terms of  shapes, spatial categories and storylines. Architectural design just like any artistic action implies a lot of creativity and desire to express an idea through a particular object. In this sense all forms of arts have common principles of the development of new ideas and similar methods designing creative objects.

EG:I have worked in different areas of arts. I moved from architectural design towards animation and for many years was filming auter animated movies at the “Kyrgyztelefilm” studio in Bishkek in the 90s. Animation like any film industry is a very fascinating activity, full of mysteries, insights and creative findings. Of course, it’s impossible to avoid long searches, mistakes and disappointments as in any other kind of work.

At the same time, I worked a lot in the sphere of painting and graphic design. I spent many years working with advertising and visual graphics in the television industry. 

OCA : Do you have any personal project that you would like to talk about?

EG: We never know where our destiny will bring us – later on I worked as an art director in the publishing company in Moscow. I did graphic design, 3D graphics and book illustrations. Gradually, I became interested in the artistic side of a book. During the past 10 years I’ve been doing research in the sphere of artist books, copyright books, miniature publications and book engineering. I develop unusual book constructions such as rope up, folding out, microbook and I call it “book architecture” which is similar to architectural design.

Besides, I write adventure novels, stories and tales. Some of my works with my own drawings are available in limited edition, generally from 3 to 10 copies, and I try to create unique books with an auteur construction and unusual design. I don’t need a publisher or typography. I do all by myself: write, draw, print, cut and put together. I only need a reader and a viewer. 

I paint and then write texts for my paintings, such as stories and tales. I called this method reverse illustration. 

OCA :Who are your favorite artists?

EG: I get inspiration from Alexander Pushkin, Edgar Allan Poe, William Shakespeare, Agathon Bokeh and create books based on the works of classics. I’ve recently created a series of books – a collection of poems named “Prophet”. Actually, many Russian poets have compositions with the same name. We all know poems of Pushkin, Lermontov and Nekrasov with the same name. By my request, a talented contemporary British poet John Farndon made fantastic translations of several poems in English, and now I’m doing a series of books united with a common theme of “Prophet”.

OCA : What style do you paint in? What influenced your style?

EG:Frankly speaking, I don’t like everything that I do because sometimes I change a font, proportions, binding, size or design. This can be referred to as perfectionism, but I definitely know that each book as well as drawing or sculpture already in its inception has its unique scale, appearance and style.

OCA : Have you taken part in the events of the Eurasian Creative Guild (London)?

EG: We also know from the history of art how important are the patron, trustee, collector and connoisseur. There have always been philanthropists who supported artists in their difficult, delicate and emotional labour. And now I see the Eurasian Creative Guild which creates an environment for development, cooperation and inspiration.

For an artist in any sphere, whether he is an actor, poet, designer or musician, it is important for him to be heard, seen and understood. This is because an artist works for people by creating their own unique pieces of art. And I think that it is a very important task to help him to reach the audience and communicate his creative ideas.

 I’m really happy about the variety of literary, art and film contests and events organised and held by the Guild. It is important for me to participate and to show my works, but I also want to see the works of other people. I want to meet like-minded people, but it is important not to ignore critique and to perceive it in a right way. This can be learnt through joint creativity, trips, discussions and equal participation in the art processes in different genres.

OCA : What is “Eurasianism” for you?

EG: Europe and Asia are a wonderful combination, a sea of opportunities and mountains of achievements. A friendship and respect between creative people holds a powerful potential of interpenetration. I think we should learn from each other, develop together so that we can skillfully avoid all the obstacles that threaten artists in today’s dynamic pace of life. I hope that the Eurasian Creative Guild and the creative approach of its managers will further develop interesting art projects that will support the world of art.

I think that we need to search for new, or maybe forgotten old forms of creative interaction. It is crucial that a Maecenas can find his own artist, and that a viewer can find his own exhibition or concert. We need auctions, crowdfunding platforms, online meetings and creative festivals. 

OCA : What does the Eurasian Creative Guild mean to you, and how has it influenced your creativity?

EG: The kind help provided by the Eurasian Creative Guild was and still remarkable,I joined the Guild during the festival in Stockholm in 2017 and in Brussels in 2019. I can see how important these meetings among creative people and their cooperation are. Every nation has its own unique quality and texture manifestations in art. The intersection of cultures and ethnic groups leads to mutual enrichment and interesting cooperation. 

OCA PEOPLE: STEPHEN M. BLAND

Stephen M. Bland is a freelance journalist, award-winning author, researcher and editor specialising in post-Soviet territories. His book on Central Asia was released in 2016, and he is currently putting the finishing touches to a book about the Caucasus.  www.stephenmbland.com

OCA: Tell us about yourself and your work
SMB: My name is Stephen M. Bland; I’m a freelance journalist, author, researcher and editor specialising in Central Asia and the Caucasus. I first became interested in Central Asia when I visited the region on a whim in 2012. At the time, I was working on a novel based on the history of Laos, but within a few days of arriving in Kyrgyzstan, this project was shelved, and I fell in love with Central Asia. I spent the next three years travelling there as often as I could, the end result of which was my book, Does it Yurt? Travels in Central Asia or How I Came to Love the Stans, a mix of travel, history and reportage exploring the rich heritage, politic landscape and the stories of the people and places of these fascinating lands.

Writing about post-Soviet space, I found there was an appetite for articles on these countries which are often under-represented in the Western media. Back in 2012, Kyrgyzstan was the first former Soviet Republic I visited, now I’ve been to all of them multiple times, penning pieces ranging from history and travel to news stories and investigative reporting on environmental issues, oligarchs and financial crime. It became my niche. Now, in addition to writing about the region, I also research and edit reports on and books by authors from these countries, which can be rewarding in itself.

OCA: What is it that draws you to post-Soviet territories and what are you working on now?
SMB: I find the diversity, the pace of change and the way these nations are looking to forge their identities, which were submerged for so long, fascinating. Lingering spectres from Soviet times continue to clash against the pressures of modernity as each of these unique lands attempts to shape itself in the twenty-first century, often by delving into its past. As the actor Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who played the president in a Ukrainian TV comedy before becoming president of the country in a landslide victory despite having announced no policies said: ‘in post-Soviet countries… everything is possible.’

I’m currently working on a book about the Caucasus, which serves as a prime example. Since the collapse of the USSR, the three traumatised nations and three breakaway republics that make up Transcaucasia have seen three inter-regional wars, at least two – arguably more – dictators, two revolutions, two coup d’états and one civil war. Despite being a small region, the Caucasus are incredibly diverse, and from the culturally Persian desert towns of Southern Azerbaijan to the remote mountain communities of Georgia, local traditions and superstitions remain deeply ingrained. In Baku, for example, people still pray at a shrine dedicated to the purportedly supernatural Mir Mövsüm, a man more commonly known as the “Meat Lord” and said to have been born without bones. In Georgia, meanwhile, as the likely birthplace of wine and the nation with the largest diversity of wine in the world, the tradition of the tamada – the toastmaster at feasts – dates back to time immemorial.

Attitudes to the Soviet-era are also interesting. When officials attempted to remove a statue of “Uncle Joe” from outside the Stalin Museum in his hometown of Gori in 2010, they met with stiff resistance. So, besides its physical manifestations, in certain aspects the USSR continues to endure in hearts and minds.

OCA: What does the Eurasian Creative Guild mean to you?
SMB: At a time when many governments seem intent on exacerbating divisions, the ECG is important as a body bringing together people from across Europe and Asia. It is a space in which to share cultural heritage and expand our understanding. It also serves as a vehicle for making contacts with others working in a broad range of arts, and for that it should be applauded.

OCA PEOPLE: LAURENT MARGADANT

Laurent has been working in the banking industry. He worked in the accountancy of a private aviation company and I have worked for the TPG Transport Publics Genevois, a State Company for public transport in Geneva twenty years as Manager of the Trolleybus Operations. He has been passionate about Central Asia since 2007, with many trips and many friends in this region. This place has become a very important part of his life. Central Asia makes his heart beat faster and which gives sunshine to his life.

OCA: Tell us about yourself and your activity/work?
LM: I am a Swiss citizen and I’m in love with aviation, travel and people. After a short banking career, I joined the world of transport, first in aviation and for several years in the world of public transport. I am currently the head of the trolleybus department in Geneva. I build projects related to vehicle renewals and the creation of new lines. I am committed to modernizing this environmentally friendly mode of transportation. I like my activity that has a social role in society.
OCA: What is Eurasianism for you?
LM: It is the fact of creating a common dynamic inside this region of the world that is distinguished by a strong creativity, a high quality of work, and a history of legend. This can be applied in all areas of activities.

OCA: Who are your favourite artists?
LM: I’m a great fan of Uzbek pop music and clips, it is an original mix of modern music that refers to everyday Central Asia life, a unique style, like Lola Yuldasheva, Ziyoda or others nice voices.

OCA: Have you taken part in the events or the Eurasian Creative Guild (London) ?
LM: I participated in all meetings in Geneva with a lot of pleasure, I was able to exchange with other members on various topics, and we kept in touch.

OCA: What does the Eurasian Creative Guild mean to you, and how did it affect your creativity / activity?
LM: It is a pleasure to share my passion for this region with others and see that we all share the same goal, to enhance this beautiful region.

OCA: Do you have any personal projects that you would like to talk about?
LM: My dreams are to participate as a volunteer in a public transport development project in this region, improving performance by maintaining the human quality and tradition of hospitality. To share all my experience of my country with these regions, it’s a project full of colours and happiness. I’m open for an interesting company.

OCA: What projects have you participated in and in which do you plan to participate?
LM: I’m already full of emotion to have been able to participate in the launch of the book “Shahidka/Munabiya” written by Kazat Akmatov and wrote a little preface with my heart. I’m always ready to commit to anything that could enhance this region.

OCA: What would you wish to the members of the Guild, just starting?
LM: I hope to feel the same happiness of being together and sharing to share all the love we have for these regions.

OCA: How the passion for this region arrived?
LM: The chance of life and my passion for travel led me to discover Tashkent 15 years ago. I immediately felt energy and a sense of immediate well-being; I felt I had found my place. Then I travelled to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, where I met some great Peoples, who all became more than friends, they are all my second family.

OCA PEOPLE #36  WWW.OCAMAGAZINE.COM

From Disney to Almaty. Interview with Max Howard

Max Howard is a famous Disney producer, who has produced numerous bestsellers such as “Who
Framed Roger Rabbit”, “Saving Santa’, “The Little Mermaid”, “Aladdin”, “Beauty and the Beast”, and
“The Lion King”. He recently visited Kazakhstan for the “Almaty film festival” and gave a series of master classes. OCA therefore took the opportunity to speak to Max about his experience of work as a producer and his impressions of Kazakhstan.

OCA:  Max, your master class at the “Almaty Film Festival” last summer was fantastic, it gave new
generations a lot of useful information about how to become a successful producer. What were your
impressions of Kazakhstan and the festival itself?
Max Howard: I really liked how enthusiastic people were at the master classes. I see many
opportunities for the development of animation in Kazakhstan and central Asia, since the state really
supports this structure. I see a lot of potential in Kazakhstan, especially the energy of Almaty and its
inhabitants. As a producer, I am interested in the local culture, I find it very original and interesting. I am hoping to find an interesting bright story for a film set in Kazakhstan that i can bring to the international entertainment market.
OCA: Do you still work for “Disney”?
MH: No, I’m working for myself now. In the animation industry there are a lot of new technologies.
These days everything depends on the talent of those who understand and engage in high technologies in the production of animation.
OCA: Last year a Kazakh film, “Tomiris”, about a famous Asian queen-conqueror, won many prizes and even was included into nominations for a “Golden Globe” movie award. The historical film, “Tomiris” is dedicated to the events of the sixth century B.C. and tells the life story of the great queen of the steppe – the legendary Tomiris. Did you watch that movie and what’s your opinion as a producer about it?
MH: I did not see the film unfortunately, I only know that Akan Satayev (the film director) made it. I
watched the trailer, though, and must admit that it intrigued me and I was really impressed. I believe
that Kazakh women are so interesting, this role of the female leader is very new and intriguing for the
world market in the film industry. Kazakh culture is fortunate to have such a colourful woman leader as Tomiris. I can see the character in many Kazakh women’s faces. The biggest mistake that I made was that i could only visit the festival for 3 days and this is my sadness.
OCA: We hear you may have co-operated with the legendary Steven Spielberg. What was that like?
MH: You know, Bugs Bunny and Mickey Mouse are issues of competition between the studios, it was a revolution because they combined animation and live actors for the first time. Steven is a great
professional, it was a pleasure to work with him.
OCA: What were your impressions of Almaty from your brief time at the festival?
MH: I very much liked the festival and the people of Kazakhstan. I’ve been to the big Almaty lake, and I was really impressed by it. Almaty is a big city, it’s a former capital of Kazakhstan full of nice hospitable people. I loved the people of Almaty actually. I did two workshops during the festival. There were many young professionals in the industry at the festival, and I was thrilled to see that they were full of enthusiasm.

OCA: In Kazakhstan there are great possibilities for new movies and a lot of governmental support,
which gives young generations a great opportunity to shoot exciting movies. Did you get any proposals for future cooperation with Kazakhstan?
MH: Yes, I was given a proposal to work here, I love the energy of Kazakhstani people, so definitely I will come back here next year. I’m eager to work with local co-members and co-productions here. Also
because of the beautiful mountains, Almaty is surrounded by the Zailiysky Alatau mountains, I have
figured out a potential new location for my future films.

WWW.OCAMAGAZINE.COM   SUMMER 2020 Interview by Julia Katsman

OCA PEOPLE: ELENA BEZRUKOVA

Business coach and owner of the “Elena Bezrukova Center” aimed at training and consulting,she is also practicing psychology. Her work experience over 26 years. More than 5000 specialists have been trained by her programm and now they successfully apply learned knowledge. Education: pedagogical, economic, psychological. Elena Bezrukova has Kazakh and international certificates for conducting training and consulting programs.

ECG: Tell us about yourself and your activity / work?
EB: My name is Bezrukova Elena Arkadevna,from Almaty (Kazakhstan). My main profession is as a business coach in the restaurant business, personnel management, personality development, I lead more than 50 copyright educational programs. I am a candidate of psychological sciences,I am exploring the possibilities of human self-realization. Grafelvist, writer, member ECG Advisory Board, Chairman of the Expert Council of Business Trainers. For 13 years of work in my training and consulting company, I wrote 30 teaching books, two of which are published in London. Creativity for me is a way to get energy, space of self-realization, source of inspiration, the ability to share with peopleone’s vision of life.

ECG: What is “Eurasianism” for you?
EB: Eurasianism is a territorial, mental, emotional community that seeks beyond state borders. Eurasianism is a phenomenon that develops people’s desire to a better community.

ECG: What are your favorite artists?
EB: These are my contemporaries, friends who, in addition to creative work, carry the idea unification through an open mind and heart.

Gulsifat Shahidi is a famous Eurasian writer. It is especially interesting to read Gulsifat works after communicating with this sunny, smiling woman. Gulsifat’s books give rise to interest and love for her homeland – Tajikistan, and here is an example of how creates a sense of community within Eurasianism.

Oksana Zhukova – creates trust in people of a difficult profession – journalists. Everything to what Oksana touches, begins to show its beauty and attractiveness, lightness
and security.

Nick Rowan – destroys the myth of the cold and stiff English. Smiling, sociability, listening ability – arouses trust and respect for his books and social activities.
Marat Akhmedzhanov – for me is an example of erudition and curiosity for life, tolerance and positive resilience.

ECG: Have you taken part in the events of the Eurasian Creative Guild?
EB: Yes, in almost all literary festivals organized by Hertfordshire Press and ECG: in Bishkek, in London, in Thailand, in Belgium. Our company was co-organizer of the literary festival in Almaty in 2013, in Stockholm Antonina Schuster represented us, author of Lines of Life. In 2018, I was lucky to be in Minsk at events organized by Belbrand.

My company participated in exhibitions in Astana, Bishkek, London in 2018-2919, Almaty in my city, I strive to be at all the meetings of the guild.

ECG: What the Eurasian Creative Guild means to you, and how it influenced. Your creativity / activity?
EB: For me it’s a stream that takes me out of my beloved Almaty, my beloved business business coaching in the world of creativity, communication with wonderful people. This is an occasion for amazing travels in which I represent my country where I am met with funny adventures. The guild is not a “window to Europe”, but hundreds of roads through which to go.

ECG: Do you have any personal project that you would like to talk about?
EB: My favorite project – Projective graphics – these are lines created on the mental impulse having the properties to manifest various images and conditions. They have common nature with primitive art and calligraphy of the Old Slavic alphabet.

For projective graphics, I got copyright in 2017 at the International Patent Office in Berlin. Helping me in this ECG, Academy of Ambitious Artists, with direct participation of Evgenia Lomakina – consultant and appraiser of subjects art.

There is still a debate in the professional community about whether ‘grapelles’ are art, or more relate to psychology. Art critics Tikhomirova Valentina and Zhumagulova Maria conducted research on the topic of projective graphics, recognized in the world specialist in the evaluation of art Elizabeth Malinovskaya gave a positive appreciation of my work. Famous artists Lydia Drozdova, Igor Gushchin, Marlan Nysanbaev, Alesya Shaher support my work.

The ‘grapelles’ give the most important assessment to ‘graphelvs’, they say that ‘graphelvs’ develop spatial and multidimensional vision, imagination, uplift, make the space lighter and brighter.

I have a series of paintings called “The reverse side of the portrait”, which I presented during the fashion week last year. And some designer dresses that I plan to show on one of the activities of the Guild.

Another project is miniatures for paintings. Art has become now much closer to people thanks to the Internet and social networks, and the number of buyers of paintings are not increasing, visual culture is still weak in the post-Soviet space.

Therefore, I had a desire to write literary sketches on behalf of the viewer, which so that the picture could get a speech and become closer and more understandable to the inexperienced viewer.

I wrote the first miniature for the work of the Circus, Marlan Nysanbayev, now Ambassador Guild. In 2018, I published a catalog with miniatures for the Literary festival in Thailand. In 2019, I became a laureate of two literary works.

OCA PEOPLE: ANATOLY SKARGHIN

Anatoly Skarghin was born in Kyrgyzstan, worked in the system of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. In 1995 went out on pension from the Ministry of Internal Affairs — deputy minister’s position. He is the president of the International Public Association “Generals of the World – for Peace,” the Police Major General.

ECG: Tell us about yourself and your activity/work
AS: I am the president of the International Public Association “Generals of the World – for Peace,” the Police Major General Anatoly Skarghin. I was born in the Kyrgyz Republic and through most of my life, I have devoted myself to serving in the internal affairs authorities where I rose to the rank of general. My career was forming in a very difficult time and in an extremely sensitive region. Kyrgyzstan, the former republic of the collapsed Soviet Union, stood at the junction of Europe and Asia and was always densely inhabited by many peoples with different cultures, mentalities and religions. In 2011, I established the International Public Association “Generals of the World – for Peace,” a progressive movement of peacekeepers with an open career structure, a single electronic platform, a charitable foundation and a complex of national missions. It has become a relevant and effective tool for promotion of the philosophy of Peace, the ideology of universal harmony and the rejection of violence.

ECG: What is Eurasianism for you?
AS: For me, Eurasianism is not just geography, it is a civilization with a big and unique history – tragic, but great. This is the cradle of hundreds of cultures, the birthplace of a huge Eurasian family with a bright and difficult fate and, of course, a great future. Eurasianism unites yesterday, today, and tomorrow. It’s a unique code in each of us.

ECG: Who are your favorite artists?
AS: Becoming older, we always look for answers to difficult questions in art, so we grow, we learn art, life, and we change. Naturally, our favourites and choices change too. Today, I like to read Brian Tracy, Robert Kiyosaki, Joe Dyspenza, and I am absorbing their practice in personal growth, I am passionate about books that help me grow and develop. I love to read Mother Teresa, Mahatma Gandhi.

ECG: Have you taken part in the events of the Eurasian Creative Guild (London)?
AS: We participated and helped to organize many ECG events in Bishkek and Alma-Ata. Their attractive format gives a unique opportunity for talented and creative authors to declare themselves, their work and creative research. Poets, writers from more than 30 countries participated in such events. I do hope that our flag is now remembered by many people, today it is recognized throughout the world since it had visited the North Pole, the highest point in Europe, Elbrus Peak, and with the Russian-American space crew it flew around the Earth more than 5500 times on the International Space Station.

ECG: What does the Eurasian Creative Guild mean to you, and how did it affect your creativity/activity?
AS: For me, ECG is a platform for those who are advanced and relevant, constructive and caring, creative and looking. This is an opportunity to share ideas, to get acquainted with creative technology, to present your own. The opportunity to ask a question or get an answer, to inspire your project or be fascinated by someone else’s. The ECG is the anticipation of new opportunities, exciting meetings; this is the potential for creative integration.
ECG: Do you have any personal project that you would like to talk about?
AS: Yes, I have several personal projects, and our participants help me in their implementation, but I would like to talk about one of them. It is called the Bell of Peace. In 1981, the UN General Assembly established the International Day of Peace. Once a year on the day of the spring equinox, the installed bell signalled the time of a general ceasefire and refusal of violence. We decided to give this initiative a new impetus, and now we promote it as part of our movement, accompanied by new creative solutions. According to the plan of founders of “General of the World – for Peace”, such Bells of Peace should be installed in the cities all over the world where our NATIONAL SECTIONS are represented. Such bells can become landmark places for holding various events, including solemn, official, private events, etc., the main thing is that such an event or action must not contradict the peaceful theme and purpose of the BELL OF PEACE.

ECG: What projects have you participated in and in which do you plan to participate?
AS: We are building bridges of friendship in science, business, art, medicine – we participate in educational, sports events, forums, discussion platforms and any other events of our Association, and we help children’s camps and schools. Corners of Peace, lessons in friendship and harmony, the Veterans Alley are some of our successful projects. The spiritual and moral education of the youth, propaganda of Peace and interethnic harmony in the modern world require new approaches, new formats. We are passionate about finding effective creative solutions to achieve the goal. The involvement of the younger generation in the digital, virtual world – the Internet, give us new challenges, and we are trying to make our content understandable to all generations.

Expanding the audience, finding creative like-minded people and new ideas – that is what I and my team want from a new project, that is why we are ready to share our experience and potential, to demonstrate our creative achievements.

ECG: What would you advise the members of the Guild, who’re just starting their career?
AS: I wish the new members of the Guild to be creative and open, to be able to accept any constructive dialogue and bring out something new – fascinating or thought-provoking because all and any experience makes our creative potential greater. And which is the most important, I wish them peace, harmony and a sea full of love.

OCA PEOPLE: ANASTASIA FOX

 

Founder of CIC ” Communities Art of Life”
Humanitarian, NLP Master practitioner certificate Coach, Public speaker, Well-being Mentor / Coach, Performed in NHS High-security hospitals – art therapist.
Farmer Olympic athlete – the Moscow Olympic Game 1980
Survivor of severe child abuse and domestic violence

I was born in Latvia into the times during the Soviet Union occupation. Family values in my family were really strange due to my mother’s traumatic experiences in the 2nd world Wartime after the war. End of the 60is and beginning of the 70is in Latvia were the deepest and most depressing family lives as there weren’t family values we are now thinking about. Become one of the youngest Olympic team members in Moscow Olympics, finish Craftsmanship College in Latvia, Student Neuroscience in Moscow, Economic in St Petersburg and Trading techniques in Stockholm. When Latvia took independence from the Soviet Union I worked with several projects, one of informative tourism Catalogue “Via Baltic”, developed 37 workshops in all Baltic states to teach us art and craft techniques for individual conchas and subconscious mind development and art /craft stalls.

2005 I moved into the UK and started all my life from the point of zero. As most of the people then migrate hee without any English language, worked first 3 years several paces the same time in catering sector most of the time 16h in a day, then move in to care sector when soon start working in NHS high-security mental health hospitals, and I loved the work I did until 2016 had a major mental and physical breakdown due to several life situations and I was locked in “bed band” nearly for 3yeas as my body movement occurred really limited.

ECG: Tell us about yourself and your activity/work?
AF: As a former Olympian, I will never forget the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games finals closing ceremony, where I saw and experienced thousands of people in the arena from all over the world as well as millions of viewers watching from their Television.

This feeling of union ship will always remain inside me as this has now become my passion and desire in working hard to create peaceful and united communities living together in support of one another and embracing cultures and differences to learn from each other.

Just as from my former world of Olympics where everybody has the same emotions and feelings, no matter the background, skin colour, country or the origin.

Over the years I have done a lot of travelling around the world, living in countries with a completely different political system, lifestyles, cultures, beliefs, and religions. This experience gives me a clear indication that every culture has the knowledge, experience, and expertise of life to live in their unique ways based on their culture and heritage.

I try to embrace one another and educate ourselves to be more understanding and respectful of our communities and the people we live amongst as a unity. If united, we stand the stronger we will be as a society. And as a big surprise, I was awarded the Annual Award as Community Organisation of the year 2019

ECG: What is “Eurasianism” for you?
AF: From a geographical point of view is an amazing continent as so rich cultural and historical heritage, and this is why I individually do not see this as a continent, Eurasianism is as a movement to support, embrace, promote any culture and nation, create art for next-generation and appreciate the historical heritage, network to Inspire each other, unique platform to display your knowledge, art, experience, including making friends and collaborations between many cultures and individuals, Place where no geographic boundaries and unlimited opportunities.

ECG: What are your favourite artists?
AF: The challenging question in some way. Anyone in some stages of stage thy life values and perspectives change and test or art also assist, artforms changing. In childhood, I love most of the classic Russian poets and performing artists, over the years I discover a lot of Asia and thy art forms, the same time is so many new Artists hues have great work so may I will give you some shortlist of it :
music – Tchaikovsky, Raimods Pauls,
literature – Aleksandr Puskin, Janis Rainis, Rudolfs Blaumanis
painter – Janis Pauljuks, Leonard D’vinchy

Each and everyone makes some different influences in my life and different my lifetime or stages and will be a long list of another artist. The artists I mentioned give me the basic understandings and values in my life. For a moment and time, I do like Lady Gaga as her personality and message to the world much to my personal views.

ECG: Have you taken part in the events of the Eurasian Creative Guild (London)?
AF: I was invited for a meeting in Birmingham where I found out about the organisation and took this unique opportunity to tuck part of it.

ECG: What does the Eurasian Creative Guild mean to you, and how did it affect your creativity/activity?
AF: Several years working with multicultural communities I was approached to write a book about my life and experiences, sharing the story. Now I start my first book which I plan to launch in September 2020. In this unprecedented time with COVID19 lockdown, I find the best time to do so. I wish this book will be as a tribute to a many Soviet time human lives how these times influence to individual life stories without any political or propaganda influences, I hope this will give some real insight to life we can talk then but is a big part of the history of many people

ECG: Do you have any personal project that you would like to talk about?
AF: This year became interesting due to COVID19 global pandemic. I planned to develop performing, music and dance multicultural festivals in the UK to embrace acknowledgement of so many fantastic cultures in the UK society and help to integrate into it too. Now, most of it is exposed or cancelled. At least this gives me so much learning to use new technologies and another way to do so. Interesting things happened that I am re-engaged with the Latvian community where I have to support the community through social media platform Tauta. For the moment I work to develop my social media platform “Anastasia’s Art of Life”. This project’s main purpose is to share different individuals’ life stories/ experiences from many walks of life. Mental health is a big topic and huge demands for support and understanding the issues why 75% of the population in the UK suffer from mental health and what causes the illness. Scientifically it is approved that open conversation is the first step to tackle these problems. The same time is proving that music and any artform also bring huge part for individuals in recovery processes for people hues suffer from mental health therefore after lockdown I will continue all projects and events and I love to collaborate with all Eurasian Creative Guild members and welcome to take part on all these events to share your amazing creativity.

ECG: What projects have you participated in and in which do you plan to participate?
AF: First I wish to publish my book and may take part in your competition in Literature but not sure this will be this year. But I love to open new projects with ECG and expand other artforms in the organisation, therefor I hope our work together will bring many fantastic projects and opportunities to all

ECG: What would you wish the members of the Guild, just starting their career?
AF: 1st, I think most important to anyone who wishes to achieve any goals is known, what they want to achieve. Without knowing where you want to go, you can not find a way to get there. 2nd, whit out step out of your comfort zone you newer achieve real your potential as there no failure is learning curve. 3rd, if you always do the same thing you will always achieve the same results, this can be a good thing as to can polish the skills you need, however, can be bad things, if you see the results isn’t what you wish to reach. We all need to assess time to time: what we have, want we want, and what we do. and from that make a decision and take action.

ARMENIA’S ANCIENT ZORATS KARER STONES

The two provinces in the south of Armenia, Vayots Dzor and Syunik, are a spectacular strip of land at the very bottom of the Caucasus. The highway that runs through them, between the towns of Yeraskh and Meghri, passes over the mountains that separate the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh in the east from the Azeri enclave of Nakhchivan to the west.

The journey is breath-taking, and takes in some of Armenia’s cultural treasures: the monasteries of Noravank and Tatev and the wine-making town of Areni are all on the road to Meghri.

The most unusual place in Syunik province is the Zorats Karer stone formation, near the settlement of Sisian – 223 giant boulders that are described, inevitably, as the ‘Armenian Stonehenge’. But unlike the stones in Wiltshire, Zorats Karer still stands in the middle of wild nature: you can wander between the rocks, touch and photograph them.
The boulders are more rugged than those at Stonehenge – covered in moss, shoulder-height or smaller, and scattered over the hilltop above the canyon that rises from the Dar river.

For all that travellers have always been free to explore Zorats Karer, no-one knows for sure what these stones really are. In the last 20 years archaeologists from Germany have discovered tombs from the Bronze and Iron Ages underneath the site. Armenian researchers have studied the small holes that have been made in some of the rocks, and revealed an astronomical observatory that charts the movement of the sun, moon and stars.

Zorats Karer means “Army Stones” in Armenian; but they are also known as Carahunge – the Speaking Stones, for the whistling sound that carries through the site when strong winds blow through their holes. It’s estimated that the rocks were placed 7,500 years ago. This means that at the time that Stonehenge was created, the army stones had already been standing in Sisian for over two thousand years.

At one edge of the site there is a visitor centre in a roomy wooden shack, where you can buy books about Carahunge in several languages, and sip potent Armenian coffee while you browse.

Zorats Karer can easily be included into a Silk Road itinerary. Armenia has open borders with Georgia to the north and Iran to the south. You can arrive in Yerevan by road or overnight train from Tbilisi: from there, Sisian is a 200km drive, past Mount Ararat and Khor Virap monastery, as well as Noravank, Areni and Tatev. Zorats Karer is one of the last places before Meghri, on the Iranian border.

Jonathan Campion has travelled and worked in Eurasia for 15 years. He writes about Central Asia, the Caucasus and Russia at jonathancampion.com.

IN WHICH COUNTRY WOULD YOU RATHER GET MARRIED?

In the modern world the idea of “how a wedding should look like” has changed and yet all we want for this day is for it to be perfect and remarkable. It does not matter what your nationality is or where you are from because in any county a bride and groom are extremely excited on this day. But how does a wedding in Central Asia and the USA compare?

THE WEDDING IN CENTRAL ASIA

The official process begins only after the young couple get a marriage license from the head of the family and elders. It is important to mention that the direct acquaintance of the future newlyweds often happens only on the day of the wedding ceremony. The process of selecting a partner is something the child’s parents begin immediately after his/her birth. The relatives might come into the house of the bride’s son for negotiations, the results of which set the price of the bride. As a rule, the price of dowry is entirely based on the level of material wealth of the groom’s parents. Then goes the official introduction of the groom and bride. On that day, the girl should give their parents a white scarf symbolizing purity and faithfulness. If for any reason the groom or the bride refuses to marry, they have to pay a substantial fine the the family of the bride or groom respectively.

Today, wedding receptions are commonly held in hotels and restaurants, but they can also be in family homes or church halls. Eurasian and American weddings generally include the families of the couple, relatives, friends and even congregational members of the church where the wedding is held. During the celebration there will be speeches and toasts. Any wedding has food, drinks and music to celebrate. Usually the preparation takes 6 months. Preparation for the wedding reception includes making foods like curry puffs, sausage rolls, cream puffs, sambal (spicy paste), ham sandwiches and sugee cakes (made from a mix of semolina, flour and ground almonds).
The main decoration of any wedding ceremony is, of course, the costumes. The most expensive and luxurious wedding element is the bride’s dress, called saukele. A hat made of velvet is quite expensive, followed by the decoration of precious or semi-precious stones, velor, beads and so on.

There is also a well-known and old tradition called bride kidnapping. In Central Asia, bride kidnapping exists in Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. But what does it mean? It all starts when the young man abducts a woman by force, often accompanied by friends or male relatives. They take her to his family home, where she is kept in a room until the man’s female relatives convince her to put on the scarf of a married woman as a sign of acceptance. Sometimes, if the woman resists the persuasion and maintains her wish to return home, her relatives try to convince her to agree to the marriage. But nowadays it is unlikely to see this old tradition being used.

The last element of this wonderful celebration is the day for thanksgiving after the wedding. Some couples may attend mass together in their wedding finery. They may also visit people who had assisted with the wedding preparations to express their gratitude and visit older relatives to express their respect. Wedding gifts are usually delivered to the bride’s home the day before the wedding. In recent times, they are given during the reception. Traditionally, gifts or silver were given but it is now common to give cash.

THE WEEDING IN THE UNITED STATES
OF AMERICA

When it comes to weddings in America lots of people think of classic-stereotype weddings which they have seen in movies. Some of the rituals are true, some of them not. For instance, there is the superstition that the groom should not see the bride in her wedding gown before the wedding. People believe that this can be capable of bringing bad luck to the couple who does the opposite. Another example might be the bridal bouquet. This old tradition of carrying a bouquet of flowers used to signify the emotions of the bride during the wedding. Also cutting the cake represents the first activity the married couple does together then they feed each other with a small bite of cake. Along with other traditions goes another one – most brides prefer to wear their old family jewellery as a symbol of being proud of their family. A very popular thing in America is when the bride and groom step on a wine glass to remind everyone that love is fragile and easily destroyed, but no matter what has happened in the past, love can and will always find a way. Last but not least is of course throwing rice- guests would throw grains at the newlyweds to ensure prosperity of the marriage.

If we take a close look at the clothes it is usually the bride who adorns a white gown. Other guests should refrain from wearing white dresses or outfits so as not to ‘steal the thunder’ from the bride. Most weddings in the United States traditionally follow the white wedding type. Wedding gifts are most commonly sent to the bride’s or host’s home before the wedding day.

Usually an American wedding has three parts. First one is when the bride and groom have their own bachelor’s party and a bridal shower. Second one is the wedding itself. Before the ceremony the couple sends invitations to the wedding guests, usually one to two months before the special day. A wedding ceremony may take place anywhere, but often a church, courthouse, or outdoor venue. In general, this will involve the guests and the bridal party including the couple, the groomsmen, bridesmaids, best man, maid of honour, flower girl and ring bearer. And the wedding reception starts after a couple say their vows to each other. After the official part goes celebration- drinks, snacks, or a full meal are served. Often, best men and maids of honour will toast newlyweds with personal thoughts, stories, and well-wishes. The last one after the wedding, the bride and groom traditionally leave for their honeymoon which could last for a few days or even weeks.

In conclusion I would like to mention that even though this amazing celebration of love is held with differences and similarities in Eurasia and the USA the main idea is still the same- it is the beginning of a new family. From the bride tossing her bouquet and wearing something old, new, borrowed, and blue, in America to the bride wearing boots with high heels, national headdress, ornaments made of feathers owl, a traditional embroidered robe- chopon in Central Asia. It is a part of the culture to have their own traditions which makes it unique and fascinating!

www.ocamagazine.com #34 summer 2020 text by Bozhena Krasnogir

OCA PEOPLE – The brightest representatives of the creative intelligentsia of Eurasia on the pages of the British magazine

Welcome to this edition of OCA magazine. OCA is one of the world’s few truly international magazines, focusing on a host of people and events from countries across Eurasia. And thank goodness for it! International communication always mattered but right now it seems absolutely vital at a time when the pandemic means so many of us are locked down in our homes, or at least our home countries. But being locked down need not, and must not, mean we close our eyes and ears to the rest of the world. Indeed, with the world beset by so many crises – not just the pandemic, but the climate and ecological crisis, political divisions and economic hardship – it is more important than ever to stay in touch and share ideas and friendship, and build bridges of understanding. That way, maybe, we can begin to move forward together.

We may not be able to meet new people in person right now, of course, but this issue introduces you to 15 leading artists, 17 writers, 3 performing artists and 5 public figures from many different countries with an in-depth interview. As current chairman of the Eurasian Creative Guild (ECG), which is doing amazing work bringing creatives from across Eurasia together, I have been lucky enough to meet many of these people, and there’s a terrific range of work and ideas on show. Each one of these guest interviewees has something unique to offer. It’s quite a remarkable array.

OCA Magazine’s special edition, “OCA People”, which solely aims to celebrate, remember and disseminate the names and great achievements of those whose lives have influenced and changed the Eurasian region, and who continue to do so today, We want to showcase the very best of what the region has to offer and hope that this will bring renewed interest to the region, its people and their continued efforts to bring about a better world. Inside this issue, you will find the candid interviews of painters and poets, artists and architects, writers and musicians, among others. In these times of great division, it can be hard to remember that great diversity exists among our populations and is recognised and beneficial for our society.

So please, join OCA’s international community and read on! And if you’re not already a member of ECG, OCA Magazine urges you to join and help us build bonds of creativity and friendship across Eurasia. We hope you enjoy this special issue and congratulate those who have made the cut. No doubt the coming years will bring many more names to that list. And of course, it could be you!

 

For further information please contact: bozhena@ocamagazine.com

Khojaly – A Tragic Artistic Inspiration

February 1992 saw the single worst atrocity committed during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The Khojaly Massacre took the lives of 613 civilians. The death toll included 106 women, 63 children and 70 elderly people. 

Despite this tragedy, and many other instances of unimaginable brutality, Azerbaijan always looks for peaceful resolution of this unresolved conflict. This has been demonstrated by the recent establishment of the Platform for Peace, an Azerbaijani initiative that brings together members of Azerbaijani and Armenian civil society in an attempt to increase understanding on a human level. The same premise was the catalyst for the annual Khojaly Peace Prize for Art; an initiative of the Justice for Khojaly campaign, under the auspices of The European Azerbaijan Society (TEAS), which seeks to represent the horrors of the tragedy through art. Launched in 2016, and now in its second year, this prize continues to channel the creativity of art students living in the UK.

The prizes were awarded on 22nd February amidst the historic surroundings of the Strangers’ Dining Room in the House of Commons before a gathering of over 100 multinational Londoners. Selected from over 70 entrants, the judging panel for the art prize comprised the Hon Baroness Sayeeda Warsi; Baroness Zahida Manzoor; Bob Blackman MP and Chair of the Azerbaijan All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG); Sabina Rakcheyeva, Cultural Advisor for TEAS; and Lionel Zetter, Director of TEAS. 

Jack Pegoraro, Director of TEAS London, commented: “During the Armenian–Azerbaijani conflict, all ethnic Azerbaijanis were either killed or forced to flee Nagorno-Karabakh and the seven surrounding regions. One of the defining moments was on 26th February when 613 unarmed civilians – men, women and children – were killed by invading Armenian forces. It is now the 25th anniversary of this tragedy, and no one has been brought to justice. The purpose of events like today is to commemorate the victims and to ensure that such tragedies never recur.”

Baroness Zahida Manzoor, host of the event, stated: “I was one of the judges of the competition. During my visit to Azerbaijan, with some other members of the Azerbaijani All-Party Parliamentary Group, I was very privileged to meet some of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) from the Nagorno-Karabakh region. It was terrible to hear some of their very sad stories. Despite the terror they had experienced, there was hope, love and harmony. They were seeking peace and resolution for the future. I was deeply moved and touched by those experiences. Hosting this event is very meaningful – it is about the future of humanity. When we see such atrocities around the world, we must speak up and share our thoughts. By speaking with one voice, we can address those issues with which we don’t agree.” 

She further commented, “all these paintings show some element of hope. In some, you can see the peace and love. In others, you can see eyes that are full of despair and sadness. In others, there are wings of the dove of peace, as we all share the same humanity and seek to move forward. It has been very difficult to decide on the winners of the Khojaly Peace Prize for Art, but all the paintings spoke of the need for resolution and peace.”

Baroness Sayeeda Warsi announced the prize winners. First prize was taken by British-born Louisa Marriott, a student at the Norwich University of the Arts, for her painting Tranquillity of Movement. In her acceptance speech, she commented: “My art is very political, and I want it to push towards change and positively affect the world. My painting commemorates the 63 children who died in Khojaly, but their faces are those of today’s refugees. Hopefully it will help us become more compassionate to the plight of refugees.”

Despite the passing of four UN Security Council resolutions against the invasion, Armenia continues to occupy Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions to this day. Currently nearly 20 per cent of Azerbaijani territory remains occupied, and approximately one million refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) are spread across Azerbaijan. The evening was dedicated to the memory of the Khojaly victims and those Azerbaijanis who have only one wish – to return to their homes and lands.

Khojaly Peace Prize for Art 2017

First Prize – Tranquillity of Movement by Louisa Marriott

Second Prize – In The Morning by Tae Eun Ahn

Third Prize – Don’t Be Submerged by Ming Ying

Highly commended – Please Don’t Call Me Refugee by Katie Shevlin

WWW.OCAMAGAZINE.COM #25 SPRING 2017

VASILY KOREN – A NEW NAME OF GLORY FOR BELARUS

www.ocamagazine.com #35 summer 2020 text & photos by Mikhail Rybakov

Vasily Koren, is still a little-known name in Belarus, but for the first time this name, significant for the Belarusian historical and cultural heritage, has begun to be heard on the streets and in the media in Belarus.

In January 2020 in the State Museum of History of Belarusian Literature, in the framework of the project “Returning Forgotten Names”, opened a unique exhibition, “The Bible for the People of 1692-1696 by Vasily Koren”. For the first time in Belarus, reconstructed sheets of the first engraved Bible for the people that Belarusian woodcarver Vasily Koren created in the 17th century, were presented to the general public.

Reconstructed sheets of the Book of Genesis and the Book of the Apocalypse were provided to the museum by the President of the Academy of Folk Art of Russia (Moscow), Viktor Penzin, who spent ten years on their restoration using a method of reconstruction based on the original model.

Vasily Koren was born around 1640 in the town of Dubrovno (now a city in the Vitebsk region). In 1691 he settled in Moscow in the Meshchansky settlement. Here, between 1692-1696 he engraved and printed the Bible in paintings similar to the Western Bibles of the Poor. It included a series of painted prints with captions for stories from the Book of Genesis and the Apocalypse.

Koren’s technique combines the influence of the Catholic and Protestant illustrated Bibles (in particular, the Piscator’s Bible), the icon-painting tradition and the aesthetics of the popular print that appeared at that time, and is deeply original in character. Due to the presence of non-canonical images of God (in the illustrations for the Six-Day appearing in the form of an angel), the circulation of the Bible of Koren (about a thousand copies) was withdrawn and almost completely destroyed.

The only partially surviving copy of the book (36 sheets) is a 17th-century original, which is today stored in the Rare Book Department of the State Public Library in St. Petersburg. The authorship of Koren is indicated by the personal signature of the carver.

Currently reconstructed by the famous Moscow graphic artist, Viktor Penzin, the Bible by Vasily Koren (in posters) is available in only a few museums around the world: in the Vatican, Mexico, Madrid, in Russia – in the Hermitage and the Tretyakov Gallery. Copies of the Bible were handed to Pope John Paul II, Exarch of Belarus Filaret, Patriarch Kirill.

A deep historical contribution of Belarusian masters to the culture of Russia, is confirmed by historians and art historians alike. Belarusian masters worked on decorating the Faceted Chamber of the Moscow Kremlin, worked in the Armory, Golden and Silver Chambers, in the monasteries and palaces of Moscow and the surrounding area, creating amazingly beautiful creations, which are now included in the list of highly artistic works of architecture and art, are part of national treasures of Russia.

The Bible for the people in pictures (modeled after the “Western” ones) was cut by Vasily Koren on wooden boards and printed in Moscow in 1692-1696, where he worked with other prominent Belarusian artists taken to Moscow. Its special value is that in its cultural significance for the Slavic writing, spiritual and historical-cultural heritage of the Belarusian people, it is comparable to the level of heritage of Francisk Skorina and Simeon of Polotsk.

The Bible for the people of Vasily Koren is quite distinctive. He created the first engraved book in Russia, a “Block book”, created from coloured engravings with captions for stories from the Book of Genesis and the Apocalypse. It consists of 36 sheets of engravings dedicated to the creation and end of the world, the structure of the universe, the relationship of God, the devil and man.

In various hypotheses the creation of the book is considered as a textbook for senior officials (possibly from the royal family) or as a “book on the road” for the army and immigrants for the “Azov campaigns” of Peter the Great. These are not the only versions, which, like the others, can be defended or refuted with a certain degree of probability.

A narrow circle of specialists, who studied the history of engraving and Russian popular print, was previously aware of the carver Vasily Koren. One such philologist, art critic, and best specialists in Russia in the field of Russian folk art and Russian engraving, is academician of the Russian Academy of Folk Art Antonina Sakovich, who discovered and documented the Belarusian origin of the master.

In general, the Koren’s Bible has become an interesting example of the transformation of the ideas of East and West through the prism of perception of the world by Belarusian masters of that time. It is very symbolic that after hundreds of years she returned to her creator’s homeland to glorify the skill and innovation of the Belarusian people, to emphasize its historical significance to those who are now trying to declare the supposedly “youth and artificiality” of the Belarusian people as such, their lack of historical traditions and the past. The history of such examples proves just the opposite, that many other nations built their art and cultural traditions on the basis of the creative ideas of Belarusian masters and the actions of extraordinary personalities of Belarusian origin.

Unfortunately, access to the original Koren Bible is now somewhat difficult. The museum where the original is stored did not respond to letters and requetss for co-operation. Nevertheless, on the basis of studies and copies of drawings that have come down to us from the collections of Dmitry Alexandrovich Rovinsky, a senator, a well-known collector and publisher of Russian prints, portraits, folk paintings (1824-1895), as well as the reconstruction of the Koren Bible, authored by Victor Petrovich Penzin, a researcher , a graphic artist, President of the Academy of Folk Art of Russia, we managed to see this masterpiece, which should be the property of many, and not just hide in the depths and silence of the departments of a rare book.

The reconstructed Koren Bible, consisting of all 36 sheets, printed from wooden forms and hand-painted (as it was in the original), was released in 1991, 100 years after the publication of the Atlas “Russian Folk Pictures” by D.Rovinsky, which speaks of the enduring cultural significance of the publication.

The Bible, which has been fully restored, has been accepted for storage at the funds of the State Hermitage Museum (St. Petersburg, 1989). It is stored in the collection of Russian graphics of Thyssen-Bornemisza in Madrid (Spain, 1990). The Bible of Koren was exhibited in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior (Moscow, 2016). At the request of the Russian Orthodox Church, a copy of the reconstructed Koren’s Bible was made and presented to Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill. Exhibitions were held in the Ivan Fedorov Museum of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra (Ukraine, 1989), the Pushkin Museum (Moscow, 1997), at the State Tretyakov Gallery (Moscow, 2016) and many others.

Since the reconstruction Koren’s Bible has been exhibited at 116 world exhibition venues, the last of which were museums of the Belarusian cities Dubrovno and Vitebsk (2019). In 2020 the exhibition was held at the State Museum of History of Belarusian Literature in the capital of the Republic of Belarus – Minsk.

We hope that the Bible for the people of Vasily Koren will take its place of honour among other pearls of art that have glorified the talented Belarusian people for centuries, and we still have many discoveries and unknown pages ahead for the pride and glory of Belarus.
Mikhail Rybakov, Director of the State Museum of history of Belarusian literature (Minsk, Belarus).

 

MUSIC WITHOUT BORDERS

The Tariverdiev International Organ Competition is one of the world’s largest organ contests. For organists, it has the same significance in Russia as the Tchaikovsky competition does for pianists and violinists. Outstanding organists from a number of countries have been on the competition’s panel on several occasions, including Martin Haselböck, Michel Chapuis, Jean Guillou, Thierry Escaich. Winners of the competition are now among the world’s leading organists: Jean-Baptiste Dupont (head organist at Bordeaux Cathedral), Baptiste-Florian Marie-Ouvrard (head organist at St Eustache, Paris), Iveta Apkalna (organist of Elbphilharmonic, Hamburg), Lada Labzina (head organist of Zaryadie Concert Hall, Moscow).

Over the 20 years of its existence, the competition achieved a special standing with organ professionals. Thierry Escaich, head of the panel at the 8th competition, said, “The musicians that took part in the competition showed a high level of performing skill in every round. Participants in the Mikael Tariverdiev International Organ Competition greatly surpass those taking part in other contests. The very friendly environment at the competition is also important.”

Held biennially, the competition spans three continents. The semifinals and finals are held in the city of Kaliningrad, previously known as Konigsberg. The first round consists of three stages, held in Lawrence (Kansas, USA), Hamburg (Germany), and Moscow (Russia). The competition is accompanied by the Organ+ festival, featuring international stars of organ performance.

Vera Tariverdieva, Art-Director of the competition:

Let me introduce this Angel, international Organ Angel. It was manufactured in Kaliningrad. Then it travels to Moscow, Then flies over the ocean to Kansas. Then Angel goes back to Moscow, then to Hamburg for the first European round. Then again to Moscow and finally flies to Kaliningrad, where the second and third rounds of Mikael Tariverdiev International competition be held and Jury decides with whom and where this International Organ Angel has to go.
Mikael Tariverdiev is a composer whose music is popular with several generations of the Russians. The popularity came from his very successful music for films. He has done music for 132 films. But his operas, vocal cycles, symphonic and organ pieces remind virtually unknown, since some of them was never performed in his life time.

24 years back when Mikael Tariverdiev left us, I started thinking how should I live to make part of his music known. I am sure that this music carries a message which is of great importance for men and women all over the world. I am sure they need it. And I invented the competition. It became my life and my vocation. And it never stopped to be my dream.

The competition is made not only of Mikael Tariverdiev’s music but also of the new names of talented individuals, created a musical brotherhood of sorts. It exists above all barriers, sometimes in spite of them.

The 12th Mikael Tariverdiev International Organ Competition will be held in 2021.
It will be held in Hamburg (April, 19-24), Lawrence, Kansas (April, 29-May,1), Moscow (August, 28-31), Kaliningrad (September, 3-9). Winfried Bönig will lead the Jury Panel in Kaliningrad.

Last year I started my speech to present the Organ Angel in Lawrence at the North-American round of the competition with the following quotation:
‘Do you like Americans?’
‘I don’t.’
‘And Germans?’
‘I don’t.’
‘How about the Russians?’
‘Who likes them?!’
‘Then who do you like?’
‘I like my friends.’

I repeat this once more: I love my friends. All those who join in the competition and decide to be a part of the philosophy of Mikael Tariverdiev are friends.

ART UNITES

www.ocamagazine.com #35 summer 2020 text and photos by Pavel Podzorov pavelspne@tut.by

The modern world is complex and diverse, it is full of opposing trends. Never before our earth has been subjected to such political and physical overloads. Never before has man taken from nature so many resources and never been so vulnerable to the power that he himself created.

Taking into account the events happening in the world at this moment, the most important role in uniting all people, regardless of nationality, colour and country of residence is culture and art. A common culture is the main thing that s able to bring people together in spite of all the ideological and social inequalities. We are united by art, which is eternal. We feel connected by the beauty of the music, classic movies and great books.

Art was created by people back in the Middle Paleolithic era. Even then, people painted. Over time, it began to be appreciated – that was the way art was born. Art is also associated with games, rituals, ceremonies, and martial arts. Artworks create a person who can enjoy beauty. Due to its diversity, art combines itself in all forms of social activity and knowledge through which a person can express his/her attitude to reality.

American actor and musician, Hollywood star – Stephen Seagal has been known in Russia since the days of the USSR. A whole generation has grown in films with his participation. This is the reason why many young people in Russia (and other countries) became interested in martial arts. Martial arts are part of self-defence systems; it was developed mainly to conduct hand-to-hand combat. Currently it is practiced in many countries around the world in the form of sports exercises that aim at physical and spiritual improvement.

Steven Seagal was born on April 10, 1952 in Lansing, the capital of Michigan (USA), in the family of a mathematics teacher. According to some reports, his parents came to America from Russia, or rather, modern Belarus (Bobruisk at that time was on the territory of the Russian Empire). At the age of seven he began to practice karate, at the age of 15 – aikido, when he was 17 he moved to Japan to study with the masters of martial art. In 1975, he became the first American to open his own aikido school in this country (he developed his own style of hard aikido). In 1977 he was recognised as one of the best masters in Japan, in 1982 he became a master of oriental martial arts (aikijin).

In 1984, Seagal came back to the United States. In 1988, at the age of 36, he starred in the Hollywood action movie “Above the Law” as a policeman who knows aikido art. In subsequent movies, Seagal was working not only as an actor, but also as a co-author of the scripts and co-producer and director of battle scenes. By 2018, he had played about 50 roles in which he demonstrated martial arts skills.

Steven Seagal is also a musician. Together with the band Thunderbox, he released two albums – Mojo Priest (2005) and Songs From The Crystal Cave (2006). In total, he has performed about 130 reggae songs.
In the early 2010s, Seagal worked as a deputy sheriff in Texas, New Mexico and Louisiana. He is actively involved in charitable activities around the world: he supports environmental programs, organizations to fight HIV / AIDS and animal welfare, participates in projects aimed at helping starving and sick children, provides assistance to Tibetan monasteries, and donates to religious organisations.

Stephen Seagal has been to Russia several times and in recent years has strengthened his ties to the country. So, in May 2013, he visited Chechnya where he met with the head of the republic, Ramzan Kadyrov. In June of that year, he also visited the city of Beslan (North Ossetia), where he laid flowers on the graves of those killed during the 2004 terrorist attack. He has been seen in Red Square at the May 9th parade celebrating 70 years. And in 2016 Russian President, Vladimir Putin, gave him a Russian passport.

In April, Stephen Seagal was appointed special representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry for Russian-American humanitarian relations. Seagal commented on his appointment, “I have always tried to do my best to help Russian-American relations become better. I have been working tirelessly on this for many years informally, and now I am sincerely grateful for the opportunity to do this officially.”


In 2018, under the leadership of Seagal, the First International Aikido Festival was held in Moscow. The festival was organized by the Aikido Federation of Russia. The event was attended by more than 100 masters from 17 countries: Russia, Kazakhstan, the DPR, Belarus, USA, Azerbaijan, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Iran, Italy, Israel, Japan, Mexico, Norway and Poland. Within the framework of the Festival, a scientific and practical conference was held dedicated to martial arts bringing people together, in the name of peace and security.
At the opening ceremony the First Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration of Russia Sergey Kiriyenko gave his speech. Representatives of the Ministry of Sports, Roscosmos Corporation, honoured athletes also made welcoming speeches to the organisers and participants.

Participants, including this author, were able to ask Seagal questions directly. Most interesting was his response to the question: “What is the meaning of life?” For him, every day you need to become better than you were yesterday to develop and improve yourself. The practice of martial arts is a great way to do this.

This small example shows that martial arts, as well as art and culture in general, have no borders and nationalities.

 

IS IT IN OUR BLOOD? OR SWEAT?

www.ocamagazine #35 summer 2020 text by Tara Pandeya

Dance is an integral part of life in Central Asia; it can be seen both in rural settings and on the proscenium stage, from highly developed virtuosic classical styles to nuanced and subtle folk-dance forms. Western audiences might be surprised to learn that Central Asia has an ancient and classical music and dance tradition, like ballet: Shashmaqam (meaning the ‘sixth maqam’ in Persian). This classical tradition was patronised in the multi-ethnic royal courts of Bukhara and Samarkand by the emirs, much like ballet was patronized in the French court of King Louis XIV. Dance is more than just recreational movement and sound: it acts as a barometer of the cultural and social health of a community. It is also a facilitator in many important cultural functions such as rites of passage and seasonal celebrations. The performing arts are elevated to the status of ‘record keeper’, generating unique cultural messages and act as a living link to environments inside the minds and hearts of people, throughout time and space.

As a foreigner who has been passionately researching, studying, practicing, seeking out and performing traditional and ethno-contemporary dance forms from the region of Central Asia for nearly two decades, I often hear the phrase ‘it is in your blood’, following my performances or after a social dance gathering. Audience members often say ‘you must have some “Uzbek, Tajik, Afghan, Uyghur or Persian” blood in you to be able to dance the way you do!’ Although, the statement is made with the intention of being a compliment, it also sheds light on the way our society devalues dance and dancers as skilled and disciplined working practitioners. The reality is that behind every presentation of dance, as in any other form of art, exists hours of thoughtful intention, creation, discipline, practice and dedication. Not everyone may appreciate all of the arts; some people enjoy only music or fine arts, others may enjoy literature, poetry or dance. But one thing we can all appreciate is the thorough craftsmanship behind any artform.

It is certainly true that some people are born with natural talents or propensities towards given practices. For example, interpreting music, sculpting clay, crafting sentences, or moving with seamless grace. But when a naturally talented artist couples their abilities with deliberate and sustained practice the results are undeniably noticeable.

One example of this includes one of my dance teachers, Zaragol Iskandarova, a revered and iconic dancer who came from the Pamir Mountains of Badakhshan, Tajikistan. When asked about dance, she said she ‘would become sick without 2 or more hours of dance practice per day’. Another example of this type of artistic discipline comes from the famed doira master Abbos Kosimov from Tashkent, Uzbekistan. When I performed in Abbos’ jubilee concert this February 2020, I sat in on 5 to 8 hour rehearsals with him and his musicians. He mentioned in a rehearsal one day that he would practice alone 6-7 hours a day as a young doira artist. Abbos is a virtuoso of the doira and his artistic work habit and dedication, in the form of daily practice, remains unwavering today. I myself, a second-generation dancer, have practiced a minimum of 2 hours a day daily for decades and during periods of creation for new productions rehearsals can go from 5-9 hours a day. Countless examples of this dedicated work ethic in the performing arts include respected living dance artists such as Mamura Ergasheva, Qodir Momenov, Farohat Saidova, Malika Kalondarova, Dilafruz Jabarova, Narziddin Shermatov, Zeynab Farzada, and so many others. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but the nuanced work of these master artists is clearly reflected in the hours and decades of practice that they have invested into their art making.

Why then is dance as an art form often marginalised and not appreciated as an intellectual act, requiring great discipline and intentionality? As humans we do not possess a disembodied consciousness, free from our physical bodies. We are living, moving creatures with embedded intelligence that extends throughout our entire bodies. The fundamental perception of the body being inferior to the brain is an age-old prejudice which, has deeply affected how we view our bodies. This mind-body disconnect also contributes to societal stigmas surrounding dance as an art form, as the canvas of the dancer’s body is used to create art. How we view our bodies in relationship to our brains affects how we think about ourselves and also how we think about thinking itself.

Neuroscientist Antonio Damassio clearly elucidates this ancient “mind-body problem” through his proven research, explaining that our bodies can instinctually sense emotion and external threats five to ten times faster than the conscious brain can perceive. Our bodies are always communicating with us, even before our brains realise what is going on. But how should this research affect our perception of the dancer? By paying attention to our bodies, acknowledging movement as an intellectual act and normalizing taking care of the health of our bodies, we can help transform our view of dance. From a purely innate social activity to a high art requiring rigorous dedication, physical force, emotion and intellect.

There is a large disparity between how dance is used for art, propaganda and cultural events and the actual treatment of working dance artists. I believe we can change our thinking by giving greater respect and education to our respective performed heritages. In this era of heightened xenophobia, it is crucial to reveal intersecting points in our shared histories, to help remove the fear of ‘otherness.’ If dance practitioners are not recognised as actors of intangible heritage,
vital pieces of our humanity and collective history will be lost. When dance forms like those of Central Asia remain unseen and marginalised, we in turn are deprived of vital pieces of cultural inheritance.

Clichés associating contemporary, innovative and progressive attributes with the West, versus traditional, stagnant and nationalistic qualities with the East, limit opportunities for an artist’s individual expression and self-definition. Some might be surprised to know that some of the most celebrated contemporary dance artists and choreographic minds of the 20th century have origins from Central Asia and Caucasia. For example, Robert Joffery of the famed Joffery Ballet Company is a choreographer of half-Afghan parentage, George Balanchine, the Founder
and Director of the New York City Ballet, was of Georgian parentage, the ballet virtuoso Rudolf Nureyev was of Tartar heritage, and ballet superstar Tamara Toumanova was of Armenian-Georgian parentage.

Inspiration for one of the most controversial and famed ballets, the ‘Rite of Spring’ by Vaslav Nijinsky, drew inspiration from ethnographic sketches of dancers from the Central Asian steppe and paintings by Nicholas Roerich. Nijinsky mined for the avant-garde in the antiquity of Central Asian dance imagery, regalia and imaged movement vocabulary to produce this iconic choreography, which was restaged by dance choreographer Pina Bausch, one of the most celebrated contemporary choreographers in the world.

Is the work of iconic dance artists purely in their blood or is it in their labouring bodies? Much sweat, blood and creative thought was devoted to roduce these masterpieces, which are recognized and performed around the world today. As Dr. Kealinohomoku writes in her article
“An Anthropologist Looks at Ballet as a Form of Ethnic Dance”: “The ethnicity of ballet is revealed also in the kinds of flora and fauna which appear regularly. Horses and swans are esteemed fauna…..”

In contrast, animals native to Central Asia are pantomimed in Central Asian dance forms reflecting creatures such as the jerboa, the bulbul, crows and snakes. Kealinohomoku continues: “In ballet, grains, roses, and lilies are suitable flora, but we would not likely find much call for taro, yams, coconuts, acorns, or squash blossoms.” The comparable flora to Central Asia, might include poppies, tulips and staple food items such as grapes, apples, osh (pilov) and non. Kealinohomoku adds: “economic pursuits are reflected in the roles played in ballet such as spinners, foresters, soldiers, even factory workers, sailors, and filling station attendants. However, we would not expect to find pottery makers, canoe builders, grain pounders, llama herders, giraffe stalkers, or slash and burn agriculturists! The question is not whether ballet reflects its own heritage. The question is why we seem to need to believe that ballet has somehow become acultural. Why are we afraid to call it an ethnic form?”

I invite you, particularly communities of the Central Asian diaspora, to examine the lenses we use to filter the stories and histories we are told about performing artists. The spectrum through which our world dance heritage has been communicated, both on the world stage and in the field of academia, must be rebalanced and expanded. It starts with you – how will you contribute to a renewed perception and reorientation of your own enduring culture and it’s performed heritage?

Support dance artists and keep in mind the next time you watch an ephemeral art form, the hours of sweat that were shed to create these fleeting moments of nuanced beauty.

 

ArtMedia Tour: We are Together

A project organised by the international team of the ‘ArtMedia’ online magazine, and the ‘Moskovskiy Komsomolets’ newspaper, held an event to promote Crimea abroad. The media project took place in Crimea on October 16th-19th. As part of the project, there was a mini media tour, a musical performance, and a vernissage. Writers of the ‘ArtMedia’ online magazine invited the characters of their articles – famous artists, actors and musicians from all over the world – to introduce them to the peninsula. 

A walking tour of the Genoese Fortress in Sudak and Small Jerusalem in Yevpatoria was a highlight  of the media project. Guests met with staff of the Nikitsky Botanical Garden, who told them about the most distinguished plants, imported from different parts of the world, and about those named after famous people and historical figures from different countries.

The vernissage presented  the product of an international collaboration (England – Crimea, Dresden – Crimea, Paris – Crimea, Ischia – Crimea, Apeldoorn – Crimea), at the Palmira Palace hotel. Local writers, as well as writers from other countries, presented subject of topics which have united them. 

A concert was held were guests were entertained with songs in Russian, Dutch and French. Sölvi Fannar Viðarsson, who is an actor, writer, poet, multi-sport athlete, and photographer participated in the ArtMedia tour. Alona Svintsova, a Dutch actress from Russia, journalist, and social activist based in Apeldoorn also joined the tour. She is a member of UNICEF Nederland, director of teh charity “Happy World” and teaches unique classes for children based on Russian stories and tales.  Katja Westerhoff, an artist from Apeldoorn visited the peninsula for the first time. She fell in love with Russia, and decided to be baptised and take a Russian name, Ekaterina. Katja was excited therefore to see Crimea and capture its beauty.  

Alexei Altynbayev, the author of “Parisian Etudes”, a press officer of the well-known public figure – the former mayor of the 16th arrondissement of Paris, Georges Mesmin, introduced his, and the former mayor’s art works as well. Georges Mesmin was not be able to come to Crimea due to his age – he is turning 90 in November – although he visited Crimea in the past.

Oksana Zhukova, the executive editor of “ArtMedia” said, “The international team consisting of journalists from Crimea, London, Paris, Athens, Apledoorn, Dresden, Bristol, St. Petersburg and Tumen have worked tremendously hard  with ArtMedia online magazine. We are  trying to have more collaborative projects together. Quite often Crimea becomes the main location of the events we organise in collaboration with our foreign team. We are always searching for the topics which unite us: nature, beauty, art, history. The sanctions cannot pull us apart.” 

ARARAT DREAMS

Every time I have approached the Mountain: from our side, so majestic and eternally snowy,
surrounded by fertile lands; from that alienated side, so desperately meager and rocky, with placers
of gigantic volcanic stones and ashes, whipped by horses’; hooves into powder, I looked at the top
with eyes, by which only a child can look at mother and father – from below, delighted,
unconditionally loving and dissolving. I approached its sole in the afternoon, when the rays of the sun glided along the snowy peak, knocking out sparks. I approached its sole at night when the top was showered with stars, and it seemed to me that this was a solid canvas along which there was only one single road to the sky. I saw it at dawn when it changes every second as if trying on an outfit in which it will enter the day. I saw it at sunset – deep, velvety, enveloping. I saw the Mountain when it was not even visible. you are standing at the sole, but the Mountains are not, it’s just that it’s not in a mood today and an amazing thing is that not every guest-traveler reveals her best face.

I kissed its stone soles and cried when it was painful and hard for me when it seemed that there was
nowhere to go but to the top, to where, there is less air but a lighter and more enlightened soul, a
cleaner and clearer mind, and people are stronger and more reliable.
In this Mountain there is a nerve – powerful, tow-shaped, it is woven into roots that go deep into the
very heart of the earth, and being filled with energy there, carry it throughout the massive body,
sharing it generously with stone, water, air, man, horse, dog… with everything that becomes
somehow involved in it. For its long, more than three millionth century, it stood one step below
God, but did not move away from man, and remained the Shelter of the Ark, salvation. And we are
going to the top and ask the Mountain for permission to get on the step below God. Perhaps this is
impudent, but why not, if the Mountain lets itself in, gives the best experiences, “windows” in often
severe weather, and then for a long time or never let you go, because a spiritual contact is made
between you and the Mountain. The Mountain becomes your personal altar, on which you carry a
heavy and painful burden, but more often reach the top weightless and radiant, because for three
days of the way to the summit you changed your mind, comprehended, weighed, laid out, left, threw
away.
Man’s life is like this Mountain. Before it was born, the bowels of the earth turned, twisted, burned.
The mountain grew from millennium to millennium, from stone to stone, layered. And then it was
again twisted, burned, and Little Mountain, a cub appeared nearby, – so fragile, but wayward. They
are separated and connected by a gorge, they hold each other, hand in hand. A striking phenomenon
is that there is not a single ridge around the mountains, they are two – Big and Small, unequal loners,
and only on the other side of the border, are visible the four peaks of the body, which, according to
legend, were the sisters of the Mountain, but they quarreled and parted. It is said that once the height
of a foreign sister reached seven thousand, but a powerful explosion occurred, which proves us a
huge, more than two-kilometer crater and a vast territory of several tens of kilometers, the so-called
volcanic belt.

So many times I have approached the Mountain when it was impossible to approach because at its
feet there were feuds, intrigues, battles, blood was spilled and the government of the invaders,
entering the struggle with the dominant population, finds the opportunity to make climbing difficult
for everyone else, or even closes the Mountain. Then I approach the Mountain in dreams – frequent
and long, often continuing from night to night. These are dreams filled with longing and pain;
dreams returning to the first-born, to the first steps on land, to the love of all things, living things,
the love that breathes life into everything that surrounds us. Existential experiences turn dreams into
reality, and then everything turns into a mortal life: I am not me, I am much older, stronger, more
powerful, my legs, like roots, they go deep into the earth and merge with that vein that nourishes the
Mountain.
I will remember for a long time how at the time, when the Mountain was closed for us, at the hour
of oblivion I was going to it in some decrepit wagon. The cart creaked, moaned, threatening to fall
apart at any moment. The horse, dropping its head, barely trudged, reconciled with fate. The
catastrophic impoverishment of the region, and not a single living soul. The impressions of places
left by life are the most depressing – as if driving through a rocky field in which every stone is a
head. Are you afraid to look around so as not to meet a frozen look, but your lips are praying, your
lips are asking: “Mountain, take up these souls, free them from stone shackles, from bloody tears,
give them the right to become your angels, which certainly will not sit idle – they will turn into
wings for those who are exhausted along the way, whose will to live has dried up, like the sources in
this region, who have lost support and do not believe that they can go. Mountain, take and lift up
these souls, set them free until a raven has flown up who does not care what to sit on and what to
peck … Mountain, take, exalt … “;
I was leaving for the mountainous region from the steppe region, where my father and mother
remained in a deplorable state: they did not want to, they did not want to let their child go far away.
I drove through the autumn with its rustling, then slushy roads. I went through the winter, and the
wind threw snowballs at me, shook the wagon from side to side, and it creaked, but trudged. I went
through the spring, this spring was without birds, but filled with the clink of streams, sometimes
turning into violent spring rivers that demolish all the obstacles along the way, playfully, drag giant
stones; it turns out that my old horse can swim, and the decrepit wagon can go by ship.
I went through the summer – sultry, lifeless, dusty. I went until on the horizon, in the strip of the
outgoing day, I saw Mountain. Its slopes glistened with brown, sometimes black oxide, and the
snowy peak was redistributed in the sunset rays. The joy that gripped my soul made me light,
weightless. Turns out I can fly! But why am I so calm in this, perhaps, still alien place? Tactile
sensations deeply buried in my memory: no, I don’t fly, I stand in the arms of my father and mother,
who in turn are firmly rooted in the firmament: I close my eyes, freeze, I feel the roughness of the
earth, but no, not the earth, but the parental hands, hardened by hard peasant labor, but warm with
their rough and dry heat. Everything native came together in one place and gave rise to a new one,
peace, and life, harmony, and hope, faith, and will.

WWW.OCAMAGAZINE.COM   text by Elena Shuvaeva-Petrosyan; Translated by Maria Petrosyan

POSTOIEV’S GREAT COMET JOURNEY: TASHKENT TO SÃO PAULO

Arrest, prison, GULag, suffering, and death – all are images that come to mind when we think of the Stalin era Great Purges of the 1930s. Solzhenitsyn’s GULag Archipelago and the memoirs of survivors document this period of a government’s war against its own people in heart-wrenching detail. It was a war fought so successfully that the government had to withdraw the Soviet census of 1937 to cover up the obvious loss of life by unnatural means.

Along with tragedy, the Great Purges produced some improbable stories of survival. One of the most improbable of these is the case of Alexander Ivanovich Postoiev , astronomer and one-time director of the Tashkent Astronomical Observatory who would go on to long career in Brazil.

Born on 26 February 1900 in the village of Osovets, in what is now Ukraine, Postoiev joined his life to the stars when his father woke him one night to see the Great Comet of 1910. Friends recount how the memory of that night sustained Postoiev through the calamitous decades to come.

Postoiev entered Kharkov University in 1917, but the Civil War cut short his studies. In the 1920s he resumed his education at Leningrad State University and continued with graduate study at the Leningrad Astronomical Institute.

In 1928 Postoiev joined the staff of the Tashkent Astronomical Observatory (TAO). The observatory had come into existence in 1873 as part of the Turkestan Military Topographic Department. The Russian Empire’s new conquests in Central Asia had not yet been mapped in detail, and the Russian military needed trained geodesists to carry out this work.

Postoiev rose quickly to become assistant director in 1930 and director in 1935. In 1936 he was elected a member of the International Astronomical Union (IAU).

When the Great Purges unfolded, along with the first show trials in 1936, astronomy was not exempt. More than two dozen astronomers were arrested in 1936-37, some 20 percent of all astronomers working in the Soviet Union at that time. The arrests centered on Pulkovo Observatory and the Leningrad Astronomical Institute, but the Purges also fell hard on Tashkent. Out of nine astronomers on the TAO staff in 1935, six vanished without explanation in 1936.


Postoiev was one of the first to be arrested. It happened in February 1936 while he was on a trip to Leningrad. Handed a five-year sentence, he spent one year in prison before being sent to a camp in Vorkuta. There he was lucky to serve as head of a meteorological station rather than being sent to hard labor, and this luck led to his early release in 1939. As was often true, those arrested early during the Great Purges tended to receive shorter sentences and had better chances for survival.

Released from Vorkuta, Postoiev found his lucky star had faded. Typical for those released from the GULag, he was not allowed to return to Tashkent or settle in any other major city. He went instead to Ukraine and obtained a part-time teaching position in Poltava.

When Soviet and Western astronomers met at Copenhagen in 1946 to discuss the future of the IAU, the Soviet delegation deleted Postoiev’s name from its list with the remark, “He went west with the Germans.”

Indeed, the German army occupied Poltava early in World War II. Postoiev and his family lived through two years of hunger and uncertainty, but in 1943 they seized their chance. As the German army began its retreat, Postoiev escaped as a common laborer taking his wife and seventeen-year-old son with him. The end of World War II left the Postoiev family as displaced persons (DPs) in the American zone of Germany.

Postoiev may have escaped the Soviet Union, but his troubles followed him. The lot of DPs was not a happy one. The British and American governments had agreed to Soviet demands that displaced Soviet citizens be repatriated, by force if necessary, and DPs did everything they could to avoid this fate. They knew that if they did return, it would be for a long prison term if they were lucky, for a firing squad if they were not.

Enter Harlow Shapley, director of Harvard College Observatory (HCO), an astrophysicist of world fame and a well-known humanitarian. After the Great Purges unfolded in the Soviet Union, Shapley spent years trying to learn the fate of Soviet colleagues who had disappeared without a trace. As Nazi Germany extended its grip over Europe, Shapley devoted much of his energy to spiriting Jewish astronomers to safety.

With fear of repatriation in the background, Postoiev wrote to Shapley describing his plight and saying, “I shall never abandon the hope for a better future and return to my science, but now I am ready to take any job, be it humblest in any part of the world in a free country.”

Between 1945 and 1950, Postoiev held several positions in in the International Refugee Organization under the UN Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA). The director of the camp where Postoiev was detained wrote to the Tolstoy Foundation in New York and urged that a position be found for him: “The family, in our opinion, would be an asset to any American community and is capable of rapidly adjusting to American standards.”
Although Shapley, the Tolstoy Foundation, and others worked hard to bring Postoiev and his family to the US, their plans never quite succeeded. Finally, after many years of attempts, in November 1948, Shapley found funds to create a position for Postoiev at HCO. It seemed Postoiev’s odyssey had ended at last, but when he and his family applied for immigrant visas in 1949, they were turned down without explanation.

We will never know why Postoiev’s visa was denied, but the chronology offers hints. Anti-Communist paranoia was beginning to sweep across the United States, and Shapley had earned enemies in Washington. Or it could be that the interviewing U.S. Consul saw Postoiev as a Soviet agent? If so, the ironic tragedy of Postoiev’s life was complete, convicted without trial in the Soviet Union and now labeled a Communist by the United States.

Postoiev’s final letters to Shapley were full of foreboding, but his lucky star was about to return. It was Brazil that came to the rescue, offering to relocate Postoiev and his family. They arrived in Brazil in January 1952. Within a month, Postoiev was offered a position at the Instituto Astronômico e Geofísico (IAG) of the Universidade de São Paulo.

Postoiev went on to a long and fruitful career in Brazil. In 1953 he restarted the publication of Brazil’s Astronomical Yearbook that had not appeared since 1938, and he brought positional astronomy at IAG up to international levels. He was re-elected as a Brazilian representative to the IAU and travelled internationally on behalf of his adoptive country. Grateful to Brazil but not wanting to abandon his roots, he accepted Brazilian citizenship only in 1969.

Alexander Postoiev died in 1977 after a long illness. The odyssey was over. Stalin’s Great Purges of the 1930s had, unwittingly, given Brazil one of its brightest stars. Alexander Postoiev’s unwavering childhood memory of the Great Comet of 1910 sustained him through the greatest calamities of the twentieth century. It had brought him to a land where he could fulfill his childhood dream.

The author wishes to acknowledge the assistance of Drs. O. T. Matsuura and P. M. Dos Santos in reviewing this work and for permission from them and from Alexander Postoiev’s son Vadim Postoiev for use of family photos.

For further reading about Alexander Postoiev and Soviet astronomy during the Great Purges –

P. M. Dos Santos and O. T. Matsuura, The Astronomer Alexander I. Postoiev (1900-1976), Astronomical and Astrophysical Transactions 17, 1998, pp. 263-279

П. М. Дос Сантус, О. Т. Мацуура, Обсерватория имени русского астронома в далекой Бразилии. К 100-летию со дня рождения Александра Ивановича Постоева (1900-1976), Историко-астрономические исследования 26, 2001 pp. 190-214

R. McCutcheon, D. DeVorkin, S. Dick, L. Doggett, and R. Doel, Astronomy under the Soviets, Journal of the History of Astronomy 26, Part 4, November 1995

R. McCutcheon, The 1936-37 Purge of Soviet Astronomers, Slavic Review 50, No. 1 (Spring 1991), pp. 100-117

R. McCutcheon, Stalin’s Purge of Soviet Astronomers, Sky and Telescope, October 1989, pp. 352-357

Robyn Alice McCutcheon is a retired Foreign Service Officer who served in Washington, Astana, Bucharest, Moscow, and Tashkent. Although Ms. McCutcheon was employed by the U.S. Department of State, the views expressed in this article are strictly her own and do not necessarily represent the views of the Department of State or the U.S. Government.

text by Robyn Alice McCutcheon

Baku in call to strengthen humanitarian development

“The expansion and further development of international humanitarian cooperation is the key factor in an effective response to contemporary challenges and threats, and enables the accessibility and expanded application of contemporary management and production technologies, ensuring the well-being of present and future generations.”

Taken from the final declaration of the fourth Baku International Humanitarian Forum on October 3rd, this statement was part of a document adopted as a result of the two-day forum which brought together more 500 guests from over 60 countries.

“We recognize that the Baku Humanitarian Forum, traditionally held on the initiative of Azerbaijan, constitutes an important contribution to the development of multiculturalism, based on humanitarian practice as the basic value of the post-modern era,” the document concluded.

The event’s participants noted that a range of countries, including Azerbaijan, have achieved significant progress in recent years in the planning and management of sustainable development, which has been reflected in the figures and reports of international organizations.

“We pay special attention to the need for further development of international cooperation to transform society from a society of consumption into a humanitarian society of consumption on the basis of sensible sufficiency, as well as to achieve a way of life that meets the demands of ecological civilization,” the document noted.

The participants of the forum also recognised the importance of the application of nano and biotechnologies, based on the latest scientific achievements, and the convergence of contemporary and traditional technologies to ensure food and medicinal security, raise the quality of life and achieve the human potential for longevity.

“We acknowledge that the development of human potential through the integration of the latest knowledge and skills, including interdisciplinary, in a program of continuing education, as well as the expansion of cooperation in this sphere, are the key humanitarian components of sustainable development,” the declaration stressed.

The participants of the fourth Baku International Humanitarian Forum also called on various national and international structures specializing in humanitarian development to systematically hold forums, conferences and roundtables aimed at creating an atmosphere of tolerance and mutual respect within which to resolve contemporary local and global challenges.

“We note the need for such forums to be held annually and express our profound gratitude to the President and government of Azerbaijan, the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and all the organizers of the Baku International Humanitarian Forum for holding this major, productive event,” the document said. “We consider it necessary to pass this declaration and to make use of it to strengthen cooperation in humanitarian development.”

Initiated in 2010 by President Aliyev and former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, the Baku International Humanitarian Forum is a high-profile global scientific and political platform for tackling the challenges facing humanity in the 21st century, holding dialogue, discussions and an exchange of views on a wide range of issues related to humanitarian cooperation.

Ernst Theodor Wilhelm Hoffmann: Artist, Composer, Writer

A creator of the Nutcracker. An adult fairy tale’s author.

The development of the Romanticism in Russian literature (1800-1820) is inextricably linked with the disenchantment in rational basis of the Enlightenment and the search for idealism, to make the world a better place, which is reflected in the works of two European authors: Walter Scott and Ernst Theodor Wilhelm Hoffmann. 

The premise of Romanticism, namely, the historical genre, penetrated in Russian literature through the reflection of the Walter Scott works. The heroes of Romanticism yearn for their ideals. The interest in the historical and folk themes, love of the motherland, nature, ballads run like a golden thread through the works of the foremost Russian poets and writers like Vasily Zhukovsky, Alexander Pushkin and Michael Lermontov. The late period of Romanticism in Western Europe, in its turn, was full of pessimism and tragedy. It was called – “the malady of the age”. The heroes of the novels were wrapped up in despair. The idealism was lost forever in favor of evil. The writers searched for the answers in art. The theme of “horrible mystery world” was especially reflected in the works of the German writer, Ernst Theodor Wilhelm Hoffman, who became an antagonist of evil and mediocrity. 

Hoffmann-Artist

Hoffman was born in Königsberg ( Kaliningrad) in 1776, where he had been living his early life for 20 years. Hoffman’s father was an attorney and wanted his son to follow his trade. The atmosphere at home, where his father having drunk to excess and his mother having had a meltdown, influenced the character formation of sensible Hoffmann. 

Feeling the atmosphere of the house so leaden, young Hoffmann tried to escape from that world, filled with scandal, reproaches and falseness. Having created a protected zone for his imagination, Hoffmann secluded himself from the reality through his heroes. Even after having finished university on father’s orders, he didn’t lose interest in art, music and literature.

Working as a court reporter, Hoffmann was writing letters and drafting sketches to his paintings during the Court sessions. Often, instead of signing to letters, he drafted his portrait.  Most of his drawings were caricatures of town folks people, where Hoffmann tried to chastise them. One time, he presented through water-color drawing the egoism and sated with pleasure the official Stephen von Stengel. Another time, the subject of his ironical scrutiny became the owner of a huge antique collection and a monastery canonic Georg Ster. Once during the dancing party, he decided to spread the caricatures to put a satirical spin on society. The cartoon style of sketching created many enemies around Hoffmann.  Along with that, Hoffmann painted serious portraits. The portrait of a doctor from Bamberg, made by gouache painting; the portrait of the family Kunz; the portraits of actors and also some drawings to his literary works. 

Hoffmann- composer

Almost everyone who likes ballet or has ever been in The Royal Ballet, heard about the ballet “The Nutcracker” by Peter Tchaikovsky. Perhaps, one knows that the ballet was loosely based on the story, written by Ernst Theodor Wilhelm Hoffmann. 

Besides the Nutcracker, the vivid image of the literary characters came to fruition in  the libretto or mis-en-scène  to “The Kreislerian” by R.Schumann,  “The Flying Dutchman” by R. Wagner, “Giselle” by A. Adam, “Cadillac” by P.Hindemith, “Coppelia/ The Girl With The Enamel Eyes” by L.Delibes.

Hoffmann himself liked music more than anything in his life, and dreamed of dedicating his life to music. He even took his name after Amadeus Mozart and since 1805 (as he was 29 years old) had been called Ernst Amadeus Wilhelm Hoffman.

Hoffmann perfectly played the piano, pipe organ and violin. Had a nice voice and was an orchestral conductor. Composed sonata and church music.

His first steps as a composer, he made in 1799 (23 years old) and wrote a three act Singspiel “Die Maske” (Mask). Later in 1804 he firstly signed his sheet music “Die lustigen Musikanten” ( Merry musicians) Amadeus Hoffmann.  In 1804 he moved to the homeward of Frederic Chopin, Warsaw, Poland and devoted himself utterly to music. He wrote several operas and songs. The most famous of his operas “Undine” he finished in 1815. Waltz, sonatas, operas, symphonies, overture, rondo, church music- Hoffmann wrote a lot, but music didn’t put food on the table. And he had to earn money in any manner whatsoever. 

Hoffmann-writer

The first novel Hoffmann wrote to earn his keep. He lost the job in the Court and couldn’t continue as a composer. He was 33 years old.  It was published in the General Music Newspaper. All written stories and novels of Hoffmann can be called “after dark”. Even if the plot contains a daily atmosphere, penetrated with a sunny spirit of Italy. Hoffmann is a writer of a darkness mind, deep shadows and mysticism. Hoffmann was an idealist and through the heroes of his books tried to restore people from drawbacks and sins. He struggled against narrow -mindedness and tried to awaken a child through his adult fairy tales with an aim to lift the veil on idealism. 

The stories of Hoffmann are full of satire and allegory with a double plot- real and fantastic.

In the Little Zaches/ Great Zinnober, for example, E.T.A. Hoffman satirized philistinism. He took Mickey out of a petty bourgeoisie where every ugly man, having money, was seen as someone particular, handsome and talented. In such a way, Hoffman shows his disgust to the society, holding in reverence everyone with a title and money.

The allegorical example of Hoffman’s novel can be seen in the Life and Opinion of Tomcat Murr. In that novel Hoffmann’s tomcat was taken as the protoplast.  By means of the allegory, he described the voluptuousness and vanity of the society.

Sarcastic and satirical Hoffmann was a favorite writer of Fyodor Dostoevsky. Dostoyevsky, who was an old hand at describing human nature and sins, read all novels of Hoffmann several times in the translation and the original.  Under his inspiration, Dostoevsky wrote his famous short novel “The Double”. Hoffmann had also a great impact on the works of Edgard Poe and Howard Phillips Lovecraft. He was very beloved by Nikolai Gogol and Alexander Pushkin.

Nowadays, Hoffmann is still very cherished in Russia. His works continue influencing a lot of the contemporary authors and artists. In 2019 he issued a book “The Russian circle of Hoffmann”. This book is being crosscut with Hoffmann’s heroes, works or even his own personality. Since 2016 there has been a literary competition “Russian Hoffmann”, where every author and poet may participate. In 2022 is going to be a big celebration in Russia and especially in Kaliningrad, a native city of Hoffmann, to mark a 200-year Anniversary year of the writer, composer and artist’s death. 

It is a pity that for all its talk about the museum of Hoffmann, there is the only one in Russia. And it is not even a museum in the sense that it does not have its own building. This kind of exhibition, which can be visited or seen in Kaliningrad is mostly about Hoffmann and his heroes, where the admired artists present their works. There is nothing left in Russia after Hoffmann, except the stone, identifying the French street 25, where Hoffmann used to live before.

The Hoffmann’s exhibition contractor and the arts curator of the Historical Museum in Kaliningrad, Pokladova Valentina, says that in 2021 is planned to issue a new catalogue about Hoffmann. The works of Hoffmann are so beloved, that his heroes continue to live. The Russian theatre director from Sankt Petersburg Robert Sturua stages performances in different Russian cities, based upon the books by Hoffmann. Valentina Pokladova emphasizes that the exhibition, dedicated to Hoffmann, has been organized for the first time in 2006 and contains various paintings, made by artists from Russia, Germany, USA, Lithuania and Belarus. She says that it is planned to realize one more project and erect a monument of Hoffmann near the historical museum. Who knows, maybe after the 200-year Anniversary year of the Hoffmann’s death, he will have finally decided to build a museum, dedicated to his legacy.

WWW.OCAMAGAZINE.COM text by Tatiana Smorodina

FROM MASSACHUSETTS TO TASHKENT: A CAREER IN INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

WWW.OCAMAGAZINE.COM  OCA#35  SUMMER 2020 Interview with Michael Schena recorded by Saniya Seilkhanova

Growing up in Plymouth, Massachusetts and later studying at Louisiana State University (LSU) in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where he pursued a degree in International Affairs, Michael Schena decided to pursue a career that would allow him travel and work. A regular visitor to the countries of Central Asia, Schena, had been able to develop wider co-operation between the United States and the Central Asian countries while also enjoying the culture and traditions on offer. Open Central Asia Magazine took time to find out more and what Schena thinks of future directions in such co-operation.

OCA Magazine: What was it that led you to consider pursuing such a career path?

Michael Schena: Two of my Professors who were also mentors suggested I consider looking at the Foreign Service Exam and internships with the State Department. Those Professors were Dr. William Clark, a former Soviet specialist and Dr. Benjamin Martin a European History specialist. While at LSU I had my first major work outside the US experience. I served as an English teacher at a school in Shaoxing, PRC in 2005. As luck would have it I was accepted into a State Department internship program in 2006. From the internship I was hired in 2007 as a Foreign Affairs Officer.

OCA: You have wide experience in working with Central Asian countries. What was your first impression when you came to this region for the first time?

MS: The first my first of many visits to the region was to Kazakhstan, the US Embassy asked me to come out. I was already in the middle of a short-term assignment in Budapest, Hungary, so I had to work with our local staff to try to get a visa from the Kazakh embassy there – that was an interesting experience. From there when my assignment ended in Budapest instead of heading back to the US I got on a flight from Frankfurt to Astana (now Nur-Sultan). I still remember when I landed it was snowing so hard and it looked like the snow was snowing upward from the ground. I remember thinking to myself what have I gotten myself into? It was great experience with lots of accomplishments and was the first of many trips to the region.

OCA: Did you experience a culture shock?

MS: Not much, I am hard to culture shock, I went from living in Massachusetts to living in Louisiana, that’s about as different states as you can get, so Kazakhstan, yes the -40 degrees cold weather was something else but fortunately I bought heavy winter clothing in Budapest and a big fur Ushanka and I was fine in the weather.

OCA: What features did you notice in Uzbekistan that differ from other countries in Central Asia?

MS: Uzbekistan Is definitely much more urban while still holding on to its agrarian economy. Uzbekistan has the most amazing nuts and fruit. The watermelons there were incredible. They are this dark maroon inside and so full of flavour. I have never seen that anywhere else. The Uzbek people are also very approachable, welcoming and warm. If I needed any help with anything someone would always attempt to help even as I struggled through my limited Russian language skills. Literature and culture: I loved the traditional dances I was able to see a few. I also found it absolutely amazing that Samarkand was the centre of so much discovery and learning in the ancient world, from making major progress in Algebra to having one of the first major telescopes. I always heard about these inventions, but rarely are they attributed to Uzbekistan – when people think of this coming from Muslim scholars they think Iraq or the Arabian Peninsula.

OCA: Based on your previous experience working on projects of co-operation between the U.S and CA countries, what are the main spheres of economic or trade cooperation between the countries?

MS: My greatest accomplishment with Uzbekistan was the finalisation, approval and signing of the 2010 U.S. – Uzbekistan Science and technology Agreement. Although I no longer work on that portfolio I still see occasional updates about its success. This area, educational exchange, cooperative science and possible commercialisation of science could be an area ripe for development between our countries.

In 2012, I was invited to speak at a trade and foreign investment conference held in Tashkent, and even President Karimov addressed this event as a priority for the country. At that conference, I presented on a program the United States helped establish in Chile, called Start Up Chile where the government gives a grant to entrepreneurs from all over the world to come to Chile and build their business in Chile. I thought this was a good model and could be utilised by the government for a relatively small cost. One problem was that Uzbekistan did not at the time have diplomatic relations with Chile, so I helped connect people from the Uzbek Ministry with counterparts in Chile. That was a second major career high point for me connecting two countries that did not have formal relations to discuss on areas of mutual benefit.

Other areas that will remain important are exports, imports, oil and gas, security, counter terrorism, counter-narcotics, more FDI in the country. More barriers to FDI need to be removed -for example, there is a GM-Daewoo plant in Uzbekistan that can’t keep up with demand just within Uzbekistan, never mind the opportunities of selling throughout Central Asia and the broader CIS countries, but this plant has been unable to expand its operations due to limits on taking cash out of the country to get the supplies needed to expand.

OCA: What priorities do you think The United States could develop more with the Central Asian Countries?

MS: The US needs to find ways to continue to expand co-operation and economic linkages beyond the security sector. Both Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan have been vital parts in the War in Afghanistan and are key players in the Northern Distribution Network. The NDN should be utilised going forward as another way to ship goods into and out of the region.

OCA: Based on recent events in the world due to the pandemic, how has your work changed? And what obstacles have you faced?

MS: For me the biggest obstacle is that I am a people person – I do much better work with people in the same room than over video conferencing or endless back and forth e-mails. I believe this will go on for a few more weeks then hopefully I can return to the main building for work.

WE SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE QUALITY

In 2021 the L.N. Gumilyov ENU celebrates a quarter of a century since its birth.

The young and promising university was founded on 23 May 1996 by merging two well-known universities – Akmola Civil Engineering Institute and Akmola Pedagogical Institute.

The first intake of students amounted no more than 1000 people. The university was in the midst of a historic mission. Today the university provides new priorities for training the professional elite of Kazakhstan society and has consolidated its position as a leading educational and scientific centre, also known abroad.

In 2012 ENU was awarded Best Service Company (Gold Standard). The university was among the top 400 according to the QS World University Rankings. ENU was one of the first Kazakh universities to such international ranking, opening the way for other national universities on the road towards international recognition.
In addition, ENU became the only CIS university in the top 50 developing universities, which opened no longer than half a century ago. According to QS World University Rankings Top 50 Under 50 the L.N. Gumilyov ENU was ranked number 38, ahead of hundreds of universities around the world.

It is pleasing that Kazakhstan’s quality is gaining recognition. Over the decades, the university has been aiming for recognition as one of the top three classical Kazakhstan universities under various versions of national Credit-Rating agencies: IAAR (Independent agency for accreditation and rating) and IQAA (Independent Agency for Quality Assurance in Education). Certainly this is a quality indicator of educational services, science, lecturers’ professionalism and general teamwork.

The L.N. Gumilyov ENU sits in the heart of Eurasia and the capital of Kazakhstan. Since its establishment it has attracted the attention of progressive and young people. We are chosen by the owners of state education grants, lapel badge “Altyn Belgi”, winners of republican and international academic competition, children with achievements in sports, culture, and art.

The number of students increases from year to year. Within the last five years alone the amount has grown by 42%. Overall, 20,000 people currently study at ENU. Educational activities are taken in 242 educational areas, and the figures are increasing.

In the framework of the state program “Digital Kazakhstan” experimental education programmes have been developed, among them IT-management, IT auditing, environmental audit, computational linguistics and digital forensics.

Positioning the ENU on the international stage is ensured through the Eurasian Association of Universities, Association of Asian Universities, Turkic Inter-University Union (brings together university of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkey and Turkmenistan), UNAI (The United Nations Academic Impact is an initiative that aligns institutions in supporting and contributing to the realization of United Nations goals and mandates).

Major efforts are being undertaking by the Council of chancellors of Kazakh universities and Scientific and Educational Consortium of Belarusian and Kazakh Universities.

The ENU is also a party to the IREG, the Regional Network for Education and Training in Nuclear Technology (STAR-NET), CIS Net-University, SCO University, Turkic Inter-University Union, Scientific and Educational Consortium of Belarusian and Kazakh Universities.

ENU’s international cooperation is based on 400 agreements with universities and research organizations in 50 countries. The Cooperation Framework – academic mobility, internships for masters degree students, joint scientific research, cooperation within Erasmus+ and etc.

Within the framework of academic mobility under bilateral agreements, ENU receives and sends students to and from Europe, USA, Asia and CIS.

An important area for international cooperation has been the establishment of the Cultural Education Centres in Belarus, China, Turkey, Iran. Further Centres are envisaged in India, Romania, South Korea and Lithuania.

On 6 October 2017, the annual ceremony “Springer Nature Awards” were convened by the National Centre of Science and Technology Evaluation, together with international publishing house, Springer, which acknowledged the most published authors and organisations from Kazakhstan and countries of Central Asia. ENU was awarded recognition in the following categories: “Top Springer Organization”, “Top Springer Author”, “Young Scientist Award”.

At the present time 16 scientific journals are published in the L.N. Gumilyov ENU: “Eurasian Mathematical Journal”, “Eurasian Journal of Mathematical and Computer Applications”, “Problems of engineering drawings and vocational education” and “The L.N. Gumilyov ENU’s Herald”, most of whom belong to the list of publications recommended by Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Scientist, the winner of “Top Springer Author” Ratbay Myrzakulov, holds the record in Kazakhstan for the number of articles in journals published by one author during a year. The list also includes the names of the dozens of other scientists from the L.N. Gumilyov ENU.
An important indicator of scientific impact is the level of the citation index of publications. For the past five years the average citations of our scientists have represented about 3,05. The rate exceeds the national average by more than 2,5 times.

Significant scientific advances of academic teaching staff are confirmed by the results of competitions for personal awards in the field of science, public scientific grants for young scientists, and those who have made outstanding contributions to science and technology.The union of ENU’s young scientists is “The best Council of Young Scientists”.

L.N. Gumilyov ENU is one of the first Kazakh universities to implement skill enhancement for academic teaching staff in the international arena – in top foreign universities in USA, United Kingdom, Japan and other counties.

There is also the Centre of distance education technologies. In order to make accessible materials and automating the educational process, Moodle was launched, which ensures students’ access to learning and control materials for all type of sessions. A portal of mass open online courses was initiated. This portal and the courses are available on it provide the flexibility in education, learner accessibility and mobility.

The task of the media and information literacy programme of students and lecturers is also in focus. Workshops and trainings on using the resources of the Internet, database presentations and individual consultations are being organised to achieve this task.

Diplomas of L.N. Gumilyov ENU with personal template have been issued since 2019. Currently the university has 20 dissertation councils for awarding PhD.
The university holds first place, by number of publications in journals, with databases run by Thomson Reuters, Web of Science, Scopus and Sci Dire impact-factor.
As part of the transition to research university rank, the scientific school has placed special emphasis on creation the necessary conditions for the science of our staff. This has certainly affected the facilities and resources, providing the necessary base for international scientific co-operation, which formalizes the creation of scientific and educational consortium world research centres and universities. Part of this has entailed opening branch offices of the L.N. Gumilyov ENU in foreign countries. Step by step over the years the university has been granted status of the leading university of the republic and today is proud to put quality mark, guarantees and assurances on its diplomas.

Today a new strategy of the ENU for the following years is being formulated according to education and science state program of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
ENU’s staff have been working on the future development of the university. This is closely related to contemporary realities and future global processes, to stay ahead of the curve. Most importantly our desire is that qualified specialists graduate with a great deal of knowledge that will benefit them throughout life, guide them and point towards the right decisions.

10 Questions with Malika Sharipova, a founder and director of CARE CSR

 

Interview with Malika Sharipova

Malika Sharipova is a founder and director of CARE CSR. She is a CSR and sustainability specialist holding two MSc degrees in Social Responsibility and Sustainability (Aston Business School, UK) and in Management (KEDGE Business School, France) with international experience. Striving to advocate sustainable and responsible practices among businesses in Central Asia and particularly in Uzbekistan, she has spent the last five years conducting research on Corporate Social Responsibility in Uzbekistan and Europe.

  • Could you please  tell me about your background and what brought you to this  industry?

 

I am a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) specialist with a Masters degree in Social Responsibility and Sustainability from an Aston Business School, UK. It was one of the first courses in the world at that time which focused on training CSR and sustainability specialists. It is pertinent to mention that 2014-2015 – years when I studied there, Birmingham has been ranked as the most sustainable city in the world. I was lucky that my studies included close interaction with local businesses and city administration by participating in Birmingham “Thrive”. This participation provided me  with a unique opportunity to learn from the best practice. It was a platform, uniting practitioners and academia on topics such as CSR, responsible business, corporate governance and sustainability. Of course, my studies at KEDGE Business School, France and the University of World Economy and Diplomacy, Uzbekistan widened my knowledge and skills and helped me to become who I am now. 

After years of studying and working in the European countries and Pakistan, I have decided to return to my home country in 2019 and establish a CSR consultancy. I truly believe that it is high time to enter these emerging markets of the region as many countries in Central Asia are opening up to the world and waiting to be explored by global businesses. As more and more companies in the world are supporting values, such as no forced and child labor, environmental protection and ethical business and trying to make a positive impact in the emerging markets, there is a growing demand for responsible and sustainable partners and supply chains. Some local companies have recognized this trend and are looking for ways to adapt to new realities and become more transparent and responsible, many more companies are yet to understand the benefits of CSR practices. 

 

  • Please tell us more about your company/products/services?

 

Central Asia Responsible Environment and Corporate Social Responsibility (CARE CSR) is an international consultancy established to bring world-class sustainable business practice to global supply chains. 

CARE CSR is established to help businesses in Central Asia to develop and apply appropriate strategies for environmental sustainability and social responsibility. CARE CSR works with organisations at any stage of the sustainability journey, without judgment, helping to transform their businesses for positive impact on People, Planet and Profit. Sustainable business practices are fundamental to long-term success in global markets. We advise organisations, giving them the tools, they need to develop winning strategies, embed responsible practices into their everyday operations, reduce their ecological footprints and communicate effectively with all stakeholders. 

CARE CSR also conducts materiality analysis for companies, develops relevant CSR and sustainability strategies, offers bespoke CSR training packages designed to embed CSR practices throughout the organisations and helps to produce CSR (non- financial/sustainability) reports. 

 

  • What obstacles have you faced during COVID-19? And how are you planning to overcome it?

 

CSR consultancy services have faced many obstacles and challenges during COVID-19 as they are closely linked to the state of other businesses. Many businesses in Central Asian countries have ceased their operations due to quarantine and feel insecure about their future. Besides during financial hardships many local companies tend to look at CSR efforts and expenditures as something redundant or not vital. The aim of CARE CSR is to communicate and provide evidence that CSR provides opportunities to overcome challenges linked to COVID-19. Companies could work on improving their standard operating procedures to streamline them with responsible principles, low activity periods could be used to train personnel. Improving transparency, conducting business more responsibly, turning them green and communicating it effectively could make companies stand out among their peers. Overall, it is well-acknowledged that CSR could serve as an essential instrument to overcome difficult times.

We are trying to retain existing partners and reach out to new customers to communicate those benefits but without face to face interactions this has become a challenge itself. That is why we are focusing on working online, doing online studies and surveys, interacting with international organizations and clients to promote CSR practices in Uzbekistan using new tools such as video calls.

 

  • Which industries will be more profitable once pandemic is over ?

 

COVID-19 has accelerated the development of information technology (IT) and artificial intelligence (AI), many people work from home, online conferencing tools such as ZOOM, Hangouts meet, Slack and others are becoming an integral part of work and life. Online shops and grocery retailers received another boost during quarantine times. For instance, Amazon is planning to recruit more employees to cope with a surge in online orders. Robotic automation and AI programs will soon be replacing humans to achieve long-term resilience and sustainability in production. 

Personal protective equipment (PPE) producers will be blooming as the demand for such health products will rise. We can see that several companies have turned their hand or retooled to produce PPEs, disinfectants, ventilators and other medical equipment. Of course, we also have to mention the soaring demand in the pharmaceutical industry. 

 

  • Based on your experience, how should an organisation adapt to external changes and risks?

 

The sustainability and the development of the organisations depend on many factors including readiness to changes according to the surrounding environment, open mindedness of the management and the ability to meet the internal and external demands. It is also pertinent to mention the importance of risk management, conducting regular risk assessment, developing relevant risk prevention strategies and interaction with all stakeholders. For all these tasks relevant CSR strategies might provide viable solutions. 

 

  • What motivates you to keep going despite obstacles and uncertainties?

 

Well, it depends on how you see obstacles and uncertainties. The best way to overcome difficulties is to see them as opportunities to adapt and improve. Changes bring new ideas, open new horizons. For Central Asia, for example, global pandemic has demonstrated that the countries of the world are very connected. Many regional countries relied heavily on export of raw materials, while distance played an important role. All counties of the region are landlocked which makes export and import procedures more expensive, the new type of coronavirus made it even worse. Plunge in oil and gas prices has removed the financial cushion for the countries. COVID-19 also intensified the competition for investment as during the financial resources prefer to weather the financial uncertainties in more economically advanced harbors. To improve their attractiveness, many economies need to embrace changes and common rules of open and responsible business. 

Traditional markets, retails, restaurants, constructions – all have ceased their activities. Many people expect that the governments should help them and be more accountable and transparent when it comes to public expenditures. These factors have increased the need for economic and social reforms in Central Asia and forced many governments to adapt to new realities. In some ways, the pandemic became a blessing in disguise. These are the changes, which motivate me, keep me awake at night. It is high time for our team to promote responsible business practices, to help to raise awareness on environmental and social issues. 

 

  • In your opinion, what are the main factors of growth and development?

 

Today everyone and everything is interconnected, globalisation links companies, industries and people from all over the world. This creates an opportunity for companies both in western and developing countries, helping them to advance their economies and communication by widening their export and import geography. Globalisation also urges companies to grow and develop to be able to meet the modern and constantly changing demands. It is never important to strive for innovative ideas to be able to survive among global competitors. Technological boom and environmental challenges are also factors for the growth. 

But among all the main factors of growth and development I would single out the improvement of human capital. In any high or low times, having skilled and dedicated staff can help to achieve impressive results.

 

  • How important is it for your organisation to cooperate with organisations from other Eurasian countries? Do you think that international cooperation is important for business?

 

Organizations from other Eurasian countries in the field of CSR are working in a similar situation as CARE CSR. Learning best practices from each other could help to improve the ways to solve analogous challenges. 

Besides, the countries of Eurasia are the major business partners of Uzbekistan and other Central Asian countries. Many companies in the region are linked through production chains. Working together to improve openness and responsibility could increase their chances of integrating into the global economy. 

Of course, international cooperation is important more or less for many businesses. In Uzbekistan, the government has prioritized foreign investment, tourism, export, IT and innovative technologies. This vision has been enshrined into the development strategy of the country for 2017-2021. To achieve the set goals organizations, public or private, need international cooperation. 

 

  • Does your corporation have any partners from Western countries, such as the United Kingdom?

 

Organizations from the Western countries play an important role in promoting CSR in Central Asia. Business entities of the advanced economies serve as role models, which define current rules of doing business. If they are inclined to follow CSR strategies and demand similar practices from their Central Asian counterparts then the need for services increases. For instance, local textile producers are showing their interest in meeting some global standards and acquiring international social and environmental certificates/audit systems, producing non-financial reports. 

I recently completed a project with GIZ on assessing CSR needs in Uzbekistan and currently looking forward to working with our European colleagues to promote CSR practices among textile producers. 

CARE CSR has a team member from the United Kingdom who is an experienced consultant specialising in sustainability, green technologies and circular economy. Our aim is to unite professionals from the Western and Central Asian countries to promote jointly responsible business practices. We would be very interested in cooperation with UK partners in order to become a bridge or a convenient platform facilitating trade, investment and sustainable development among the European and Central Asia countries. 

 

  • What advice  would you like to give to our readers?

 

Rapid global economic development is causing damage to the world climate, environment and biodiversity, with serious ramifications for people and societies across the globe. Nowhere are the effects of this unsustainable development felt more keenly than in the emerging markets of Central Asia where the exploitation of commercial opportunity in cotton and textiles has had such devastating effects on the environment of the Aral Sea and the peoples who relied on it for their livelihoods. 

As we all wake up to the dire consequences of irresponsible human behavior in the face of COVID-19, I would call all the businesses to start developing environmentally friendly strategies and having their share in solving societal issues. 

The ‘Silk Road’ Exposed: Why it was never a single road, had little to do with silk, and rarely set about linking East with West

‘History is written by the victors’. So it is disappointing many commentators fail to follow this through and challenge the bias inherent in a ‘victorious’ narrative. The historiography of the ‘Silk Road’ is a significant case in point. Originating in Central Eurasia as small-scale tracks on the steppes, the route developed into the pre-industrial world’s most momentous, extensive and productive network of commerce and culture, yet is all too often misrepresented as a manufactured highway whose sole purpose was to bridge the ‘gap’ between the powerhouses of Europe and the riches of the China. Over time, this had led to the build-up of a series of misleading misconceptions in need of re-examination. 

Road or Roads?

The term ‘Silk Road’ is relatively new, dating from the nineteenth century, but it is perhaps indicative that it was coined by a European explorer, Baron Von Richtofen.  Illustrious geographers indigenous to the region (and there were plenty of them) never described it as such at the time. To his credit, the uncle of World  War One’s Red Baron used the plural ‘silkenstrassen’ as often as the singular, since he appreciated that he was dealing with an intricate web of trading posts rather than a single autobahn bulldozing its way the length of Asia. Nevertheless, Von Richtofen was writing from a distinctly ‘Occidental’ point of view. Just as in his mind the Mediterranean World eclipsed all others in the evolution of civilisation, so he assumed his newly-labelled trade route must have been designed to transport ‘Oriental’ luxuries to the markets of all-conquering Europe. Unfortunately, this romantic vision of caravans crossing sandy deserts, camels laden with bales of silk, proved irresistible, and has obscured much. In truth, the ‘Silk Roads’, for if we are to use the term it must surely be in the plural, were a complex and ever-changing jigsaw of local trading routes, large and small, interconnecting the nomadic tribes of Eurasia’s steppes and deserts with their neighbours in the continent’s sophisticated urban centres. 

Valerie Hansen convincingly demonstrates in her recent The Silk Road: A New History that, no matter which century we look at, almost all the archaeological evidence points to trade being carried out in extended chains made up of small merchant caravans travelling to and fro across their ‘patch’. Primary literary sources likewise indicate that there was no contemporary concept of a single, consistent route. Merchants such as the Polos attempting the entire route in one go (if indeed they did* ) were very much the exception rather than the norm.

Smooth as Silk?

There is no denying that some silk came to Europe from China via the Silk Roads, even if it did change hands many times along the way. Yet that certainly isn’t the whole story. Firstly, China was as happy exporting its silk by sea, in the boats and dhows of the Silk Roads’ littoral cousin, the ‘spice route’. Secondly, silk was merely one of a host of different goods to be traded along our route. Slaves, for example, were just as crucial a commodity. Thirdly, this network was not just about produce, it also formed a key conduit for peoples, ideas, religions and culture. So alongside glass, paper and jade, came the likes of Jews, Huns and Scythians, with the direction as frequently east as west (in some cases it could even be north or south). And alongside conquerors, refugees and slaves, came Buddhism, Islam and Christianity (Peter Frankopan provides a complete picture of this to-ing and fro-ing in his Silk Roads: A New World History).

The importance of the Bombyx mori (and China) is further diminished when we consider the profusion of ‘wild silk’ (grown in India, Persia and Greece). This may have been of inferior quality but, being cheaper, was no less popular. What’s more, archaeological evidence indicates that the vast majority of Chinese silk garments found in Europe and the West were manufactured by Byzantine, Persian or Central Asian, rather than Chinese, artisans – another reminder of how critical a role the ‘gap’ played. 

One extra caveat comes from Chinese history itself. Xuan Zang tells of a Han princess sent to marry a Khotanese prince in the 5th century. Appalled at the idea of being stranded in a foreign land so far from home, she secretly hid silkworms and mulberry seeds in her hair, so as to produce her own silk in exile. An apocryphal tale maybe, but it leads to the drawing of two conclusions, both supported by several other pieces of evidence: that after the 5th century AD (i.e. for half of the Silk Roads period), sericulture was no longer a secret known only to the Chinese, and that for most of its life Khotan (like the other oases of the Taklamakan), was considered ‘foreign’ by the Chinese part of the Central Asian world, not China.

East meets West?

Pull out the map. Not a modern political map of Asia but maps of the whole Eurasian landmass through the centuries (Christopher Beckwith provides a more than ample collection in his Empires of The Silk Road). What strikes, again and again, is how peripheral European states tended to be and how small China usually was. Take away Tibet, Qinghai province, Xingjiang, Inner Mongolia, and Manchuria, and the observer starts to realise that for much of its history China consisted of little more than its Han heartland. In contrast, Central Asia and Persia were massive; great green and pink splodges that together form an enormous beating heart. Empires of the steppe covered not just West Turkestan (roughly the modern-day ‘Stans’), but East Turkestan (north-west China plus Mongolia), most of Russia east of the Urals, and much of the territory north of the Black Sea. Similarly, the frontiers of successive Persian Empires regularly stretched from the Mediterranean to northern India, and shouldn’t be confused with the borders of modern-day Iran. ‘Tajik’, after all, means ‘Persian-speaker’ and historically Tajik cities, such as Samarkand and Merv, were to be found across Central Asia, not just in what is modern-day Tajikistan. 

With this in mind, shouldn’t Europe be reduced to a ‘supporting’ role? If, in their heyday, the cities of Bukhara, Balasagun, Baghdad and Balkh were as powerful and rich as Brussels and Barcelona, is it too hard to believe that they were the centre of the Silk Roads and major trading destinations in their own right, rather than stepping stones between East and West? 

Does China deserve similar treatment? Like Von Richtofen, Chinese annalists pressed readers to believe the ‘Start’ of the Silk Roads was the ancient capital of Chang’an/Xi’an (something the country’s tourism industry pushes equally bluntly today). They also promoted the notion that historically ‘China’ extended to not only what amounts to its present borders but beyond. Yet ‘frontier’ gates at Dunhuang, Jiayuguan and elsewhere along The Great Wall tell a very different story, and in reality, a ‘web’ of Silk Roads could never have a ‘beginning’ or an ‘end’. 

Mind the ‘gap’

For the two thousand years that the Silk Roads flourished, it thus appears their routes belonged to neither Occident nor Orient, but rather Central Eurasia, born out of a delicate balance between the needs of nomad and city-dweller. It was because this symbiotic relationship was so successful that the network grew and stretched to encounter (and sometimes encompass) other trading empires, whether Ancient Rome, Tang China or Mauryan India. Such superpowers were, of course, ultimately important players in the Silk Roads’ sustained success, but we must resist temptation to put the cart before the horse. The ‘gap’ was no void, rather the hive of activity upon which the whole enterprise was based.

Sceptics would do well to consider the so-called ‘death’ of the great land routes. Tradition dictates that the moment in 1498 that Vasco Da Gama landed in Calicut, the fate of the Silk Roads was sealed, doom and oblivion beckoned. Yet did not the Junghars of 17th century Central Asia oversee a booming trade empire; were not the 16th century Safavids (and their wondrous new capital at Esfahan) an economic and cultural match for any of their Persian predecessors? The answer, as always, lies with the central Eurasians themselves. China and Europe may have been responsible for many goods (including silk) that made their way across the continent, be it as trade, tribute to neighbouring kingdoms, or payment for far-flung garrisons, but Central Eurasian merchants negotiated their safe passage. It was Sogdian, Kushan and Uighur glue that stuck the Silk Roads together. 

Paul Wilson is the author of The Silk Roads guide book (Trailblazer), and The Alphabet Game (Hertfordshire Press). He is an advisor to the UNWTO’s Silk Road Project and regularly speaks at the Open Central Asia Literary Festival.

WWW.OCAMAGAZINE.COM #25 SPRING 2017  text by Paul Wilson

DEFENDING WOMEN’S RIGHTS IN AFGHANISTAN

I am from Afghanistan. I am Uzbek by ethnicity and Uzbeks are the least privileged and the most marginalised ethnic group in Afghanistan. Educational opportunities are scare for an Afghan Uzbek woman in the male-dominated society. I managed to complete my masters degree in International Public Law with distinction. I am among the very few Uzbek women who obtained a masters degree.

In 2004, I started working as Monitoring Officer at the Afghan National Solidarity Program for Rural Development. In 2007, I worked as the officer in-charge of violence against women at Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) in Faryab province. I dealt with dozens of cases of violence against women, closely monitored the judicial process and advocated robustly for the victims.

In 2012, we formed a Civil Society Forum in Faryab province and a Women Leadership Network. The key objective was promoting the culture of tolerance and non-violence.
For promoting human rights, to fight for elimination of violence against women in Faryab province, I was humbled to be awarded a medal by then President Hamid Karzai in 2011 in recognition of my services.

From January 2013 until January 2019, I worked as Human Rights Officer with the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) in Faryab. I have been living and working in Afghanistan, a country where protracted conflict has wrought havoc to the country. Afghanistan is a multi-ethnic country and several ethnic groups live in each province. Four-decade s of conflict and animosities among ethnic groups have created an environment where non-violence is non-existent and they do not tolerate each other. Mistrust is wide. The norm is to resolve all difference through conflict.

In my province Faryab, we are working extensively with community elders, influential, local governmental figures and women to develop a culture of tolerance and non-violence. Violence against women was high to change mindsets, events needed to bring women on board and create an environment for dialogue and discussion so that the families and communities could find solutions to their problems and tensions without resorting to violence. The process encouraged everyone, including women, to be valued.

We demonstrated that conflict could be resolved by active listening, empathy and dialogue. Events were organised with community elders, religious scholars, the youth, peace activists, civil society activists, women and representatives of different ethnic groups to collaborate on co-existing peacefully and resolving issues through peaceful means, mutual understanding and tolerating different views, political affiliations and diversity.
Violence against women is one of the most serious human rights issues in Afghanistan. Although important achievements have been made in different areas of such as education for women and girls, health and participation of women in civil and political activities during the last decade, however significant violence against women remains a part of life in Afghanistan. In 2009 Karzai pledged to eliminate violence against women, passing a law that considered 22 acts to be violence against women including abuse, harassment, beating, exchange marriage in bad (blood), forced marriage, underage marriage, deprivation of property and inheritance. Although the Eliminating Violence Against Women (EVAW) Law was enforced in 2009, there has been no change in the violence figures. Cases investigated reveal that many women and girls continue to suffer from domestic violence in Faryab province. Cases of beatings by a husband or husband’s family members are common. The victims either seek separation or, in the extreme, escape by self-immolation or committed suicide. The issue of marriage is central to many of these problems. Forced marriages and engagements remain deeply culturally engrained and continue to be widespread.

In Faryab, significant steps have been taken toward improving protection mechanisms for vulnerable women. The commission of Elimination of Violence against Women (COEVAW) has been established at the provincial level. A safe house to shelter and protect women victims has been established. However, violence against women has not diminished, but has increased with each passing day. Sadly, the majority of cases of violence against women happen in remote villages and districts and remain unreported. Due to a lack of security, government organisations working for human rights cannot travel to the field due to ongoing conflict.

Sexual violence is one of the most serious problems faced by women. Based on traditional society, women and girls who are raped or have a sexual relationship with an unmarried man bring shame to the family or village. Some see that the only response to restoring honour is from the death of the victim. Government agencies still do not respect justice. In their territories, women are flogged in public for having an illicit affair with an unmarried men – but the male partner isnever been punished or prosecuted. As an example, a woman named Reza Gul who residence of Ghormach district, Faryab province, was attacked her husband cut off her nose – this happened in 2016. The victim was transported to Maimana hospital to receive treatment. Faryab human rights defenders jointly advocated to send her to Turkey where she could receive nose reconstructive surgery that was not possible in Afghanistan. The perpetrator was not punished.

The elimination of violence against women needs for more time. Afghanistan women must continue the fight for equality and justice. We women will need to make this sacrifice and search for international communities to support us in the fight against these violations and injustices. The victim women suffering from injustice want to access to justice and this most basic of rights cannot come soon enough.

text by Farukh Leqa Unchizada

WWW.OCAMAGAZINE.COM    OCA#35 SUMMER 2020

Three Central Asia Travel Highlights

Often overlooked by your classic holiday maker, Central Asia has always exercised a powerful fascination over a certain kind of traveler. Home to some of the most ancient cultures and breathtaking landscapes on earth, it is nevertheless only lightly trodden by wanderers and merchants. But traffic on the silk road is once again picking up. If you too are curious about those countries sometimes referred to as “The Stans,” these quick highlights from my own brief yet tantalizing experience should help motivate you to make the trip a reality. In this article, we will explore three examples that showcase the best of Central Asia: The ancient, the modern, and the outdoors.

The Ancient: Uzbekistan – Bukhara – Lyab-i Hauz

There’s something about this spot, an idyllic pond or “hauz” that has survived for centuries in the middle Bukhara. Around you, the traffic is frenetic. Construction projects line the highways. You’ve jostled with other tourists and bartered with outside famous spots like Kalyan Minaret and the Po-i-Kalyan. And now, you have a moment to yourself. Stop by one of the quality cafes overlooking the ancient pool, enjoy a cup of tea and a bowl of Lagman, and just bathe in the atmosphere that surrounds you. This is it. This is Central Asia at its historic best. You have arrived. So what’s next? 

The Modern: Kazakhstan – Urban Almaty 

Wide highways, a gleaming metro, sushi restaurants, cocktail bars and British style pubs! This is not what the average Westerner imagines when they think Kazakhstan. But the second they come to cosmopolitan Almaty, their eyes are opened. A thriving Korean diaspora means that Kazakhstan’s largest city has a diverse and delicious dining scene, with local favorites mingling with international influences. Stop by for a pint at one of the city’s many expat bars such as The Shakespeare or Mad Murphy’s before (or, perhaps more sensibly, after) taking the Kok-Tobe Hill Gondola for sweeping viewing of the city and a taste of the surrounding mountains.

The Outdoors: Tajikistan – The Pamir Highway

We knew that we were in for an adventure. The Pamir Highway that runs between Dushanbe and Osh is the second highest highway in the world, and is considered one of the most picturesque drives out there – if your car is up for the challenge! Sensible travelers hire formidable 4WD vehicles that make the passes a cinch, even when you’re at the road’s highest point of 4655 meters above sea level. Snow capped peaks and sweeping valleys are dotted with small, hospitable villages, where you can dine with locals and sleep the night in a cosy yurt, before continuing the adventure.

There is so much more to Central Asia than this tiny article can possibly encapsulate. Hopefully this brief sampler will motivate at least one or two travelers out there to move Central Asia up the list. The time to visit is now. 

Nathan James Thomas is the author of “Travel Your Way” (Exisle Publishing, May 2021) and the editor of Intrepid Times, a digital magazine for travel writing with heart. Follow at http://intrepidtimes.com 

WWW.OCAMAGAZINE.COM text by Nathan James Thomas

ADVOCATING FOR MOUNTAIN COMMUNITIES THROUGH EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

www.ocamagazine.com oca#35 summer 2020

Since 1999, Utah Valley University (UVU) has partnered with the International University of Kyrgyzstan (IUK). The important feature of their academic exchanges was to study and share experiences of economic development in mountain areas, which are affected not only by traditional challenges from nature such as high altitude, harsh climate, environmental problems, but also the emerging ones like climate change and outmigration.

IUK then studied the economic model in Utah which is considered as one of the best in the U.S. to do business, and how UVU contributes to it. UVU is the largest university in Utah, which primarily serves local communities in mountainous Utah by combining both community college, as well as baccalaureate and master’s degrees for students.

UVU, in turn, was able to learn about IUK’s experiences with the United Nations (UN) and its contribution to Kyrgyzstan’s co-sponsorship of the United Nations’ initiative to celebrate 2002 as the International Year of Mountains (IUM). This led to a cooperation between the State of Utah and the Kyrgyz Republic to jointly advocate for a UN Sustainable Mountain Development (SMD) agenda in the State of Utah, Kyrgyzstan, and elsewhere. As a result, Utah Governor, Olene Walker, visited the Kyrgyz Republic in August 2003 and, in reciprocity, President Askar Akaev traveled to Salt Lake City in September 2004.

In 2006, UVU joined the Mountain Partnership (MP) under the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO-UN), the first North American university to do so. MP coordinates the SMD agenda globally through more than 390 members including 60 mountain nations, except the United States.

Since then, UVU and IUK advocated SMD by implementing the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 2003) Resolution ”International Year of Mountains, 2002”, A/RES/57/245 from 30 January 2003. This UN document recommended that interested institutions: 1) Join the MP; 2) support, including financially, programs resulting from the IYM, and; 3) organise events each 11th December as part of the UN International Mountain Day (IMD) to highlight the importance of SMD.

In March 2007, UVU and IUK co-hosted the first international Women of the Mountains Conference (WOMC) in Utah as a major initiative to implement the second recommendation of the UNGA 2003. WOMC supported the 2002 “Celebrating Mountain Women” conference in Bhutan.

Under the MP umbrella, the first WOMC gathered more than 120 participants, including officials from the UN, diplomats from mountain nations accredited both to the UN and the USA, specialists from Central Asia, and experts on gender issues from all Rocky Mountain States, as well as more than 25 mountain nations. The United Nations Secretary Generals’ (UNSG) Report on SMD A/62/292 from 23 August 2007 highlighted UVU for hosting a forum to “ensure an improvement of women’s status in mountain communities around the world.” UNSG Report on SMD A/64/222 from 3 August 2009 emphasized that WOMC “established a regional network on sustainable mountain development and gender issues.” UVU was the only academic institution from North America highlighted in both UN documents.

During 2007-2013, envoys from Kyrgyzstan to the UN and US regularly visited UVU. They were followed by three visits to Utah of deputies of the Kyrgyz Parliament representing such parties as Ata-Meken, Respublica and Ata-Jurt. As reciprocity, a joint delegation of state legislators from the State of Utah and the State of Montana visited Kyrgyzstan and, through joint dialogue, contributed to building the Parliamentary model of democracy in Kyrgyzstan.

Since 2011, students have played a major role in SMD advocacy. Through a UVU-developed inclusive, student-engaged learning (SEL) model they gain professional skills by addressing real-world problems of mountain communities as a group with faculty being as mentors. The model engages students across the campus, especially non-traditional learners who are older than 25-years of age, and balance their education all the while working part- or full-time jobs and taking care of their families.

The Utah International Mountain Forum (UIMF), a coalition of student clubs serves as its core. Its members advocate for SMD by contributing both initiatives and funds and then being recognized at the UN level. They, for example, recruited more than 15 new MP members in the region and jointly with many of them raised awareness about SMD in North America, in particular by observing the International Mountain Day every year since 2010.

UIMF members advocated for the adoption of three mountain targets as benchmarks for implementation of SMD, among 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) during sessions of the UN Open Working Groups (OWG) on SDGs in 2013-2015.

UNSG Report on SMD A/71/256 from 29 July 2016 highlighted UIMF for the first time for hosting the fourth international WOMC in Utah in 2015, as well as for providing recommendations about implementation of SDG #5 on gender in interaction with three mountain targets. UIMF was the only student club coalition worldwide featured in the UN document.

Since 2016, UIMF members advocate for the implementation of three mountain targets during forums of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) on sustainable development. They reported about WOMCs contribution to support mountain women and girls during the 62nd and 63rd sessions of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in 2018-2019. They also spoke about the lack of attention from the international community to challenges experienced by mountain communities, especially from food insecurity, during general debates at the High-Level Political Forum of ECOSOC on sustainable development in New York on July 19, 2018.

Most recently, the Outcome Document of the 68th United Nations Civil Society Conference held in Salt Lake City during August 26-28, 2019 included, for the first time, language about the importance of mountain communities to be in the focus of the UN 2030 Agenda on sustainable development – again, due to the efforts of UIMF members.

Similar educational programs developed by other academic institutions could make a difference in the destinies of their own students, who then facilitate changes in the livelihoods of their local communities, as well as global communities.

 

AUTHORS BIOS:

Baktybek Abdrisaev, PhD, Lecturer, History and Political Science, Utah Valley University, was the Ambassador of the Kyrgyz Republic to the US during 1997-2005.

Rusty Butler, Ph.D., main representative at the UN of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences, an NGO in general consultative status with ECOSOC, was Associate Vice-President for International Affairs and Diplomacy at Utah Valley University, 1992-2016

Sovereign Parametric Catastrophe Bonds as means to address the protection gap in emerging countries

Summary
  • Of the $232bn. of economic losses from natural disasters in 2019, only $71bn. was insured.
  • 35% level of catastrophe risk coverage in advanced countries downsizes to only 6% in emerging economies.
  • Out of existing disaster risk finance arrangements, the Sovereign Parametric Catastrophe Bonds seem to be the most viable instrument for the ECIS region.

As mentioned by AON in their Weather, Climate & Catastrophe Insight: 2019 Annual Report, last year brought $232 billion of economic losses from natural disasters, whereby only $71 billion was actually insured. It outlined that the world continues to face a fundamental issue of insurance gap, especially in emerging and developing countries, where losses for businesses and governments are only increasing following a decade-long rise in natural catastrophes linked to climate change.

Protection gaps exist in both emerging and developed markets. However, with Swiss Re estimating 35% level of catastrophe risk coverage in advanced economies versus 6% in emerging economies, the issue is far more important for the developing world, where the cost of disasters is not just measured in the deaths and injuries that they cause, but also in their long-lasting economic impact on survivors and countries. Natural disasters there do not just destroy homes, factories, shops, and fields; they can altogether annihilate years of economic growth, which is essential for the low and mid-income countries.

These governments need new ways to increase their access to finance to enable disaster response, recovery, and rebuilding. Ideally, such features should also help make financial systems more predictable and stable, so to be able to avoid or lessen inevitable shocks to the economy in case of devastating events.

Disaster relief aid, as the most obvious tool, is very reactive by its nature, pledged only during and after the event, and the amount generated is unpredictable. Pledges made can also be slow to materialize, with examples of payments taking months or even years.

The role of insurers in the emerging economies focuses mainly on the reconstruction of private assets, which reveal another important issue when (in many cases) critical infrastructure remains in direct state ownership, so exposed to the lack of insurable interest. For example, this is very much the case for Eastern European and CIS countries where insurance penetration of 0.5-1.5% is not allowing to count on the industry at the macro level.

In addition, there are other barriers to stimulate the growth of risk transfer in the developing countries when the state, instead of its retention, arranges a transfer of disaster expenses to third parties. Typically, there is no mature domestic insurance market to leverage and heavy (re-)insurance protectionism in some places. Nor are there sufficient government resources to fund sovereign backed insurance schemes.

When disaster strikes, immediate steps need to be taken to protect survivors and provide them with temporary shelter and emergency food and clothing. In the medium and long term, homes need to be rebuilt, places of employment and local infrastructure reconstructed. Ideally, this to be done in a manner that is resilient to future disasters. All this cost money. For this reason, issue of disaster risk finance, especially when it comes to post-event response, plays vital role for developing economies across the globe.

Mobilizing relief efforts quickly after a disaster can limit long-term economic losses but, unfortunately, many developing countries have limited access to finance for immediate response.

That is why, over the last decade, it made numerous international frameworks and political bodies, including the Paris Agreement, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, and G20 as well as multilateral organizations like UNDP and International Financial Institutions to develop financing mechanisms to assist developing countries to cope with disasters.

Financial markets, governments, and the development community have introduced important innovations in disaster risk finance, giving rise to new or improved funding sources to respond and recover after disasters strike. Given the urgency and scale of the challenges developing countries face, pressures to scale up both categories of disaster risk finance are intense.

For post-disaster emergency financing, these innovations include development of national disaster funds, regional pooling schemes with the use of parametric solutions, contingent credit lines and solutions from Insurance-Linked Securities market, especially Parametric Catastrophe bonds, which, if well structured, can pay out almost automatically when disasters hit.

Through issuance of parametric sovereign catastrophe bonds, governments could access revenue streams that can finance timely shelter and support to victims and then set about rebuilding in a resilient manner.

Such instruments also allow a government to spread the cost of disaster response and prevention over several fiscal years, rather than creating a massive demand for funds in one particular year when the disaster occurs. In addition, as the money will flow from international financial markets, it will create a positive macroeconomic boost to the economy of the whole country and reduce dependence on foreign aid.

Use of the catastrophic bond mechanism also can help in effective solution for two important issues within emerging countries: addressing the “protection gap” on the macro level and dealing with low insurance penetration.

Given the successful track record of issuing and maintaining processes, as well as established mechanisms for triggering and pay-outs, this type of protection is now used with increasing frequency by single states and regional pooling schemes in different parts of the world.

Any developing government, which may consider disaster risk transfer in the form of parametric catastrophe bonds, will benefit from a number of objectives like guaranteed access to funds for recovery (up to agreed limits and in case of well-defined transparent trigger), budget planning certainty, no payback obligation and diversified source of funding to cope with the impact of natural catastrophes.

These are some reasons why the 2020 World Economic Forum (WEF) focused on responses to humanitarian risk by investigating areas where catastrophe bonds may prove valuable tools for risk sharing with private markets and investors raising catastrophe bonds and risk transfer to private or capital market investors as a key route towards sharing (transferring) risks.

Regional points for CEE, ECIS, and BRI transit countries

During only 2005-2014, the region of Eastern Europe and CIS alone suffered 314 disasters, resulting in more than 60,000 people killed, 11 million affected, and $25 billion worth of damage.

The region always had a big exposure to natural catastrophes whereby earthquakes in Almaty/Kazakhstan (1911), Ashgabat/Turkmenistan (1948), Tashkent/Uzbekistan (1966), Bucharest/Romania (1977), Vrancea/Romania (1986) and Spitak/Armenia (1988) almost destroyed respective places and 2014-2016 Balkans floods brought 5-15% damage to GDP of affected nations.

Unfortunately, with the world deadliest earthquake of 2019 near Tirana/Albania and 6+ magnitude events in NW China and East of Turkey – all happened just over last two months – strong reminders of constant exposure can be seen virtually in the live mode.

There is, in the region, a dearth of solutions available for Disaster Risk Finance in the short to medium terms due to some unique local historical, geopolitical, and economic factors. Challenges to be addressed include legislation, regulations, institutional capacity, culture, trust, and the size of the country/regional market to make it viable/attractive to the private sector.

One solution might be the creation of National Disaster funds. This, however, could be problematic due to existing tax, legislative, and regulatory frameworks. The time required for changes to this framework across the region is likely to be lengthy as a result of other national priorities.

Contingent Credit lines with international organizations, while attractive, can run into issues due to the low sovereign credit rating.

Sovereign Parametric Insurance schemes (potentially developing into regional pooling arrangements similar to CCRIF SPC, ARC or PCRIC) face the problem of extremely low insurance penetration (below 1.0-1.5% across ECIS countries, with only Kazakhstan and Turkey around 2%) and overall geopolitical and even religious fragmentation between the countries of the region. The time required to increase insurance penetration is simply too long.

In the meantime, if there is to be a solution that benefits everyone for the peak exposures, it will probably have to be organized by the government in the form of a Disaster Risk Transfer instrument, ideally combining best practices and lessons learned from other regions with a simple, clear and effective working mechanism.

So, out of potentially available instruments, the transfer of sovereign disaster risks for large events to capital markets in the form of Parametric Catastrophe Bonds seems to be pragmatic and possible to introduce quickly in the ECIS region.

Another three specific regional factors include Belt & Road Initiative, Investors’ perception, and recent success of new ILS domiciles, i.e. Singapore success story.

With different possible connotations around the world, Chinese Belt & Road Initiative is probably the largest infrastructural project in the modern history, which plays a vital role in its neighboring and transit countries.

Presuming investments of billions of dollars going into critical infrastructure, the initiative is seen by transit countries as an important opportunity to expand their international trade and give a boost to the own and regional economies.

However, with key transport corridors passing through countries of CIS and Western Balkans, the thread of devastating natural disasters takes on new dimensions. Especially with such corridors passing through the most earthquake-exposed territories of Eurasia, if not the world.

The issue of infrastructure protection in case of large disaster remains open, and post-disaster finance arrangements raise a big question mark. Especially in cases relating to the potential of contingent business interruption losses, whereby an earthquake in Central Asia, Turkey or Western Balkans may stop the whole corridor to operate for significant amount of time.

Other important factors in favor of potential sovereign cat bonds in the region are Singapore’s recent endeavors in ILS sphere thus boosting the concept for Asia and intra-class diversification for investment portfolios.

Recent Singapore’s success in becoming ILS center in Asia was proved by the issuances of several bonds in 2019, including noteworthy $225 mil. transaction for the government Philippines for earthquake and tropical cyclone exposures for 3 years.

The stable appetite for ILS as uncorrelated asset class that institutional investors experience is concentrated on North American exposures. There is, therefore, a potential for intra-class diversification, and any new territory, especially the one yet be explored, shall attract big interest from investors’ circle as these options bring significant diversification element into their existing allocations/ILS portfolios.

Also, generally speaking, the overall performance of the ILS as asset class over the COVID-19 market volatility showed its bespoke value for uncorrelation purposes whereby it acted as almost defensive assets with only insignificant outflow in catastrophe bonds but only as investors were looking to free some resources to use in other affected areas.

So, there are no doubts that having ILS in the portfolios and different strategies will allow any asset manager to have some pure liquid and uncorrelated allocation.

This article was first published 17th June 2020 on Seeking Alpha

Text by Kirill Savrassov is CEO of Phoenix CRetro, a Bermudian ILS specialists focused on ILS solutions for Central Europe, ECIS and BRI transit countries.

E-mail: k.savrassov@phoenix-re.co.uk

Animal Movies and Action Men Interview with Hollywood Celebrity Monty Cox

Cox is a veteran in the entertainment industry. He is an internationally recognized, award-winning, Exotic Animal Trainer, 2nd Unit Director, Stunt Co-ordinator, Actor and Stuntman. He grew up in a trailer court in Oakland, California and his father was a merchant marine so often at sea.  With little money to support the family, his mother worked two jobs, gone from 8:00 in the morning to 22:00 at night, leaving Cox unsupervised. 

OCA: What do you remember of life growing up, before the calling of Hollywood? 

Monty Cox: My father would return home every 2, or 3, years.  He would instill in me manly virtues.  Never back down from anyone, one’s word is one’s bond, and always remember it is not what someone says -but what someone does that counts.  My father would be home for a week, or 2, then go again.

We moved to Reno, Nevada, when I was 12 years old.  Reno was a wild city.  The mafia was taking over the gambling casinos at that time: throwing people out of three-storey windows, shooting anyone who resisted etc. Crazed Native Americans, gang fights, and the call of the desert flavoured everything.  At the age of 13, my dad would drop me and my dog “Mambo” in the desert, 20 or 30 miles from the nearest town.  I would take very few things with me apart from water, a rifle, and a pistol.  “Mambo” and I would live off the land, eating rabbits.  

My friends were mostly Piut Indians.  Indeed, I spent most of my time on the Indian Reservation with my good friends “Ya Ya” and “Dog Eyes”. When I was 20, I moved to Pasadena, California, and began training in Boxing and Martial Arts.  I got a job as a commercial abalone diver: diving off the Channel Islands for abalone.  I then began skydiving.  I, along with 9 other skydivers, made the first “10 Man Star” in world history.  Never before had anything like this been achieved.

OCA: When did your career as a television and film professional start? 

MC: In 1965, I began working as an animal trainer at Africa USA.  Around this time, they were filming Dakar, Cowboy in Africa and Gentle ben.  Following negotiations, I flew to Miami to become the animal coordinator on Gentle Ben.  Now, Gentle Ben had attacked their previous coordinator: chewing him up and putting him in hospital.  Hence, I was sent to Florida to  “fix the bear”.  In short, to make him a working performer.  That  accomplished, I became the Head Animal Trainer for the Ivan Tors Studios in Miami, Florida. However, when Ivan Tor’s Studios closed down,  I returned to Los Angeles to become the chief Animal Coordinator for Africa USA.  Moreover, I went on to become the president of Africa USA.  Eventually, of course, I left Africa USA and opened my own company The Lion Wild Animals Rentals. Buying lions, tigers, bears and a baboon, in order to train them to work in the movies.  For 20 years, I owned and trained the Exxon Tigers.  During this time, I also trained Sigfried and Roy’s lions for their stage act in Las Vegas.  I won numerous commercial awards for Kal kan commercials – working with lions, tigers, house cats, and so on. Thereafter, I worked on Faberge commercials and Exxon commercials.

In 1983, at the annual Stunt Awards, I was awarded (by the stunt community) Best Stunt with an Animal for my “tiger attack” in the TV series Gambler with Kenny Rogers.  Overall, a very prestigious prize. 

OCA: As the best animal trainer in Hollywood, what are your most memorable projects? 

MC: My most memorable moment was undoubtedly working on the movie Apocalypse Now. Additionally, projects dealing with Native Americans were always my favourites.  Thus, Sun of the Morning Star, with Cyrus Yavneh as the Producer, stands out.  In addition, Crazy Horse – Custer’s Last Stand, Bird on a Wire (with Mel Gibson and Goldie Hawn) were particularly memorable. Looking back, I traveled all over Canada finding animals to train for these movies.

Yet, the most incredible movie I ever coordinated was Snow Tigers.  It was filmed in Canada during the winter.  We were working with tigers in extreme conditions (20 below zero).  Stated so, when netting tigers from horseback, I recall them attacking me as I drove a sleigh: thereby, flooring the horse that was pulling the sleigh. Furthermore, after netting tigers on foot, they started to try and eat me – one has to create the required emotion in a tiger for the scene to look authentic – all meaning, I used a “mean” tiger.  With all this in mind, it is hardly surprising I broke my back when netting one of these tigers from horseback. After all, the tiger attacked me on the horse while I was riding causing us both to fall to the ground- the horse landing on top of me.

OCA: Has your expert reputation as a Master Handler/Co-ordinator effected your profile as an actor? 

MC: As an actor I am very limited.  I am not really what you call an actor.  I can play parts that are what I am as a person, but I cannot be what I am not.

OCA: Have you ever collaborated with ECG board member Cyrus Yavneh? 

MC: I have co-ordinated all of Cyrus’ animal work and collaborated on numerous shows (doing stunts) for him over the past 30 years.  Cyrus is one of the best: a top-line producer in the business.  

OCA: Would work in central Asia be a challenge that would interest you? 

MC: Any work with another culture is always stimulating and exciting.  Our views, too often jaded by news reports and politics, are often wrong.  Indeed, people are people with good hearts and minds no matter where they are from.  Overall, I look forward to working in Central Asia with the present E.C.G. Chairman David Parry, as well as possibly teaming up with people from this region like Nikolai Pavlenko.

OCA: What are your plans for the future? 

MC: Getting my script financed and in production. All accompanied by a European tour for my book Animals Movies and Minds from another Time. Each a subject of interest to David Parry. What is more, I am currently working with two young lions – training them to perform in the movie business.  Equally, I have just finished filming a skit for YouTube with a great grizzly bear Tag.  If anyone goes onto Youtube and types my name, this skit will  automatically appear.  

WWW.OCAMAGAZINE.COM #26 SUMMER 2017  text by David Parry 

CENTRAL ASIA 3.0: 2020 AND BEYOND

WWW.OCAMAGAZINE.COM OCA#35 SUMMER 2020 text by Marc David Miller

For several years I have been out of the Central Asian market. Upon my return in 2019, I saw many changes in the region, changes that are not necessarily good or bad but that investors need to be aware of in order to understand the entire region and the individual countries.


There are three significant eras in the last 100 years for Central Asia (I chose 2019 as the divide between 2.0 and 3.0, as many issues that began in previous years have finally reached definitive stages of implementation):

Central Asia 1.0: 1920-1991.
The Soviet Years. Of some relevance (for instance, the effect of Korean ethnic population transfers to Uzbekistan and its impact on business today), but effectively Central Asia was tied to the Soviet economy.

Central Asia 2.0: 1992-2019.
Independence, the rise of China, conflict in Afghanistan, Kazakhstan’s encouragement of foreign investment, and European Economic Union. Five countries suddenly became independent in a matter of months, many institutions were carried over or became successors to their Soviet era counterparts. China became more important to each country’s economy, although countries were cautious because of questions of losing their sovereignty. The conflict in Afghanistan made the region a priority to the US government, as troops transited through the region to/from Afghanistan, planes were refueled out of Manas (Kyrgyzstan), and because Pakistan was considered an unreliable partner, transit routes (Northern Distribution Network) were developed. Most of these systems have been shut down and, unfortunately, not repurposed into civilian logistical routes. Rise of energy exports, led by Kazakhstan and its firm commitment to foreign investment. The Eurasian Economic Union, off to a slow start, tries to varying degrees to keep the region’s economies tied to Russia, and countries are just as concerned over issues of sovereignty regarding Russia as they are about China’s investment in the region. In addition, regional energy projects (especially hydroelectric from Kyrgyzstan to Afghanistan and Pakistan) are planned but stalled.

Central Asia 3.0: 2020 and Beyond.
China’s Belt and Road Initiative, a more open Uzbekistan, a more polarized US/Russia/China business and political climate, bigger push from US and EU for greater economic ties within the region, and Kazakhstan’s next generation of leadership.

As we look ahead, Central Asia 3.0: 2020 and Beyond, might be the start of the region’s greatest chapter. To some, China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), announced by President Xi Jinping in Nazarbayev University, Nur-Sultan in 2013, is ‘found money.’ China seems to be pouring billions in infrastructure projects, especially in the transportation arena. The appeal of BRI to a poor or middle income country (and even developed countries like Italy and Greece) is that it is the only game in town for many states, and promises to develop infrastructure on a massive scale in coordination with China’s trade routes. Setting aside issues of corruption in such development, a country’s leadership can show new projects to its people, projects that would probably not have been built without China’s participation.

Many countries are concerned with transparency, ‘debt trap diplomacy,’ lack of knowledge transfer, and ultimately loss of sovereignty, either de facto or de jure. Unlike projects funded by EBRD, ADB, the World Bank and other institutions in the West, these projects are largely ‘black holes’ in terms of their financing, construction, and operation. A common criticism is that BRI projects are almost always constructed by Chinese crews and just as critically, subcontracts are awarded to Chinese companies, preventing local companies and people from learning modern accounting, financing and engineering techniques. To contrast, when Telefónica, the Spanish telephone company, went into Latin America starting in the late 1980s, they hired over 300 contractors in their first five years—everything from work crews to wire vendors, from food suppliers to truck manufacturers—which enabled the individual countries to build entire industries, not only to support Telefónica but to bid on contracts for other companies locally and internationally. EBRD, World Bank, Asian Development Bank and development agencies from Western countries like US Development Finance Corporation encourage such development; however, the funding is currently not nearly at the level of BRI and its associated financial institutions.

Uzbekistan at independence had arguably the most developed economy in Central Asia, as well as the largest population. Unfortunately, it continued its Soviet-style command economy, with the negativity associated with massive corruption, authoritarian rule, and little prioritisation of its own people’s education and prosperity. Islam Karimov considered himself a ‘Scientific Socialist’ and therefor the natural leader of Central Asia and consequently did little to develop a free market. Although blessed with good natural resources and universal literacy, benefits did not trickle down to the general population. In addition, there were disputes with neighbours, especially Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, which prevented better regional economic integration. After Karimov’s death in 2016, Shavkat Mirziyoyev as president has led the country to better regional cooperation, a more open economy, and a vast improvement in human rights.

The geopolitical world is more clearly polarised today than it was 10 years ago. Russia is more aggressive and depending on its prosperity more likely to flex its muscles (Ukraine being the prime example). China is mastering the art of soft power, obviously lead by economic investment and trade with the Belt and Road Initiative but also other financing institutions like Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. However, investment from the US, European Union, Japan and Australia is largely favored by both the leadership of Central Asian countries and as well as the middle classes, as it is perceived to ‘come with fewer strings’ attached, as well as allowing a country to prosper. It is important to understand that there is an economic competition in Central Asia, a 21st century Great Game, and countries can benefit by choosing how they want to participate without giving up control of their economies, without giving up work and knowledge opportunities for their own citizens, and still maintaining good relations with their larger neighbours rather than being absorbed into them.

Both the US and the EU want the countries of Central Asia to trade more among themselves, as well as incorporate Afghanistan, the Caucasus, and Mongolia (the “CAMCA” region) to promote peace and prosperity in the region as well as avoid over-dependence on either China and/or Russia. Projects such as CASA-1000 (hydroelectric power from Kyrgyzstan into Afghanistan and Pakistan) which have been largely sitting in a desk drawer for 15 years are finally being constructed; the benefits in terms of fundamental improvement to people’s lives is immeasurable. In addition, better co-operation means more direct trade routes for Central Asian exports and imports—all Central Asian countries are landlocked, and Uzbekistan is the largest of the two double-landlocked countries in the world.

Finally, Kazakhstan is in the process of transitioning to its second generation of post-independence leadership. Because of its forward thinking in the 1990s in terms of emphasis on higher education, on investment climate, on poverty alleviation and income growth, as well as being blessed by un-squandered oil and other natural resources, the country has by far the strongest economy in the region. The transition from Nursultan Nazarbayev to Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signals that the generation trained abroad, that came back to participate in the development of the country, are now likewise taking positions of leadership in politics and industry. Innovations continue, notably the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) as a financial and legal hub connecting the economies of the Central Asia, the Caucasus, China, Mongolia, Middle East and US/Europe.

Image by Guilherme Romano from Unsplash

My new inspiration

Neo. Johnny Mnemonic. Ted. John Wick. Do these names ring a bell? All these characters were portrayed by one man, wonderful, spectacular man, Keanu Reeves. Both sincere and enigmatic, he breeds speculation, all kinds of a tales and fictitious stories were written about him, so in order to shed some light on the truth about him, we have decided that the goal of our book would be to separate the wheat from the chaff, tell the true story about his life and endeavors. And the reason we chose to write a book about him is plainly obvious – he deserves to be written about. Sure, there may be a multitude of articles about him, his play and his way of life, but we are first in publishing a comprehensive biography of his life to this day. The purpose of the book is to show relevant information about Keanu since we know that there is a lot of contradictions about him in the Internet.



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The year 2019 was very successful for my coauthor, Arkadiy Novikov and I; we have published our first book, “Mr. Keanu Reeves. The unfinished portrait. Part 1”, as the success story of a free person living his own spiritual life, without regard to generally accepted stereotypes and patterns. It was very important to include two parallel lines to the book; along with the well-recognized filmography and biography facts, it contains the view on actor’s spiritual vision. Laid a roadmap for future books (yes, there will be more, so hold your breath), not only as a tribute to Keanu and his work, his childhood and youth but as a token of our appreciation for his position in life.

In order to gather information we reviewed cult movies of Keanu’s, and contemplated about his unique ancestry, cultural and ethnic background. Our initial intent was to show the true intentions of Keanu, his values and belief, to tell the story of his success, not because he is such a lucky guy, but rather, due to his hard work and the power to retain optimism instead of all his failures. For three years we have been gathering information, and investigated over two hundred sources. 

As we were writing the book, many routes and different ideas of the plot were developed, exploited, rejected and accepted, as is customary for all writers. In the end we decided that there will be two parallel lines – physical and spiritual. Sure, there were some setbacks writing the book, we eventually overcame it, and gotten stronger in the process. Working with the most talented writer, my coauthor Arkadiy was a blast and I greatly enjoyed it, and his creativity and hard work carried us through the whole process of writing this book.

In addition, it would be wrong not to mention a wonderful American painter, Russell Powell whose painting is on the book cover. He has a unique method of creating pieces of art. It is called ‘hand stamping’. At first, Russell paints a picture on his hand, and then transfers it onto canvas. 

In November 2019, I was invited to participate in the eighth Open Eurasian Literary Festival and Book Forum (OEBF 2019), held in Brussels (Belgium), where I was honored by allowing me to hold a press conference. And what a wonderful experience that was. Among the participants of the conference, I met many wonderful talented people, they inspired me, they bolstered my resolve to write more. For me, this conference was the first of many to come in the same way as our first book is just the first of many to be published. This is a first step to a great many things to come, even as you read these words, a new book is being published this very moment, so be sure to check it out! Moreover, additional books are being written and the schedule of their edition and printing is already set.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Eurasian Creative Guild (London) for their kindness, professionalism and compassion. Without their help,we would have had much more trouble in achieving my goals, as their guidance aided us in the process of finding good publishing house, setting straight logistics lines to market, etc.

Our fascination with Keanu’s life is long-term; there is no doubt about it. He is a wonderful, breathtaking man, and it is truly an honor to write about him. We have a goal of making this world a better place, through our work, our publications and our agenda, so we intend to write for as long, as Keanu has the will to act and, since he is an immortal (wink wink), we will write for ever!

If you want to buy the book follow this link:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1913356051/ref=cm_sw_r_wa_awdb_t1_F-L0DbQ2CWARH

WWW.OCAMAGAZINE.COM  text by Yevgeniya Sikhimbayeva

THE COVID CRISIS IN CENTRAL ASIA COMPLIANCE, CAUTION AND DENIAL

WWW.OCAMAGAZINE.COM OCA#35 SUMMER 2020 text by Gareth Stamp

As the whole world is coming to terms with what is a ‘new world’ post pandemic, the spotlight is falling on the response of countries to the crisis and as of equal importance how they are dealing with economic recovery. At the time of writing (mid May 2020) the situation around the globe is still very fluid and cautious but an initial focus on the countries of the Central Asian region shows a wide variety of responses and different levels of effectiveness in those responses.

Central Asia has a population of about 72 million, consisting of five republics: Kazakhstan (pop. 18 million), Kyrgyzstan (6 million), Tajikistan (9 million), Turkmenistan (6 million), and Uzbekistan (33 million) and while the Novel Coronavirus itself seems to have reached Central Asian states relatively late, they were among the first to feel its economic effects. Across Central Asia, governments ordered confinement measures, paralysing most of the economy, both formal and informal but did so at different speeds.

“Saving lives has been and will continue to be the driving principle behind the government’s actions. The government is communicating clear and consistent guidelines for the reopening in certain regions. A measured and responsible approach will ensure the economy can begin reopening while keeping the risk to people’s lives low,” said Erzhan Kazykhanov (Kazakhstan’s ambassador to the United States.) writing in the New York Times in early May as measures were beginning to be lifted in the country.

Most, but not all, Central Asian governments have prepared and implemented specific policies to respond to the health situation and to try to mitigate the fallout from the economic consequences. Some have delved into national funds to continue financial flows and support small businesses through the crisis including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. This has included loan deferrals, postponing tax declarations or exempting firms from social contributions among other measures.

Several countries have called for emergency financial support from international partners and have received emergency funding to mitigate the immediate economic impact of the COVID-19. For instance, Kyrgyzstan was the first country to benefit from emergency support funds from the IMF.

Economic issues are highlighted by the fact that Chinese imports from Central Asia fell sharply in the first quarter, and PetroChina issued a force majeure notice, cutting planned gas purchases from Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. According to Chinese trade data, January-February imports from Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan were down more than 17 and 35% respectively. Trade turnover with Kyrgyzstan fell almost 12%. Given that more than 75-80% of Turkmenistan’s exports have been to China in recent years, the cost to that country is particularly great, according to OECD data.

Based on the experience of the 2008 financial crash and subsequent commodities price issues, it is predicted that regional growth will fall significantly, and public finances will come under more strain. The shock of the global drop in commodity prices has a particularly strong impact on countries with large mining and raw material sectors. The combination of reduced export earnings, particularly for hydrocarbon exporting economies such as Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, and significant trade disruptions will narrow the monetary gap for governments to respond, limiting their ability to stimulate local demand, support businesses, and address long-term priorities.

Central banks in the region are adopting differing policy responses. The National Bank of Kazakhstan adopted an initially restrictive monetary policy, increasing its policy rate, while supporting the currency against over-depreciation, in an attempt to prevent a surge of pass-through inflation. By contrast, the central banks of Mongolia and Kyrgyzstan have eased constraints on banks’ liquidity ratios and lowered policy rates in an attempt to channel additional liquidity to the economy. Kazakhstan followed suit in early April. Uzbekistan has adopted a third approach, allowing for targeted and eased refinancing operations of commercial banks, while keeping its policy rate unchanged at a record high.
The countries of Central Asia are geographically fragmented and the real effect on communities varies widely. Tested COVID-19 outbreaks have been focused in the major urban hubs and whether by geography, climate or luck the virus has not appeared to spread rapidly. Early action and testing have proved successful in countries such as Mongolia, which at the time of writing only had a small number of cases which were all ‘imported’ and their lengthy lockdown was all but eased. Other countries were less quick and even denied the existence of any cases – all of this will be highlighted in post pandemic enquires by local and international organisations.

Central Asia, which already faces challenges with public service delivery, has overall coped with testing and tracking but in this region such measures need to be adapted to local conditions as there is no system to fit all.

And what of life for the everyday person in Central Asia at this time? Well again the experience has been seen to be polarised. Those with income in the formal business sectors have been able, on the whole, to weather the storm. Those involved in the informal sectors have fared less well. Anecdotal evidence from rural areas show the resilience of small communities – maybe used to the isolation and more self-sufficiency. The real impact appears to be on the young aspiring middle classes that have over the past twenty years moved to the new cities and new jobs. The levels of credit for this group was already high and now many of them may well be saddled with unemployment, debt and destroyed dreams.

But there have also been a large number of positive stories, the renewal of community spirit and online connectivity. Examples of coordinated charitable giving, artistic and creative people working together and sharing their work internationally for the first time and even enterprising people seeing exciting new opportunities for business development. Only time will tell what the true fallout will be, but based on previous experiences and hardships, the resilience and positivity of Central Asian people will win through.

images by Natalie Mahod, Chris Bentley

Projective graphics through the eyes of an art critic

“Imagination is more important than knowledge,” — those words of Einstein might describe Yelena Bezrukova’s approach to art. She herself confesses that she has no professional training in art – she is entirely self-taught. But this has not been an obstacle to her pioneering the concept of projective graphics! 

But then the whole idea of ‘projective graphics’ is unconventional and intriguing. And Yelena’s discovery of it was equally surprising and unplanned. It started,it seemed, from idle doodling on pieces of paper, but gradually flowered into an entire independent concept of art work. 

At first, it seemed so off-the-wall and casual that it was easy to dismiss –if only because it did not fit into any customary genre of figurative arts – unrelated to any recognizable format for picture, caricature, bookplate, portrait. But as it developed, a completely new approach to art developed, now called projective graphics; while the works themselves are called graphemes (from the Greek for  “writing”). 

The paradox of projective graphics is while it has much in common with figurative art, it has its own unique nature. It has no tradition to rest upon; there are no plot or socio-generating components; nor does it rely on normal creative processes or influence of the art world. 

Everything in projective graphics rests upon sudden revelation, magical intuition, the insight of the psychologist that Yelena actually is, all guided by artistic taste. It empowers the creation of images in a spontaneous but highly concentrated way. It’s full of contradictions: concise, yet deep and aesthetically expressive! 

In working this way, Yelena Bezrukova jumped fearlessly, and maybe a little recklessly, into unknown territory. And yet she had complete confidence in her path. It  seemed entirely natural! One guesses that her professional experience as a psychologist helped – with its sharp observation, tenacity of memory, intense communication, emotional compassion and intellectual curiosity. And of course, the art world itself was not entirely strange to her. She had long had a passionate interest in classical music, needlework, and the beauty of literary expression. Yelena was also blessed with the support of her longtime friend and colleague Valentina Tikhomirova that really mattered when she was embarking on such an obscure voyage. What if it was all a fleeting delusion, lacking any serious worth? 

And yet Yelena’s lack of familiarity with the rules of figurative art was not only no hindrance but actually gave her complete freedom of self-expression. Her work was not held back by any of the tension an artist often feels in bending creativity to fit normal rules, a tension that often kills fresh ideas. Yelena is not dragged down by the complexity of searching for ways to express her message. The experienced eye of the “anatomist of human nature” effortlessly selects the right bricks for building the human image, practically assembled in her mind already, imprinted in her heart during the process of observation and learning from people, who involuntarily became the objects of art, spontaneous models for the artist. Now the matter depends on the performance. The entire creative process lasts just minutes and ends in complete closure, where there is nothing to add or take away. With the accuracy of a sniper, an image shoots out fully realized, placed on a white piece of paper perfectly fitting its size and proportions! 

During these incredibly short bursts of creation, everything is logical and precise. The ability to formulate soul vibrations – with the emotions of the models precisely captured, with exact logging  of complex  communicative interaction – cannot fail to impress! In addition, there is no distraction with efforts to create volume, three-dimensionality, light and shadow modeling. It is all about integrity of pattern, sharpness of psychoanalysis, as if the distillation of a multisession portrait! Everything comes at a high speed level, both thinking and feeling! The most significant characteristics of a person concentrated and reduced, without anything superfluous. And the lines have great beauty of lines uninterrupted, with stylistic purity specific particularly for the projective graphics. It  all seems so effortless, everything is so brilliant and fine while preserving the poetic, lyric and ironic harmony. Each grafelva has its unique accent!  

Each page has its own unique aura of associations. For example, “Curtsey” suggests the fine curve of a bow in the image of the person, contrasting the movement with the somewhat absurd silhouette of his body, enhanced by the absurdness of his silhouette. There is a fine irony in that noted by the artist. 

In general, the masterly correlation of minimalism in every drawing with the often miraculous ambiguity of the image or the situation is riveting. In “Teenager on the wave” — the vibrating energy of the lines shows the psychological ambiguity of the image: both the awkwardness of the teenager, and his dash, dynamic energy of youth and some abashment… How can one put so much into a fleeting image?! It is all lived through, suffered inside, and yet the final result is there! 

The composition “Peace” is a whole psychological drama where with the help of tiny, slightly visible strokes she captures the feeling of offence first and repentance second! In these miniatures one can combine an entire literary simile, or a dramatic essay, or a series of satirical miniatures! It opens a vast area for the imagination! It is a graphic alloy of various types of art with many stylistic overlays that can be traced! 

It is a kind of universal art where the miraculous synthesis of various graphic characteristics shows the depth of internal emotional experience by the author and expressed on paper. Each page conceals its own encrypted code, which is great fun for the viewer to solve. And that quality of grafelva entices them into the process of cooperation, the analysis of such imagery including psychological pictorial puzzles, allegories, association and symbols… Every time, there is something new, unusual, engaging in its unpredictability. Yelena Bezrukova has found a niche that is entirely new and entirely her own, free from the slavery of the commonplace. It has allowed her to break free, without “becoming someone’s thought’s slave” (Kluchevskiy) , Mariya Zhumagulova, fine art expert, member of the Union of journalists of Kazakhstan, fine art expert V. O. Kluchevskiy.

WWW.OCAMAGAZINE.COM  text by Maria Zhumagulova- art critic, member of the Union of Artists of Kazakhstan; member of the Union of Journalists of Kazakhstan

INTERVIEW: IHOR KYZYM, AMBASSADOR OF UKRAINE TO BELARUS

WWW.OCAMAGAZINE.COM OCA#35 SUMMER 2020

As Ukraine continues to look towards the EU for its future, OCA Magazine met with the Ukrainian Ambassador to Belarus, in order to find out more about the European geopolitical direction of the country, as well as the development of Ukrainian-Belarusian relations.
OCA: What is the regime of work of your embassy during the coronavirus pandemic?
IK: Obviously, the situation with the pandemic in Ukraine and the rest of the world affected the work of Ukrainian diplomatic institutions abroad, including our own Embassy. Above all, we value the health and safety of the embassy staff, as well as that of the guests of our diplomatic institution. Thus, since the 14th of March this year, the Embassy has been working in a special mode. In particular, we suspended the reception of visitors on consular issues, with the exception of some emergency cases. Our consular staff is still available online and on the phone hotline.
Unfortunately, I also had to cancel or reschedule important events. For example, the Days of Ukrainian Business in Belarus as well as a public screening of the film «My Grandmother from Mars» and a number of other events.
However, the embassy is working. Some of the employees switched to the so-called ‘remote’ work mode, others still go to work while observing certain requirements of self-isolation (fortunately, every diplomat has his own office). The Embassy continues to fulfill its functions, which consists of representing the interests of Ukraine in relation to the Republic of Belarus and protecting the rights of our citizens in Belarus. Of course, the special workload now lies with the consular section of the Embassy. Our consular staff assists Ukrainians 24 hours a day, especially those who need help to return to Ukraine or to resolve urgent issues.
In addition, we continue to deal with issues related to the development of bilateral relations in the political and economic fields. After all, the pandemic will pass, and our main task today is not to lose the achievements that we have made in our bilateral relations.
OCA: Your work as the diplomatic representative of Ukraine has led you to many countries, such as France, Nigeria, Canada and Great Britain. You have been in the Republic of Belarus for three years now, what differences in cultures between these countries are most noticeable?
IK: There are several particular features. Firstly, Belarus is our neighbor, a country with which we have a common border of about 1084 km. There is always a special relationship between countries that share borders. Since we cannot choose our neighbors, it is vital to live in peace with them. This was not the case with the previous countries where I worked in.
In this context, I need to mention that Ukraine and Belarus have somewhat opposing strategic aspirations. Ukraine has a clear strategic goal of joining the EU and NATO while Belarus has strong contacts within the framework of the Eurasian community and Tashkent Treaty.
Despite this, our countries, traditionally, have friendly relations. For many centuries, starting from the Kyivan Rus, the period of Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union, we practically lived in one state. Moreover, we obtained independence almost simultaneously. We have very close cultures and languages. We even speak without translators at conferences using Ukrainian and Belarusian languages. Linguists reveal that 83% of the vocabulary in Ukrainian and Belarusian coincide. To my mind, these are the three main features that make relations between Belarus and Ukraine special and very different from relations with countries of my previous missions.
OCA: What was the most memorable thing you found during your stay in the UK?
IK: In regard to my diplomatic work I have to mention the deep understanding by politicians and representatives of the British public of the events taking place in Ukraine. Everyone understands how careful they should be while speaking about the war in Donbas and Ukrainian-Russian relations. The UK supported Ukraine from the very beginning of our conflict with Russia and we are grateful for that. For all these years, providing us, not with weapons, but with economic, political and military training assistance. For the UK, it is clear who the aggressor in Crimea and Donbas is and the British understand our internal situation very well. It was very helpful in carrying out my mission.
In general, the UK is well known for its traditions and democracy. I was astonished by the work of the British Parliament, as well as the decision-making process and the perfect coordination of action by their governmental agencies. Ukraine can learn a lot from the UK. I hope that despite all the changes that are currently happening, including Brexit, the UK will continue to support Ukraine. We count on British support in keeping the pressure on Russia in order to restore the territorial integrity of our country.
OCA: The Republic of Belarus is not only the closest neighbor of Ukraine, but also an important ally in the settlement of the conflict in the Donbas region. How do you work with the government of Belarus to engage and assist in these delicate matters?
IK: Let us be correct. Belarus is not a mediator in our negotiations with Russia on Donbas and Crimea. In this regard, Belarus takes a neutral position, and president Lukashenko has repeatedly said, “We will support what Ukraine and Russia agree to”. However, we are grateful to Belarus for providing a platform for conflict resolution negotiations. In this regard, the role of Belarus is important as it helps provide ideal conditions for such negotiations.
OCA: How do you plan to develop relations between Belarus and Ukraine in both trade and economic spheres?
IK: At the moment, the economy is an essential component of Ukrainian-Belarusian relations. For Belarus, we are the second largest trade partner, and for Ukraine, Belarus is the second in the post-Soviet space and the fifth largest in general. Therefore, we have highly developed cooperative ties.
The growth rate in bilateral trade has slowed down a bit, nevertheless, a slight increase has been recorded last year. In 2019 trade between our countries amounted to about 6 billion US dollars. And we do hope that despite all problems caused by COVID-19 we will keep positive dynamic in trade this year.
In 2018 we have started to organize a Forum of Regions, that is, we are taking regional cooperation very seriously. Two regional forums have already been held in Belarus (Gomel) and Ukraine (Zhytomyr). They provided a great opportunity for regional leaders to meet personally and agree directly on cooperation. At the first forum (2018), nine regional agreements were signed, at the second forum (2019) – thirteen. The presidents of the two countries participated in each of the Forums. We are preparing now for the third Forum and we expected both presidents would take part in it.
Largely thanks to such forums over the past two years, all 6 Belarusian regions and 19 Ukrainian regions intensified their bilateral trade. In addition, in recent years, the number of contact and agreements between the cities of our countries has significantly increased. We actively support these developments.
OCA: Since 2014, Ukraine signed an Association Agreement with the European Union to strengthen ties in the areas of politics, trade, culture and security. The course of President Volodymyr Zelensky regarding foreign policy is to make Ukraine an equal member of the European Union. In your opinion, how long will the implementation of this plan last and will it be successful?
IK: My assessment is that we will continue to move in this direction. Honestly speaking, I can see that the main trends are being preserved. This is evident from the recent visits and meetings of our president. There is no doubt that we are moving in the right direction defined by our Constitution – full membership of Ukraine in the EU and NATO. But how long this will take is a question that no one can answer today. Nevertheless, we all want this to happen faster.
OCA: The EU is facing widespread criticism of expanding too much too quickly with major migration and economic concerns. What would Ukraine bring to the EU that mitigates these fears and adds to the union?
IK: My view is that without Ukraine, the model of the European Union will not be finalized. Therefore, I see Ukraine as part of the European Union, as a single structure. I think that migration will bring many opportunities, taking into account human resources, capital resources – these opportunities are great for both sides. By the way, even now, despite all restrictive measures connected to COVID-19, Ukrainians workers are very demanded on European labor market.
OCA: There is a stereotype that corruption is a widespread problem for Ukraine. This could make for a significant challenge to Ukraine’s ambitions to join the European Union. What further measures are being taken by the government to eradicate corruption? How does Belarus compare?
IK: The question is very relevant. Reforms have been undertaken and special structures have been created in order to combat corruption. The main question now is whether these structures will work. This is a challenge for the president of Ukraine and all of us. I am a supporter of radical measures, not only the adoption of law, but also actions. Regarding Belarus, there have never been major complaints. Here, the governance system is tough in the fight against corruption. There are strong law enforcement agencies and from time to time they reported about success in this field.
OCA: On the world stage, there is a double attitude to the Russian Federation. Not so long ago, a new list of anti-Russian sanctions came into force. To what extent does Ukraine still serve as a pretext for world leaders to impose sanctions?
IK: Ukraine is not a pretext for anti-Russian sanctions. Sanctions were imposed because of the armed aggression of Russia against our country. They are effective. I can even say that if sanctions were tougher, we would have had a completely different picture and peace on Ukrainian land. The only effective way to restore the territorial integrity of Ukraine and force Russia to leave Crimea and Donbas is to impose sanctions. These sanctions should continue until Russia understands that it is losing, and should be lifted only after Russian troops are withdrawn from Crimea and Donbas.
OCA: How has the conflict between Russia and Ukraine changed the relations with Central Asian countries?
IK: We have no problems. This is Russia’s problem with everyone. All post-Soviet states have problems with Russia in some areas. However, there are no problems between Ukraine and Central Asian countries, such as Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan among other. In fact, our relations with these countries are developing rather well. Everyone wants peaceful and mutually beneficial relations with Russia, but it is extremely hard to deal with them. So, let us together make Russia understand what it is doing wrong.

EURASIANIASM — FROM LITHUANIA TO LONDON

 

OCA #35 SUMMER 2020 WWW.OCAMAGAZINE.COM interview prepared by Saniya Seilkhanova
INTERVIEW: ALDONA GRUPAS


Born in Riga, Latvia, to Lithuanian parents, Aldona Grupas later moved to Klaipėda in Lithuania, before resettling in the UK, where she embarked on a geriatric-nursing career. She has written books for Lithuanians who move to the UK to help them settle and has reflected upon her own personal and professional journeys to help others navigate their new lives. OCA Magazine got the chance to ask Grupas a few questions about how her own experience has embodied the feeling of Eurasianism that many readers and members of the Eurasian Creative Guild (ECG) have been expressing over the years.
OCA Magazine: What is “Eurasianism” for you?
Aldona Grupas: For me it is about the opportunity to be a member of a group with similar views. It is about taking part in multicultural events such as the Open Eurasian Literature Festival & Book Forum or the Eurasian Film Festival. And then, building on that it provides the opportunity to publish information and articles in English on platforms such as this magazine. Finally by bringing people together it provides the opportunity for exchange of ideas and feedback of experienced from experts, writers and readers.
OCA: Who are your favourite artists?
AG: I have a few but probably my favourite is Bob Proctor, a world-renowned speaker, motivational coach, author of bestselling books, as well as a Law of Attraction teacher. I’d also cite American novelist Margaret Mitcheel. And Tina Turner is a pretty good singer and actress!
OCA: Have you taken part in the events of the Eurasian Creative Guild (London)?
AG: Yes, I participate in guild events. I have been to literary weeks in London, forums and the Open Eurasian literature and book forum festival in Brussels.
OCA: What does the Eurasian Creative Guild mean to you, and how does it influence your work and creativity?
AG: It provides me with the opportunity to participate in the Open Eurasia literary competition and other ECG projects. It is also a meeting place for professionals providing a wide range of activities and serving as place for discussion of their work with each other.
OCA: What projects have you participated in and which ones do you plan to participate?
AG: I participated in the competition ‘Small Prose’ in the category ‘Literature’ in the nomination Woman’s writing. And I was awarded 2nd place in this nomination. I also participated in an online competition #NOcovidECG.
I have published my new book, “It Is Not Easy To Be An Angel” with Hertfordshire Press and I am planning to present the book at the literary week in London. I also plan to participate in some competitions.
OCA: What would you say to the members of the Guild, just starting their career?
AG: When a writer sets out on their career, they need a community of interest to help them negotiate the creative world. The Eurasian Creative Guild (London) was established to stand up for the career of writers and creative people. The ECG is your friend in the business.
OCA: Do you have a personal project that you would like to talk about?
AG: Yes, I do. My editor, David Stanford, is currently working on a book on the Lithuanian community in West Anglia after World War II. It is called ‘West Midlands Ho! The Community Life and Personal Tales of Lithuanian Refugees since World War II’. This book, is a revised and updated edition of a book published in 2014 under the title “Lithuanian Community in the West Midlands after the Second World War (1947–2012)”.
I produced the original book with the help of a wide range of people, mostly members of the Lithuanian community in the West Midlands. The focus was on the personal tales of refugee families who had settled in this corner of England after World War II. In addition, I provided some historical information on the Lithuanian community as a whole, including its social and cultural activities over several decades.
OCA: What can you tell us about Lithuanian society in the UK?
AG: There are more than 100,000 Lithuanians in London and over 200,000 in the UK. The largest Lithuanian communities can be found in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Nottingham, Bradford, and in Scotland.
Lithuanian student associations have been established at the universities of Birmingham, Edinburgh, Huddersfield, Cambridge, Leeds, London, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, Oxford, Southampton and Warwick.
Lithuanian schools, kindergartens, children’s clubs, language, ethnocultural, art studies were founded by Aberdeen and Fraserburgh (Aberdeenshire), Armagh, Birmingham, Bolton, Colchester, Crawley, Dungannon (Northern Ireland), Glasgow, Ipswich, Leyton, Kingston upon Hull Lithuanians from Lincoln, London, Luton, Cambridge, Corby, Great Yarmouth, King’s Lynn, Norwich, Nottingham, Peterborough, Portadown (Northern Ireland), Scunthorpe, Wolverhampton.
The Lithuanian Youth Union of the United Kingdom is also active. There is a British Lithuanian Basketball League and a British Lithuanian Sports Association,
Our feature is diligence and appreciation and preservation of culture.
Our pride is basketball.
OCA: Being a nurse,what made you decide to write a book?
AG: My second book (Nurse, give me a pill for death…) is different from the first – as this book highlights much of my own journey. It is important to me that it is not seen as a self-indulgent autobiography, but rather I tell from my unique perspective both the experiences newcomers have who come to make a life in the UK from overseas– and also from the perspective of my work. Both my husband and I have professional qualifications and experiences in the medical field – this book shows our struggle to join this field in the UK. I wanted the book to be challenging as well as heart-warming too.
OCA: What inspires you to write about peoples’ lives?
AG: My hope is that whilst you may be challenged and compelled to see things in a new light –most of all, you will be inspired by people who not only come to the UK from Lithuania but also from many other countries.
OCA: Why do you think that medicine is important in literature?
AG: The book has been and remains an important source of spiritual and cultural human development. Artistic text is a complex phenomenon: it is both a means of communication, and way to store and transmit information, a reflection of the psychological life of a human, a product of a certain historical era and reflection of national culture and traditions.
The image of a doctor is present in a large number of works of classical and modern literature, which gives us the right to argue: the profession of a doctor at all times has been in demand in society.
OCA: How does your working day now look during the Covid-19 pandemic?
AG: There are no particularly big changes in my work. I do my job as always. Helping people feel better. Of course, precautionary measures are strengthened. We protect our patients and we must protect ourselves for those who need us.
Panic and stress are the main difficulty. Not knowing what will happen next. Mostly I think about my team and patients. Our team supports each other and our patients with a positive attitude.
OCA: What would you advise people during this pandemic?
AG: I have no special secrets. I can only advise what they say everywhere on the radio or TV. Wash your hands!  Disinfect surfaces. Don’t eat food or handle dishes or utensils touched by a sick family member. Don’t share a towel with anyone in your household who is sick. Don’t shake hands, kiss or hug people. Practice good hygiene.

Lecture about Savitsky Museum helps to raise funds for anti-COVID-19 campaign in Uzbekistan

Last Sunday, Solidarity with Uzbekistan, a digital fundraising campaign benefited from yet another webinar to help raise money for the vulnerable people affected by COVID-19 lockdown in the country. An interesting lecture about the Savitsky Museum given by its former director Marinika Babanazarova was fully booked. Held at 3pm in London, the Zoom-session attracted over 40 participants dialing in from all around the world, including guests from Europe, New Zealand, Peru, and Canada.

Located in Nukus, this Uzbekistan’s museum is a jewel hidden in its north-western part – Karakalpakstan. Due to the latter’s arid climate, the museum is sometimes referred to as the Louvre of the Desert. It hosts the world’s greatest collection of avant-garde art (ironically, the collection is famous abroad, albeit not so well-known by the Uzbeks within or across the globe). Marinika Babanazarova gave an insightful lecture about the art collection and life of Igor Savitsky, the museum founder, who managed to rescue dissident or “forbidden” art pieces turning all into a museum in 1966. The lecturer had a lot to share having served as the museum’s director for over 30 years (she was trusted to do so by the late Savitsky himself).

An engaging talk led to many questions, which transformed an initially planned 45-minutes webinar into full two hours. Touching on art collections, rare artifacts, Karakalpak culture, history and life of the founder, this lecture helped to raise additional $6,000 for the Solidarity with Uzbekistan campaign.

Launched in April 2020 by Uzbek diaspora in France and UK, the GoFundMe campaign currently stands at 19,777 GBP thanks to generous donations from Uzbek diaspora and friends of Uzbekistan. The organisers hope the fundraising (welcoming donations at https://www.gofundme.com/f/covid19-solidarity-with-uzbekistan) continues generating interest.

The funds raised will be matched by the EBRD community initiative special fund, according to Kamola Makhmudova, one of the UK organisers. “In line with the terms of EBRD’s “Community Initiative” program, the fundraising campaign may continue until December 1, 2020 or until the donations reach 50 thousand euro” she said.

The beneficiary is an Uzbek NGO – “Ezgu Amal” Foundation that supports children at high-risk – especially those fighting cancer. “Ezgu Amal” is trusted to distribute the funds for social and medical needs of the people the most affected by the pandemic, including minors at risk. The NGO was chosen by the campaign organisers in good faith after a series of interviews and careful selection process. “Ezgu Amal” promises to allocate the funds in accordance with the guidelines amid the lockdown constraints during this difficult time. Organisers say the NGO will be fully accountable, as it will provide transparent and detailed reports on the use of funds.

Prior to last weekend’s lecture, Solidarity with Uzbekistan campaign was boosted by #dance4Uzbekistan challenge. It saw professional dancers from Uzbekistan teach various types of Uzbek dance moves to numerous participants globally. Another Zoom-session was dedicated to making palov, Uzbekistan’s most favourite dish, by an Uzbek chef – Bahriddin Chustiy.

LONDON, 18.06.2020

By Zaynab Muhammad-Dost  

 

Kaliningrad – A City of Poets

 “I arrived at my station in Kaliningrad
as if posted there by an army of desires
entering through the gate with a firm set jaw
into the guarding teeth of iron girders
driven into the soft soul of the soil
by hammering heels as bold as yours

approaching a fateful encounter quite naughty
amidst ghosts in an Eastern European night
its sights built when all roads led to Königsberg city
taking pretty daughters of frightening Prussian knights
to a military parade past the rust of heavy industry…”

An excerpt from a poem by Anthony Williams

 

Kaliningrad is a city of contrasts. Unlike any other Russian city, Kaliningrad was built from the ruins of old Prussian capital city of Konigsberg, a citadel on the shores of Baltic sea. Here, Prussian discipline merged with Russian creativity, to create a truly unique architectural image. Old German gothic architecture alternates with new Russian modernism, the spirit of ordnung with the Russian soul, this contrast gave a huge impulse to a fast development of the city.

Walking through the old quaint streets, you feel like the heroine of a good medieval fairy tale. The main thing is to notice are the details and enjoy the beauty. Kaliningrad is called the amber capital of Russia, few cities can boast of such a favour of nature! The Amber Room is a small World Wonder, but your Kaliningrad grandmother could have amber pictures all around her flat’s walls. More than 80 percent of the world’s sunstone reserves are concentrated here.

Kaliningrad is a welcoming jewel of the Baltic, a city first built by the Teutons to battle Lithuanian romuvans, later a home of Friedrich I, the first king of Prussia, Emmanuel Kant, the great philosopher and the site of some of the bloodiest battles of the 20th century – during East Prussia Offensive, the Red Army stormed an impenetrable stronghold of Konigsberg. Kaliningrad truly has a lot to offer for any visitor: great architectural wonders – a castle, various churches, houses, fountains, and different museums.

This city personally sets me up for a philosophical view, perhaps because one of the greatest philosophical minds, Emmanuel Kant, lived and worked here. Thanks to Kant, namely his grave, the main attraction of the city survived – the Cathedral of the 13th century! If you are ever lucky enough to visit this Cathedral, you will be able to feel the spirit of the old Konigsberg from the time of the great philosopher and feel the mysterious breath of that time. Königsberg Cathedral is built in a brick Gothic-style with a magnificent pipe organ, the largest in Europe.

The land of Kaliningrad gave birth to many talented people, among them many poets, and many more came here in search of its unique spirit. Some famous names include Simon Dach, Kristijonas Donelaitis, Ernst Theodor Wilhelm Hoffmann, Simkin Sam Haimovich, and Ziborov Eugen Alexandrovich.

Kaliningrad, the most western and European city of Russia ,this year will become the centre of poetic life of Eurasia. The Eurasian Creative Guild (London), giving due note to the city’s long and bright history, the beauty of its buildings and its unique atmosphere merging the two cultures – Russian and European – has decided to host its first Eurasian Poetic Festival in Kaliningrad.

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Kaliningrad oblast, a co-organiser of this event, notes that the Eurasian Poetic Festival will fit right in to the city that easily mixes old and new, German and Russian, East and West, and will play a key part in uniting poets from all over Eurasia.

Welcome to Kaliningrad – a place of contrasts, rich history and good people!

Azerbaijanis around the world celebrate their National Day on May 28

Establishment of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic on 28 May, 1918 was a glorious page in Azerbaijani history. Committing to principles of democracy and secularity, ADR was the first parliamentary republic in the Muslim East, granting women the right to vote before most western democracies.

ADR fell in April 1920 after Bolshevik invasion. Nevertheless, it laid the foundations of Azerbaijani statehood and in 1991, the restored independent Azerbaijani state recommitted itself to the traditions of the First Republic.

Today Azerbaijan is a dynamic, modern country, actively contributing to the maintenance of international peace and security and promoting tolerance and multiculturalism in domestic and international levels.

Guided by the supremacy of international law, Azerbaijan’s multi-vectored foreign policy enabled it to build reliable partnerships across the continents. The only exception is Armenia, with whom Azerbaijan has no relations due to the continuing aggression and occupation policy of this country against Azerbaijan.

As an oil exporter country, Azerbaijan plays a critical role in global and in particular European energy security. Yet, amid the recurring economic fluctuations the country has redoubled its multi-faceted reform agenda in a bid to achieve a sustainable economic development which already bears its fruit nowadays.

This year Azerbaijan celebrates its National Day at a time when the world is fighting novel Coronavirus pandemic. Azerbaijan was one of a few countries to introduce early and effective measures to contain the spread of the virus. “Restructuring its healthcare system in the shortest possible time, promoting global solidarity, Azerbaijan, in spite of the sharp decrease in global oil prices, also managed to mitigate negative socio-economic impacts of pandemic with government having so far allocated AZN 3 billion towards this end”, said Mr. Tahir Taghizade, Ambassador of Azerbaijan in the UK. 

Azerbaijan, as chairman of the Non-Alignment Movement for the 2019-2022, held its first-ever virtual summit on 4 May, under the leadership of President Aliyev where more than 40 joining heads of state discussed the necessity of implementing an effective global response to COVID-19. Azerbaijan allocated about USD 10 million to the WHO especially with the objective to help needy population in Africa, Asia and Latin America amid pandemic. WHO experts hailed the country’s healthcare preparedness and in a letter to President Ilham Aliyev, WHO Chief called the measures taken by Azerbaijan “exemplary”.

Cherishing the legacy of First Republic and in spite of ever-emerging challenges, Azerbaijan continues to reshape itself to serve the best interests of its population and international community.

 

 

Extinction Rebellion Inspires Ecological Readings In Kyrgyzstan

International Extinction Rebellion and the Legacy of the 2003 London Anti-war marches

I have been following the discourses and actions by Extinction Rebellion for a while now, pretty much ever since its inception in London. It is an quite an endeavour and a very brave approach of handling current climate issues and the potential for an ecological catastrophe to unfold before our eyes.

As a Kyrgyz woman who spent most of her formative years in the end of 1990s and early 2000 in the UK, USA, and Europe studying and working (including a stint with the Financial Times), I gained a more or less balanced view of the Western spearheading of the Eurocentric outlook at the Rest of the World and the former USSR. I found that the outlook was tainted by the lack of understanding about the history and culture of Central Asia but with plenty of what was in fact a predatory interest in the oil, gold, rare metals, minerals, and cheap labour sourced from the region. At the same time the official, corporate, and research agenda had been linked to the human rights, democracy, and good governance advancement and most recently green economic and climate discourse – which made it seem ever more sinister, is there any disinterested agenda among them? I became aware that the hegemonic liberal ideal and method diffusion through the bilateral and multilateral organizations and their projects in Kyrgyzstan often brought harm as only a narcotic needle of donor injections can do on a community that lacked the Third Sector (the social self-organization sector) during the Soviet years. The so-called civil society started growing with the arrival and motivation of international donors and their inscribed agendas since early 1990s to Central Asia. But can we really complain about it? Can we at this time of history stay away from this, which seems to be not a mere wave but a tidal wave of tsunami proportions within the global development “industrial” complex with some unpredictable consequences for the local communities.

Nevertheless, there is still a great deal of human and cultural interfacing and interbeing that makes the globalist project less harmful in some ways. The connections at the people’s, intellects’, and hearts’ level also happened in London for me and it turned out to be a rewarding experience mainly because it brought to my attention the civil disobedience and some of the most progressive thinking about labour, land, and money. On the memorable Saturday 15 February 2003 I took part in the biggest rally ever in London, which was dedicated to stopping the war on Iraq. It was the first time I saw over a million people marching in a peaceful protest. I heard speeches full of meaning and spirit from the likes of the incredible former MP Tony Benn, Former US presidential candidate the Rev Jesse Jackson, writer Tariq Ali, playwright Harold Pinter, actress Vanessa Redgrave, Hollywood actor Tim Robbins, human rights campaigner Bianca Jagger, ex-minister Mo Mowlam, and London’s mayor Ken Livingstone. The electrifying atmosphere of the people voicing their concerns about the eminent crises shook me in a new way, I learned then that protest can shift the energy of a nation and, indeed, of the world for a long-term impact.

Doris Lessing, Hot Planet, and Climate ABCs

Most importantly, while living in London I discovered the incredible Doris Lessing and her feminist writing and sci-fi. In one of her books, Mara and Dann, she describes the desperate human children living on a hot planet with very little water, people fighting wars, surviving on meagre food and hiding away from the deadly heat, new types of predators and insects, new diseases. After reading that futuristic apocalypse vision I was a changed person. The connection between Kyrgyzstan and UK, between Bishkek and London became clear to me at that time. London was to become my intellectual catalyst. I knew then that the Earth, its climate, and the humanity’s survival in the nearest century would become the central axis of my personal and professional art and technology. The seeds of my Climate ABCs were planted.

Today, as many of my friends and colleagues across the world feel daunted and depressed by the looming climate issues, I cast my antennas towards London again to connect with London’s XR (Extinction Rebellion). At the same time I am have also become inspired to start an Ecological Reading group based at the office-studio of the green climate consultancy Dialecticon in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

The Bishkek Connection to the Global Climate Discourse

We are starting an Ecological Reading (ER) group at Dialecticon in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan with a group of friends during the week of solidarity with the International Rebellion. We are hoping to wake people up to the realities of climate change and the lack of policies in Kyrgyzstan in regards to protecting nature, glaciers, clean water, soils, forests, and pastures. There is a foreign corporate encroachment on the gold and other rare minerals in our celestial mountains at the time where instead what must be prioritised is the prevention of mining radiation, soil and water damage as a threat to the future generations. Yet with the globalist gold lobby being so strong, more than 2500 mining licenses have been given away to dubious companies, likely illegally.

Thus, the Ecological Readings (ER) have the chance of being timely and critical for Kyrgyzstan despite them being comprised of mostly English-language authors and books, essays and articles. This is mostly due to the fact that the Climate and Green Economy discourses are driven mostly by the English spoken scientists, communities of practice, interest groups, and the communities that are the target of and the active promoters of the green mitigation and adaptation technologies offered through the English language science and English centred finance. Yet, the most advanced thinking and action on the climate, ecosystems and regenerative ecology has been produced by very local and practical people, including inter-disciplinary scientists, activists, and practitioners in the a variety of fields. Among them are my friends and mentors Jo Brewer and Weitske Medema, researchers and authors whose work I follow closely, including Daniel Christian Whall, Kate Raworth, Jordan Greenhall, Edward Muller, John Verveaeke, Jem Bendelle, and of course the gurus of the Gaia Tradition of Earth Humanity such as Professor Stephen Harding and the maverick Professor James Lovelock. These are the authors I want to present to audiences in Kyrgyzstan. Also, I am hoping to establish a constant following among audiences to the works of authors such as Mathis Vackernagel, William Rees, Rachel Carson, David Suzuki, Naomi Klein, Robin Wall Kimmerer, Peter Wohlleben, and spiritual leaders such as Vandana Shiva and Thich Nhat Hahn.

It is my hope that the ER becomes instrumental in bringing the discourses of these authors and activists to the Kyrgyz social, ideological, and political landscape and support the exchange of ideas, filtering those that are most potent for the Kyrgyz eco-systems and social and ecological regeneration as the main antidote to the environmental destruction and societal and political neglect of the collapse at all levels. This is also one way to cope with my personal despair about the socio-ecological and climate collapse not only at home but globally.

Author: Jamilia Jeenbaeva is based in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic. She is the co-founder of Dialecticon and Ecological Lecture readings for Electoral Quality (ELEK). Contact: Tel. +996 777 593 460;
E-mail: jamilia.jeenbaeva@gmail.com

The Life Of A Royal Painter From Russia

This interview with portrait painter Sergey Pavlenko was recorded by Oksana Karnovich, Director of the Galina Ulanova Museum-Apartment in Moscow, and Maria Lvova, Member of Russian Heritage in the United Kingdom.
We are in the very centre of London, on the busy, but cozy High Street Kensington. The reason was for the participation in the jury of the Fourth International Art and Creative Contest “Outstanding Russians. The history of cooperation between Russian and British educators and scientists”, which was organised by “Russian Heritage in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.”
Before the meeting, I had only one question for the jury member Sergey Pavlenko and for myself – “How did a maestro with a Russian surname turn out to be the main contender for the role of the Royal Family artist?”. I questioned Sergey about this, and the following interview emerged.

Maria Lvova: Sergey, so did you paint the royal family?
Sergey Pavlenko: No, I did not draw the royal family. I painted a portrait of the queen!
ML (thought): In my head, the words of the painting teacher of an art school, where I had the opportunity to graduate in Moscow, instantly arise: “the artist does not draw, the artist writes, from the word “painting”
Pictures, indeed, are painted more often, rather than drawn, which is connected with the etymology of these words. The word “draw” (“рисовать”) appeared in Russian at the very beginning of the 18th century; it has been noted in dictionaries since 1731. It is borrowed from Western European languages, where its senior meaning was “draw, cut, scratch”. To draw is to depict, reproduce objects on a plane (pencil, pen, charcoal, paints). The word to paint has been known since the 11th century, but its meaning was closer to the modern concept of “paint in colors”. It is enough to recall that the words “motley” and “write / dazzle” have one root.
According to dictionaries, painting is called fine art that reproduces objects and phenomena of the real world with the help of paints. The word is a tracing- paper from the Greek language. The fact is that in the ancient world, the ability to draw an object “like in real life” was especially appreciated. It is no coincidence that there were legends about the artist’s ability to draw grapes in such a way that birds flew to peck them.
Fortunately for me, another member of the jury joined us, the director of the Galina Ulanova museum-apartment in Moscow, Oksana Karnovich appeared with a voice recorder in her hands, asking for permission to record, which allowed me to correct and repeat my first question in a more skillful way.
ML: Sergey, getting back to my first question, are you the same artist who painted the members of the royal family?
SP: Yes, one portrait, a canvas is a family portrait with the concept of the princes studying at a military academy.
ML: Did you paint from the actual princes or from a photograph? How did the process go?
SP: First, the composition was developed. And at this stage I knew how many people would be there. Their role was played by cadets, respectively, male and female. The general was the actual general, and the princes were the actual princes. But at that time they were all dressed in khaki, as I can remember, except for the princes. The princes were already in full uniform. And I just moved them like chess pieces, developing different compositional options. Because, you might understand, when a crowd of people is below my gaze, they all overlap each other on the same level, or they must be put in a row, like a football team. Neither is the best option.
Fortunately, I had a way out of the situation due to the fact that there were steps that allowed to spread everything horizontally and make a more or less interesting composition. I drew a sketch. Then there was another rehearsal, which was attended by everyone except the members of the royal family, but there were … [recalls] trumpeters, yes, trumpeters. But, unfortunately, they appeared in the wrong uniform, because when there was a real parade already, they were in a different uniform. But nobody told me about this, and I had to do a second sketch.
The third time was, in fact, the action itself – there was a parade, and they all arrived. And since the sketch was already approved, the task of the princes was to arrange all the participants as needed and depicted in my sketch. All this action lasted roughly three minutes. Certainly, in parallel, a lot of photos were taken, one way or another, so that some details and poses could be considered. And then, when the painting itself was being painted, they posed individually in Buckingham Palace. That, in fact, is the whole story.
ML: Did each character pose in the approved position as shown in the final sketch?
SP: Of course, yes. Everyone was in a uniform. Absolutely as they should be.
Oksana Karnovich: Did they sit patiently?
SP: They stood. Stood as much as needed. But there’s something interesting. In Russia, if you went to different exhibitions in the 70-80s, there were autumn painting or spring ones, for example, “Lenin in the Gorki”, “Gorky, hosting the Archery Parade” [laughs] … In general, people painted portraits of people whom they had never seen. Or a portrait of Alexander Green. And sometimes they were good, you know. Because they were based on such figurative similarities. It was not so important to draw or not, by looking at actual people. In England, it’s the opposite. If a person did not pose for the artist – that’s it. For professional portrait galleries such portraits are not of interest. Therefore, when they told me that no one would pose separately, I answered – you know that if no one poses, then your painting will not have value. So they immediately organized all this for me [laughs].
OK: Incredible! How many royal family members did you paint?
S.P.: In this case, there was Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip, Charles, Camilla, two princes … that’s all. Yes, there was a general, a senior sergeant and trumpeters, two trumpeters.
OK: And everything was painted in Buckingham Palace?
SP: No, it was painted in the studio, but they posed in Buckingham Palace. It’s better. Everyone posed in Buckingham Palace, except for Charles and Camilla, who posed in Clarence House.
ML: Who approved you? Who picked the main artist for this role? You were already in England at that time, not in Russia I suppose.
SP: Yes, I was already in England, it was the seventh year of my stay here. The truth is that I had already painted the Queen before.
ML: But how were you chosen to paint the first portrait of the queen?
SP: Voters were in charge [laughs] … You want to know everything right away and don’t let me say [laughs] …
ML: Because I’m curious, you see. I was the one who approached you with a question, and not you [everyone laughs] …
SP: Yes, you are right, I’ll tell you. Voters went to the National Portrait Gallery and searched for the file with names, which at that time still existed in the gallery. There was no computer system yet. According to this file, they selected people whose style made them more or less satisfied. Then they narrowed and narrowed the list, and I was the only one left [laughs].
ML: Ah, I see, they have already seen your works and your style. How interesting that such style of painting caught their gaze.
OK: So they did see your works?
SP: No, not the actual works, but their photos in a file. The National Portrait Gallery is a very strange establishment. Very.
ML: How did your works get there?
SP: They did not. There are only photos. They don’t have and did not have any of my works in the exhibition or their property. But because they keep lists of prominent artists, who paint and create well-known British portraits, I belong to that circle of artists.
ML: Are all your works part of private collections then?
SP: Almost every piece, except museums. Do we consider museums as a private collection or not?! [ponders]
OK: That is to say, the members of the royal family also ordered you a portrait, particularly for themselves?
SP: No, no, there’s no such thing; the members of the royal family do not order anything for themselves at all. Someone else always orders, for example, to write to the members of the royal family.
ML: Have you ever painted Prince Michael of Kent?
SP: Well, I have, the painting is … let me remember where … Michael of Kent is depicted as a freemason. There is a portrait in some London branch of the freemasons club.
ML: Is he a member of the freemasons society?
SP: Yes, he is a freemason, a famous freemason. I painted the two main masons in life. The first was Michael of Kent. That’s right, it was Michael, Duke of Kent. And the second, who really ran everything – Marquess of Northampton.
ML: Sergey, thanks for the fascinating interview.

Transforming Education in Uzbekistan: A President’s Initiative

Stories and reminders of Uzbekistan’s great scientists and scholars of the past can be found everywhere in the country. Travellers on the magnificent Tashkent subway, when stopping at the Kosmonavtlar station, can walk the length of the platform and view a gallery of those who built, influenced and pioneered the Soviet space program. In chronological order, this starts with Mirzo Ulugbek, whose 15th Century pioneering work on astronomy-related mathematics and trigonometry, as well as the building of the Ulugh Beg Observatory helped set this part of the world on a course that eventually sent Yuri Gagarin into space in 1961.

Earlier still, in the ninth century, the scholar Mohammad al-Khorezm produced works in mathematics, astronomy and geography and became the father of algebra and lent his name to the algorithm. When I visited Urgench, the capital city of the region that bears his name in July of last year I came away of a deep sense that his name and legacy are deeply ingrained in the character of the region, and that the people who live there don’t consider his time to be particularly long ago.

It is the legacy of men such as Ulugbek and al-Khorezm that is in many ways a driver of how society in Uzbekistan values and reveres learning, scholarship, discovery and intellectual pursuits, and how much value is placed on education in the country.

After President Shavkat Mirziyoyev took office in 2016, education reform has taken centre stage in Uzbekistan’s national development. The National Development Action Strategy on five priority areas for 2017-2021 has generated around 100 decrees, resolutions and orders by the President aimed at improving the education system. These include a programme to reform the system of pre-school education, a revision of the school system to expand provision and choice, and a five-year programme of radical improvement of the higher education system.

This also includes the abolishment of the system of student and teacher participation in the nation’s cotton harvesting, which for many years led to classrooms being emptied so that school and university students could gather the cotton, the export of which had become so crucial to Uzbekistan’s economy.

Mirziyoyev’s commitment to raising educational standards, and to Uzbekistan becoming a country that once again produces scientists of the international and historical calibre of Ulugbek and al-Khorezem, is most visibly manifested in the establishment of the Presidential Schools, the first of which opened in September 2019.

I was part of the international project team from Cambridge Assessment International Education brought to Tashkent to contribute to this effort, and I was astonished that the schools were planned, designed, built, staffed and opened in just nine short months after an initial meeting with them in January of that year. Patches of land in Tashkent, Nukus, Khiva and Namangan became architectural designs, which became construction sites, which became landscaped, full furnished, state of the art schools in what seemed like no time at all.

Students at the schools, at which places are extremely limited, are selected on a competitive basis and are tested on their critical thinking, problem solving and English language skills. Any child in the regions where a school is opening was eligible to apply, regardless of their economic circumstances. 28,500 students applied for the 480 places available in the first year. This required a monumental logistical and security effort on the part of the Uzbekistan Ministry of Public Education and Cambridge Admissions Testing to ensure fair, valid and reliable methods were used to select the students who entered the schools in September.

The examination halls in Urgench alone fit almost 1,000 children, proudly singing the national anthem before their two-and-a-half-hour final exam. Waiting outside in searing temperatures, their parents listened and waited, greeting their children with hugs and words of pride as they eventually exited the exam hall.

The schools themselves are impressive facilities with the very best classroom equipment, sporting facilities, dormitories and staff. The curriculum of the school is broad and balanced, with a focus on the STEAM subjects of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics. As the students study these subjects in English alongside national compulsory subjects such as Literature and History in the Uzbek language, I was struck at the ease with which these children access their lessons and interact with the teachers, many of whom come from abroad.

Mirziyoyev visited the Tashkent School on September 10th, 2019. Scheduled to be at the school for 45 minutes, the President stayed for three and a half hours observing lessons, speaking to teachers and students, and talking with the leadership at the Ministry of Public Education and the Presidential Schools project office. I greeted the President as he entered the school for the first time, and we discussed both Uzbekistan’s great scholars of the past, and British scholars of Cambridge such as Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin. He said to me that he wanted the students at these school to stand on the shoulders of all those who came before them, and achieve even greater things for their country and the world.

Ten more Presidential Schools are planned to open by 2021, which means that there will be one school for every region in Uzbekistan. The practices learned in curriculum implementation, assessment, teaching and learning at the schools mean that they can become centres of educational excellence and models for state schools across the regions they are embedded in, which will lead to improvements in the system as a whole and better outcomes and prospects for the country’s young people.

It is possible that a successor to Mirziyoyev is at one of the schools today. It is possible that there is a successor also to Mirzo Ulugkek, Al-Khorezm, Iasaac Newton or Charles Darwin. We shall see. These are undoubtedly special and talented children.

 

Text by Steve King

Steve King is based in Cambridge and leads the Central Asia education reform projects team at Cambridge Assessment International Education, a non-teaching department of the University of Cambridge. He has worked in international education for over twenty years, and has been involved in educational publishing, assessment, and teacher development projects worldwide.

A firm believer in the power of education to positively transform societies, his current focus is on working with national education authorities and international development organisations to design and deliver education reform projects in the Central Asia region, particularly in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and the Kyrgyz Republic. He has also been captivated by the natural beauty of the region, and takes as many opportunities as possible to experience the spectacular architecture, natural environment and cuisine of Central Asia.

Poverty, Paralysis And Persistence Create Pure Perfection

INTERVIEW: EVGENII DOGA

Moldovan musician, Evgenii Doga, dismissed his life of poverty and paralysis to realise his dream of becoming a musician. His fascinating story is uncovered here.

OCA: How did you become such a talented creative person in Moldova?

Evgenii Doga: I liked music from my childhood, but I could not even imagine that it would become my profession. Music had always been out of favour. Even the famous classics mostly lived in poverty. And even in our village, musicians played only at weddings and funerals.

The time of my childhood was not up to music: a terrible post-war famine, continuous epidemics, the loss of my father in the war. But my destiny was probably already destined somewhere up there. I loved tinkering, whether it was a bicycle, gramophone, mandolin or harpsichord. I abandoned my plans for entering an industrial school where I was supposed to be fed, dressed, and I only needed to study for 2 years, in order to quickly come to the aid of my mother. Only three months later, my mother sold everything to survive and I went barefoot to Chisinau. It was here that I was fortunate to be asked to play the cello.

But at the end of the conservatory, my left hand was paralysed and I bid farewell to the cello, although I played well and even a film was shot with my performance. What to do? I decided to return to the conservatory to the composer faculty. I wanted to come up with something, some kind of dance, since my childhood, and so that the brass band of our village would play this. But I was embarrassed to even tell anyone about it. In parallel with the cello classes, I secretly wrote something. But my teacher P.I. Bachinin became interested in my “creativity” and organised it to be played with the orchestra, and then on the radio. My first song was performed by my classmate, Marie Biesu, who later became a world star, one of the best chio chio san of the world. And it went on from there.

OCA: How did you create the famous waltz for the film “My Sweet and Tender Beast”, which was recognised as a 20th century masterpiece by UNESCO?

ED: It is unlikely that the composer thinks about creating a masterpiece during their work. What is true is that he is trying to do his best. With the ingenious director of this film, Emil Lotyanu, six months before the shooting, we agreed to write “Waltz” for the scene of the wedding of Olya Skvortsova, since we did not find anything good in the music libraries. The film shooting began with it. And then one late evening, an angry director bursts into my hotel room and says from the threshold: “Waltz!” I quickly removed the notes for another picture so that the director wouldn’t notice and in fear I “trinketed” something in the rhythm of the waltz, not being completely ready for such a situation and knowing that this was not at all what Lotyan demanded. After strained improvisations, the director opened the door and left, terribly angry left. And then, from the hallway he informed me that tomorrow there was a recording and an orchestra was already ordered. After painful thoughts, I gathered my thoughts and began to add up the score of the future waltz. What I wrote, and how it turned out, I did not even have time to realise, or at even remember. By the morning I passed the score to the orchestra and by evening, at the Mosfilm studio, the cinematography orchestra under the guidance of the talented conductor S. Skrypka played this “Waltz” and the musicians began banging the consoles with bows in approval. At the beginning I thought it was a joke, a practical joke, but time judged in its own way and today this music sounds around the world.
OCA: Do you visit Moldova and and conduct concerts there?

ED: Moldova is my homeland. I live there, although for many years, and even now, my life is connected with Moscow. I was recognised there, and for the first time my music entered the big world. I continuously hold concerts there. At the very beginning of my career, I travelled with small groups of performers throughout the Soviet Union, and visited almost all of its geographical points. I love iconic performances. If holding a concert, then it’s in the Kremlin Palace, in Ateneu Romin in Bucharest, in Schonbrunn in Vienna, in Ankara with the presidential orchestra, Canada, USA, China … And, of course, in Chisinau in the National Palace. I also performed together with the Leningrad concert orchestra in my native village of Mokra. But I especially remembered the performance in front of 9 listeners in a taiga pear, where my small group of performers and I, came on a tractor through terrible mud, and in the rain. These people saw artists for the first time in their lives. You should have seen these happy faces and outstretched, strained hands to us as a token of gratitude! They are still in my mind.

OCA: Do your listeners from Central Asia differ a lot from listeners from European countries at your performances?

ED: I have long ago understood that the listeners around the world don’t differ a lot. I remember a performance in China. I was terribly worried how they would perceive my music there! During the performance, you could even hear a fly (though they don’t have flies there), there was such silence. I had to perform at different times in Tashkent, Alma-Ata, Samarkand, Bishkek and the reception everywhere was always very warm. Moreover, when the film with my music “Gypsies go to Heaven” was just released, I was asked by the audience to perform something from this film. A lot of letters were received from Asian republics asking where to buy records with the recording of this, and other music. Even now, sometimes someone comes up after a performance to sign an autograph on an old record. Listeners want to listen to music that excites them, which affects their souls. I try to write such music. And the listener feels it perfectly and reciprocates both in Europe and in Asia.

OCA: Do you still write music for movies or TV shows? If so, which ones?

ED: It has been a few years now that I no longer write music for films. Those who offer them are not interesting to me, and those to which I would write with pleasure, are not to be found. I love romantic films, and today they are almost gone. There are a lot of detective stories, films of violence, rudeness, sex-mania. Soon there is an interesting work expected at the Bucharest studio, where I can again return to the movie genre, which I yearn for. For TV shows, I wrote music, but not for long. This is also not so interesting, since the meaning in them is far from romanticism. And they prefer electronic music.

OCA: Do you write compositions for ballet or operas?

Yes, I have three ballets. But only one was played in the theatre. This is the ballet “Lucheaferul” based on the eponymous poem of the brilliant Romanian poet Mihai Eminescu, the libretto of Emil Loteanu. It went on a stage very successfully, received the USSR State Prize, was shown at the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow, and at the Mariinsky Theatres in Leningrad, Kiev and Minsk.Today in Chisinau, the ballet troupe is not able to play such a performance due to complex problems in the opera and ballet theatre itself.

OCA: What do you like to do in your free time?

ED: I have no free time. Even if I don’t do music, I’m doing other interesting things for me. I have not yet realised the need for a simple walk, just to walk, to go to rest houses. In my “free time” I participate in some jury or arrange musical evenings in my music salon with the participation of musicians, artists, poets, drama artists, etc.

OCA: Where in the world do you feel most comfortable performing?

I am European. This is my large house. It’s impossible not to love the land on which I was born. The huge intellectual forces and activity of tens of generations of outstanding people are concentrated here. I am glad that my ancestors were Europeans and conveyed this love to me. Maybe that’s why in any countries where I have to perform, they listen to me with great understanding and love.

I really want such concerts, as in Chisinau or in Romania in the open air with the participation of thousands of listeners. To come to listen, not only those who can, but also those who want to. I love it when people come together, when the whole world comes together. Music contributes to it.

OCA#34  WWW.OCAMAGAZINE.COM Interview prepared by Saniya Seilkhanova

Alexey Talay – A Sportsman Without Limits

The media call him the “Belarusian Nick Vujicic” (Originally a world famous preacher from the USA, born without legs and hands). Only in early 2017, at the age of 34, Alexey Talay began practicing professional sports. He has achieved incredible results in a short period of time – he was awarded the Master of Sport title, he is a member of the National Paralympic Team of Belarus in swimming and a multiple record holder throughout the World and Europe.

Public activist, Motivational Speaker and entrepreneur, Talay has visited many countries in Europe, CIS, Russia and 30 states of the United States, as well as India with his speeches. He is a father of four children, a philanthropist and the founder of the Children’s Aid Foundation.

Working abroad, Alexey acts as a Goodwill Ambassador for the Republic of Belarus. He lectures about the country, encourages local businesses to invest in the economy of the government and to develop collaborative projects.

Tragedy happened when Alexey, a 16-year-old boy, stepped on a shell that had been left in the ground since the World War II and it exploded. The shell fell during fierce battles with the Nazis invaded his hometown of Orsha. It was on the anniversary of the end of the war, May 8, 1999, that this event changed Alexey’s life completely. The exploding shell ripped off Alexey’s arms and legs. Life full of hopes and plans stopped at once. The turning point in the life of the future champion was the days spent in Germany, where he underwent rehabilitation. There, he faced the terrible fate of children with cancer. They endured the most severe surgeries, losing their vision and losing their organs. The situation they were in seemed to be much worse than his and this gave him strength.

Alexey personally did not accept the fact that the only window into the world for him would be the TV. He read a lot, including classics and modern literature, finding in the characters of books examples to follow.

“Now I can run my business without arms and legs. Thanks to the latest technology, I correspond, negotiate and manage my Facebook page. None of this happened back then. I was alone with myself, and it was only through the characters of novels and stories I was gaining experience. In their actions I found clues – how to behave, what decisions to make,” Talay continues in an interview.

TO FIGHT AND SEEK,
TO FIND AND NOT TO GIVE UP.

To children and teenagers of today, Alexey advises not to disregard books. Perhaps soon there will be his story in the libraries and on the shelves, the story of a man without arms and legs, who became a champion, made a family, ran his business and helped people with disabilities like him.
“My training and lectures are very popular. I explain how I endured pain, how I fell in the mud with my face, how I withstood the mockery by people who seemed to be close to me, the most respected people for me. In my training, I encourage people, whatever your situation, do not give up,” Talay recalls.

He told how he saw very different reactions from the people he encountered. How he registered his business and went through the offices. They used to say things behind his back: what was he doing here? Couldn’t he ask his mother or his brother to come instead of him? Is he showing off, trying to prove something?

The behaviour of people around him made Alexey doubt – maybe he was really overreaching, maybe he was an invalid. His fate was already sealed – he would live out his days in sadness and gloom. Then a new stage began for him – one where he could overcome of doubts.

“And I said to myself, no! You can’t take me, this is my life. Only I will live it. If you don’t like me, don’t look at me,” Talay comments on his situation.

THE ROAD TO SPORT

About eight years ago, watching the Paralympic Games on TV, inspired by courageous people, he began to dream about sports – suddenly he realised that he could be good at something. Alexey came to the Paralympic Committee in Minsk and met with officials. They looked at him, thought about it and offered him the opportunity to go swimming. “I had to forget about my courses. That means I had to give up the opportunity to earn money by conducting public motivational meetings. Thank God, I had a financial safety cushion, and I financed myself,” Talay recalls.

He should’ve forgotten about everything in the world. He was practising. Coming back home, he fell down exhausted, slept and the next day he started all over again. And so, month after month, friends would say to him, “You’re a grown man, a family man, a father of your children, why would you do that?” During this period he was supported by his wife (Alexey married again), and two months later Alexey Talay swam to a standard that surprised most.

“Today I am a European and World record-breaker in the 50m breaststroke, so I have already made history in the world Paralympic sport,” said Alexey on the day of his triumph.

The other day, the Paralympic Committee of Belarus received a letter from the International Paralympic Committee with a request to Alexey Talay to give a speech at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo in 2020.

TALAY CHARITY FUND SUPPORT

Today Alexey is more often with his training and lectures in Russia and the former Soviet Union republics – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine. He performs a lot in Belarus. Together with the government of Minsk and the Belarusian Association of Athletics, Alexey Talay and his charity foundation work on a program to prevent suicide among young people. “In the European Union, these trends are clearly manifested. But there are also some cases of suicide in Belarus. When I, father of four children, hear about it, it my heart breaks,” says Alexey.

“We will act to overcome stigma towards children with disabilities. Now we have started such a project, together with UNICEF, other state structures and organisations, and with the support of the Foundation and financial support of the Russian Federation.”

“I will personally describe my unique life experience, about those steps to happiness, about the path to independence, about success in life, and about my family. This project will be carried out throughout the country, and in all regions”.

OCA#34 WWW.OCAMAGAZINE.COM  Interview prepaed by Saniya Seilkhanova

A meeting with Kazakhstan

I used to dream of visiting Central Asia. For 12 years, first while studying in Russia, and then working in jobs connected with the Russian-speaking world, I longed to one day find myself in a city on the Silk Route, talking with the people, and immersing myself in the markets.

In 2017 I booked a trip to Almaty, and my dream finally came true. I would be in this lively city tucked against the Tien Shan mountains for a week. Only there was a twist: this was a business trip, for my new job writing reports about the wine & spirits industry. The people I was in Kazakhstan to meet were managers at alcohol companies; the markets I was there to learn about were business markets.

 

But still, landing in Almaty, I couldn’t bring myself to think like a business traveller. I booked a basic room in a little Kazakh hotel on Tole Bi street, and planned my work so that, between several meetings each day in offices all around the city, I could see as much of Kazakhstan as possible. I organised morning meetings with the companies close to the hotel, so I could walk to their offices and take some photos on the way. One company was on the same street as a cafe serving Dungan food, so I arranged to go there after lunch, and slurped some laghman noodles as I waited. I had to see a wine importer based in the fancy Dostyk Plaza mall; I made it my last appointment of the day, so I could walk through the shops before going back to the hotel.

But it was in the meetings themselves that I really experienced the many sides of Kazakhstan. In a boardroom in Nurly Tau business centre, Almaty’s prestigious new complex of skyscrapers close to the mountains, a lady at a whisky distributor told me that their sales were growing, as more middle-class Kazakhs now want to experience the products and lifestyles that are trendy in Europe. Later, in a dark and crumbling office on Nurmakova street, I also learned that a local vodka company is struggling, because many of the poorer people in Kazakhstan’s regions are reconnecting with Islam, and so turning away from alcohol.

Each day I met Kazakhs of all ages and backgrounds. There was a former finance minister (an influential advisor to Nursultan Nazarbayev), who had discovered an abandoned vineyard in the Assa Valley outside Almaty, and had made it his mission to bring it back to life. After him I met two young lads working in the reception of another company. They drove me to my next meeting when my taxi didn’t turn up, and were stunned to receive a 3,000 tenge tip to share. I met ethnic Kazakhs, Russian Kazakhs and Armenian Kazakhs, and each of them taught me something new about their country.

Walking between meetings carrying a list of addresses, I spent half my time getting lost. I wandered into a deserted apartment block on the edge of the city hoping there was a wine company on the third floor, before realising that the building I needed was further down the street. In another dark building I thought I found the office of a beer company, until some paramedics came and opened the doors to a clinic. Once, completely disoriented and soaked with rain, I had to hitch-hike to a meeting. A cheerful man picked me up off Abay Avenue in less than a minute. I thought about my colleagues from London who were in other cities at that time, researching reports on other countries. They were calling cabs to modern business centres in the centre of Paris, Sydney, New York…

But I didn’t envy them. Their meetings were only about cold numbers and data; in Central Asia, I found out, you can’t talk business without the human touch as well. Arriving at each office speaking fluent-but-flustered Russian, my contacts in Almaty always tried to make me feel at home. The former finance minister gave me two bottles from his resurrected vineyard; another company presented me with a beautiful notepad to write my meeting notes in. Knowing that I was English, one man broke the ice by asking me who my favourite snooker player was. I don’t think this would happen in Paris.

The weekend before I flew home, I had to write up my reports. But I couldn’t spend my last two days in Kazakhstan stuck in a hotel room. Instead I worked by night, putting the numbers into my spreadsheets until 3am, fuelling myself with the apples that Almaty is famous for. Then I got up at dawn to explore every street that I hadn’t been to yet. I spent a morning in the murmurs of the Green Bazaar, and chatted to the sellers about what they were selling – everything from fruits and nuts to homemade medicinal potions.

The lady from the whisky company had told me to go to Shymbulak ski resort, in the mountains above Almaty. But I didn’t make it: I got on the wrong marshrutka bus on Al Farabi street and ended up 30km away, in the bedlam of the Altyn Orda bazaar.

When I left the company, and stopped travelling to cities in Eurasia for these meetings, I thought I had said goodbye to this part of the world forever. Then one week out of the blue, I found myself back in Central Asia – in Almaty again, for a press trip with Air Astana. This time it really was to immerse myself in Kazakhstan. But on reflection, the business trip those years before taught me much more.

 

text by Jonathan Campion writes about his travels in Central Asia, the Caucasus, Russia and Europe at jonathancampion.com.

He is also a translator, editor, and still works as an analyst.

Visit website: http://jonathancampion.com 

 

 

 

 

 

Dubai Hosts 2020 Focus on Turkmenistan Oil & Gas

The vice-сhairman of Eurasian Creative Guild (London), Marat Akhmedjanov, visited the official opening ceremony of the international conference “TAPI – the Pipeline for Peace and Cooperation” and the roadshow “Oil and Gas of Turkmenistan” which took place in the Al Maha conference hall of the Hyatt Regency Dubai Creek Heights Hotel on 24 February 2020.

 OGT 2020 is Declared Open

Yagshigeldy Kakaev, Advisor to the President of Turkmenistan on Oil and Gas Issues, addressed delegates with a welcoming speech. Noting the role of Turkmenistan’s neutrality as an effective mechanism for establishing fruitful co-operation in addressing pressing issues, strengthening the friendly, good neighbourly relations between states and peoples, Yagshigeldy Kakaev urged potential investors to consider mutually beneficial co-operation. He stressed that the stable economic and political situation in the country, as well as the legislative framework and state guarantee are among the main factors that make Turkmenistan increasingly attractive for foreign investors. The participants were shown a detailed overview of the achievements of the oil and gas industry of Turkmenistan and te future plans and projects of the oil and gas sector.

Ambassador of Turkmenistan to the UAE, Serdarmamet Garajayev, noted the importance of the current event for the Turkmen-Emirati relations and expressed confidence that the open door policy of Turkmenistan couple with its neutral status will continue to promote the comprehensive development of international co-operation.

Saeed Al Tayer, representative of the sponsor of the plenary session, and Dragon Oil Board Chairman, welcomed the guests, stressing the productivity of co-operation between the UAE and Turkmenistan in the oil and gas sector and expressed hope for further long-term cooperation, paying special attention to safety.

Ajmal Ahmady, Acting Minister of Industry and Commerce of Afghanistan, dedicated his speech to the significance of the TAPI gas pipeline for Afghanistan’s economic development, noting the Afghan government’s readiness to fulfill its commitments on the project.

Delegates could learn in detail about the construction progress, economic and political impact, advantages and peculiarities of the TAPI gas pipeline from the presentation of Muhammetmyrat Amanov, CEO TAPI Pipeline Ltd, which provided varous statistics about TAPI.

Further information was also presented during a presentation by Rahimberdy Jeparov, Chairman of the State Bank for Foreign Economic Affairs of Turkmenistan. Presenting the summary of economic indicators in Turkmenistan for 2019, the speaker emphasised the country’s wide investment opportunities and openness of the bank to cooperation.

At the end of the plenary session, moderator Ronald Nash, Chairman of the Turkmenistan-UK Trade and Industry Council, drawing attention to the exceptional importance of the peace-loving policy and neutral status of Turkmenistan in the modern world, cited the relationship between Turkmenistan and Afghanistan as an example. The speaker stressed Turkmenistan’s efforts in supporting Afghanistan for political, economic and social stabilisation of the country, noting the provision of humanitarian aid, electricity and the benefits of commissioning the TAPI gas pipeline in the future.

The working sessions of the first day of the international roadshow were devoted to the prospects of development of the gas, chemical and oil refining industry of Turkmenistan, industrialisation, as well as development of the offshore blocks of the Turkmen shelf of the Caspian Sea and attracting of investment.

Managers and leading specialists of the oil and gas sector of both Turkmenistan and foreign companies, including Gas Strategies, Haldor Topsoe, China National Oil and Gas Exploration and Development Corporation, Dragon Oil, WOOD, and Gaffney, Cline & Associates, made comprehensive presentations.

In the afternoon, a round table session titled, “TAPI – the Beacon of Peace and Cooperation”, and a seminar on legal and tax aspects of investing in the oil and gas sector in Turkmenistan were also organised. At the end of the day, delegates from companies such as Siemens LLC, BP, SOCAR AQS, Baker Huges, Technip FMC and others met with the heads of the oil and gas industry of Turkmenistan.

On the second day of the international conference «Oil and Gas of Turkmenistan» dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the Permanent Neutrality of Turkmenistan, two more sessions on investment in the oil and gas industry of Turkmenistan were actively held.

In their speeches, representatives of SC «Turkmengas», TCOR and NaPeCo revealed the potential of co-operation of the Turkmen side with international investors and proposed new solutions to bring Turkmen hydrocarbons to world markets. The final word was given to the advisor to the President of Turkmenistan on oil and gas issues. Summing up the conference, Y. Kakayev noted that more than 300 delegates from 113 companies took part in the conference. He thanked these companies for their interest, the moderators for conducting the sessions, the speakers for their rich presentations full of useful information, and the organisers for the high standard of the forum. At the end of his speech, the advisor invited all participants to the next events, recalling that as part of the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Permanent Neutrality of Turkmenistan, the next roadshow will be organised in early July in London, and in October, as per tradition, the 25th anniversary international forum will be held in Ashgabat.

 

 

An Ambassador’s View: Forging New Ties Between The Uk And Kazakhstan

Michael Gifford joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1981, with his first ambassador role coming in 2004 when he served as the British Ambassador to Yemen. He then moved to be the Deputy Head of Mission in Cairo before becoming the Ambassador to North Korea in October 2012.  Following intensive Russian language training he was appointed as British Ambassador to Kazakhstan in 2018 where he continues today. OCA Magazine had the opportunity to get a further insight into Gifford’s career and plans during his tenure in Kazakhstan.

OCA: Please tell us a bit about your background and why you decided to join the Foreign Office in 1981?

Michael Gifford: I grew up in Hastings in East Sussex. I didn’t have a burning ambition to become a diplomat; there isn’t any tradition of it in my family.  But after completing my education I looked at jobs in the private sector and the Civil Service was also an obvious place to apply as well. The Diplomatic Service was a separate competition and entry procedure and I was lucky enough to be accepted. Looking back, it was one of the best decisions I made – and I hope the Foreign and Commonwealth Office feels the same!

OCA: You have been posted to what many people might call tough places. What skills do you think help to bring out the best in an Ambassador’s role?

MG: British diplomats work worldwide, because Britain has a global foreign policy.  I have been lucky enough to work in some important and interesting countries, including Egypt, Yemen, North Korea and now Kazakhstan, where I took up my present position in January 2018.  I would not characterise any of my previous jobs as ‘tough’ because that is an oversimplification of often complex problems.  Levels of security and prosperity differ widely from country to country and each posting brings its own challenges.  Diplomats need many skills, including resilience, a thorough understanding of a country’s history, language and culture, a clear view of the UK’s interests in their patch, and the energy to get out there and promote and defend those interests.

OCA: What have you learned from your previous postings that you have taken   into your current posting in Kazakhstan?

MG: Standing up for our values has been a constant theme, whether that is respect for the international rule of law, promoting democracy and human rights, or the vital importance of global free trade.  In June, Kazakhstan will host the next WTO ministerial meeting, which will be a great opportunity for the UK and our international partners to defend and promote the rules governing global trade, on which our shared prosperity depends.  Climate change is another very important topic. Five years on from Paris, COP26 in Glasgow in November is the next big moment for raising global climate ambition and action. We want to work closely with Kazakhstan and others to make real progress on this vital issue in 2020 and beyond.

OCA: Given the government’s desire to build trade with new trading partners, what are your priorities for helping the UK in doing more business with Kazakhstan?

MG: In my two years in this job, it’s clear to me that British firms are already well established in Kazakhstan in oil and gas, mining and financial and professional services.  Our two-way trade is a very healthy £2.5 billion a year.  We want to take that further, including in sectors such as renewables and waste management, water infrastructure, healthcare and agriculture.  British companies offer world class expertise and cutting-edge technologies and services which Kazakhstan needs as it economy develops.  There are many new opportunities opening up, including with the Astana International Financial Centre.  The City of London is a global centre of experience and excellence in many specialised areas such as Fintech and Islamic finance.  And privatisation of significant state-owned Kazakh government assets present key opportunities for the London Stock Exchange.

OCA: Culturally Kazakhstan and the UK are very different. What can each culture learn from the traditions and ways of life of the other?

MG: It’s fair to say, I think, that the UK is better known in Kazakhstan than the other way round – although that is changing fast as Kazakhstan establishes and promotes its distinct and vibrant national culture.   Many thousands of Kazakh students choose to study in Britain at all levels, and I’ve been struck by the fact that the UK issues more student visas for Kazakhstan each year than we do for Brazil or Australia. Each personal connection or visit – for business or pleasure – creates new understanding and trust, whether that is expressed through educational links, art, music, or simply new friendships.

 OCA: How do you see the form of government in Kazakhstan developing and what could be learned from the UK’s democracy?  Should Kazakhstan be a leader of the world, or just the region or just a follower, and what are the benefits and risks you see in such a choice?

MG: A set of big questions!  Kazakhstan is the leading regional state in Central Asia; it is finding its own role in the world and is developing fast.  A sovereign, prosperous and independent Kazakhstan, acting as a force for good in the world, is very much in the UK’s interests.  We share Kazakhstan’s ambitions to promote international peace and stability, for example through UN mechanisms such as peacekeeping operations.   In terms of Kazakhstan’s domestic development, we strongly support President Tokayev’s new programme of political and social reform: without continued positive change on issues such as judicial reform, corruption and media freedom, further economic progress will remain elusive.

OCA: What is your favourite thing to do while living in Kazakhstan?

Talking to young Kazakhs always inspires me. They have such a pride in their country and a high level of ambition for the future, which are both great to see. I also enjoy visiting various regions of the country to see at first hand the enormous diversity of landscape and culture which exists outside Nur-Sultan.

OCA#34  WWW.OCAMAGAZINE.COM Interview prepared by Saniya Seilkhanova

 

 

 

 

2020: The Year to Visit Tajikistan

My trip to Tajikistan in the summer of 2019 was one of my most memorable adventures ever. I’ve been travelling full-time for the past 9 years and seen some stunning destinations, but not many countries have touched me like this little Central Asian country did.

What exactly makes Tajikistan so special?

93% of the country is covered in mountains, making it a perfect destination for outdoor lovers. It’s home to the Pamir Highway, one of the world’s wildest and highest roads, and the beautiful Fann Mountains. Almost every day my breath was taken away by the extremely scenic landscapes, lush river valleys and azure-coloured alpine lakes.

Tajikistan is one of the few countries in the world where tourism hasn’t left its traces yet. I love seeking genuine experiences in non-touristy places and that’s exactly what you can still find in this off-the-beaten-path destination.

Part of me wants to keep this destination hidden from the outside world. It might be a bit selfish but I love the fact that, when I was travelling through the country, I barely met other tourists. It made me feel like a real explorer.

Even taking public transportation was an adventure on its own. While there’s definitely room for improvement concerning the tourist infrastructure in the country, I love that it’s still challenging as a traveller to get from one place to the other. This sets Tajikistan apart from popular destinations and makes the country so authentic.

Tajikistan is also one of the best trekking destinations people haven’t heard of. If you’d normally go on a multi-day treks in destinations like Nepal and Peru, you would typically have to share the hiking trails with many other hiking enthusiasts. While hiking through the mountains of Tajikistan, however, you’ll often get the feeling you’re alone in your own little patch of paradise.

I especially enjoyed my hiking trip to the Kulikalon lakes and the Allaudin lakes in the Fann mountains. The 3-day trek itself wasn’t too challenging as I’m quite used to trekking in mountains but it took me ages to hike across the mountain passes as I constantly wanted to stop to photograph and take in the fantastic scenery.

Words fail to describe the beauty of this region. The sense of awe I felt in the presence of such dramatic landscapes was overwhelming. Rugged mountain peaks stretching up to touch the sky. Juniper forests surrounding turquoise and aquamarine lakes that shimmer like jewels against a dusty backdrop. As far and wide as I could look, I was surrounded by this majestic beauty and I just couldn’t get enough of it. This region is truly a little heaven on earth!

Another thing I absolutely loved about Tajikistan is its people. The Tajiks are genuinely happy to meet foreigners and will welcome you like an old friend. Never before have I been greeted by so many waving hands and big smiles. Whenever you get invited to a family’s home, tea and biscuits are waiting for you and your hosts will do their utmost best to offer you something delicious. The Tajiks go to great lengths to make sure you’re well taken care of. They turned hospitality into an art!

So while I hope that Tajikistan will forever be as unspoiled, untouched and unique as it’s now, I also don’t want to deny its beauty to others. Every traveller who decides to visit this little corner of the world will be greatly rewarded!

 

About author

Cynthia (35) is a Belgian travel photographer, Panasonic Lumix Ambassador and travel blogger. She writes for the outdoor and adventure travel blog Journal of Nomads together with her Canadian travel partner, Niko.

Instead of rushing through places and ticking off countries on a list, they prefer to spend some quality time in the places they visit. They travel very slowly so they immerse themselves in the local culture while learning more about the traditions and daily lives of the people they meet.

Follow them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/journalofnomadsaworldodyssey

Instagram: @journalofnomads

YouTube: Journal of Nomads

 

Fighting For Political Change in Georgia

In Conversation: Shalva Natelashvili

 

Sixty-two year old Shalva Natelashvili is no ordinary Georgian politician. Born in the northern mountainous part of Georgia, he graduated from Tbilisi State University with a degree in Law before pursuing a post-graduate degree at the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian federation. He began his career in the General Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia, later becoming head of the Department for International Relations. In 2004 he studied in the Leadership Programme of the US State Department earning an honorary position as envoy of the state of Louisiana. He is known to be a peace ambassador and founded the Georgian Labour Party in 1995 to help bring about change in his country after independence. OCA was fortunate enough to find a few spare minutes in his busy schedule to speak to him about his experiences and ambitions. We relay the conversation that Marat Akhmedjanov had recently with this man of change below.

OCA: You established the party in 1995?

SHN: Yes, I established party in 1995, but I have been in politics since 1992 – at that time I was the chairman of the legal committee of the Georgian parliament and the head of the editorial-constitutional commission in the country’s parliament.

OCA: You are not just staying in politics, but you are playing a very active role in politics. You participated in the presidential election, though your vote share percentage was reported to be low. Perhaps a disappointment?

SHN: Like in the Olympic Games, the important thing is to participate (he laughs). In 2002 we got 26% of the vote in the local elections. After that, in the parliamentary elections they have reported we achieved 12.5%, while in fact we understand we got 27%. And then, this damned revolution happened, and everything went backwards. In the first 2 years, there was a rise.

OCA: The leader of “Georgian Dream” party Bidzina Ivanishvili promised that they were going to reject the majority system and will move to a proportional election system, and they actually didn’t keep their promise. What do you think of this behaviour?

SHN: You know, in human history, that subject, the Russian billionaire, Gazprom shareholder, The Kremlin and Putin’s representative, will stay as a great “backstabber”.

I think you have heard the saying, I guess Churchill said: Politics is the ability to foretell what is going to happen tomorrow, next week, next month, and next year. And to have the ability afterwards to explain why it didn’t happen. But, what Ivanishvili promised to people was unprecedented. He promised invaluable money, promised zero bank percent, and now Georgia is in the first place for bank debts. He promised that there will be work for everybody; every village will have 5 million [dollars]; that all refugees and emigrants will be back home. But now he calls everybody to leave the country and find some job in Europe.

Of course, all this accumulated as a negative charge. And this charge accumulated and blew up on the night of the arrival of that poor deputy Gavrilov in Tbilisi, who was then the chairman of parliament. If this would have happened 5-6 years ago during the rating peak of Ivanishvili, then there would not have been such reaction. But, this time, people just blew up, obviously this was the reason.

At the same time, not a single statement was made by Georgia to the UN Security Council, because the government forbids it. And then all this blew up on the night of June 20, and the process of power change began together with the recognisable  unrest. And this process was stopped only by a promise to hold proportional elections.

You see, in the world there are no precedents in a democratic system when deputies are elected from two different systems: proportional representation and majority vote. Furthermore both sit in the same house. Even in Russia, for this, there is an upper house, a federation council for majorities. We have it only in Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Iran, i.e. when deputies elected by a mixed system are sitting in the same house.

My son was detained twice, he is the head of international relations of our party. The leader of our youth organization was detained, and other young people were detained, they all are held in prisons as political prisoners. Currently, the leaders of political parties have been arrested, they are in prison. Things got to the point where, for negotiations between the opposition and the government, international mediators were really needed, you know?!

There are only two countries in the world where the opposition and the authorities speak through international mediators – these are Syria and Georgia! It is a fact! That is why, you need to raise your voice.

OCA: On December 6, an opposition meeting was held in your office and a decision was made to hold protests throughout the country. And as you say your son was arrested. How long will these processes last, and what are you planning to join?

SHN: Opposition meetings are always held in our office. These protests will last until the departure of Ivanishvili and his group, and until the advent of a coalition government, a multi-party government, and the introduction of proper proportional elections. Georgia must get rid of this archaic voting system of majorities.

OCA: What is the role of your party in the opposition? Because, there are a lot of opposition parties now.

SHN: There are about 38 major opposition parties here. We have meetings here. We are happy that we were able to coordinate a very diverse Georgian political spectrum, that could not even sit together in one place for about 30 years. Because of this, sometimes we received coups, civil wars, serious conflicts and destruction. Thank God that the Georgian political mind has come to the point that for basic issues, you need to sit together at the same table.

OCA: It is a big deal that you were able to unite everyone in your office. But, it gives the impression that you are applying for a leadership role, or for some kind of intermediary role of parties.

SHN: No, no

OCA: What role do you see for your party then?

SHN: We are happy that we can unite all political forces to achieve one goal, and specifically to end oligarchic rule. As long as the oligarchs are in power, these pro-Russian – Gazprom, pro-monarchist or pro-feudal types, there will be no development in our country.

Now the situation is that the oligarch abolished the multiparty system. This refusal to accept proportional elections means: “You know, my dear parties, I do not need you, leave, I will look after everything myself. My henchmen lead their ministries, my appointees will talk in parliament about “great achievements” on your behalf,

OCA: Who is the main opposition? There are 38 parties, but which ones are the most significant and influential?

SHN: Almost all the main parties are here, and they are all equal at the same time. We simply have the function of coordinator-unifier in order to reach the final goal, getting rid of Ivanishvili. After this, there will be elections for which the parties will gain the majority, if they do not, then they will [have to] create something special just as in Germany where the most ancient enemies: Christian Democrats and Socialists united in one coalition government.

OCA: 38 parties sounds good. It speaks of pluralism of opinions in the country.But what are the main 5 parties?

SHN:It will be an unethical step from my side to name these parties now. Since this may cause some kind of conflict. I can’t do this at the moment. I can’t allocate any one of them. But, you can take a survey of the Republican Institute, where the main parties are listed there.

OCA: What are the main demands of the opposition except the departure of Ivanishvili?

SHN: After that, the parties will have a huge field for the implementation of their ideology. Of course, not a single ideology has been fully implemented in the history of mankind…

OCA: Speaking specifically about the Labour Party, what are your main objectives?

SHN: More specifically, it is de-oligarchization (from the word “oligarch”), an independent judiciary, real democracy, and not just in words, and social guarantees to people.

Now, unfortunately, in our country, a maximum of 15% -17% of the population use all the national wealth, and the rest live as secondary citizens. We want the country to create a middle layer that will control the politics, economy, legal system and future development of the country.

OCA: Regarding the Labour Party, what are your foreign policy aims?

SHN: By the name of our party it is clear that we are oriented towards Western values. In the 12th century, we already had signs of parliamentarianism, a special institution was created under Queen Tamar, in which laws were ratified. Similar principles created the famous parliament in Great Britain. And in the 17th and 21st years, when Georgia became independent, women in the UK did not have [fully equal] rights yet, but at that time we had not only female deputies, but also Muslim women (female deputies).

That is why, our historical values ​​are Western values, but Asian values ​​are not foreign to us, because Georgia was at the junction of Western and Eastern civilisation.

OCA: How do you see the organization of the country? Suppose you win the next election? And with which party is your party is ready to enter into an alliance with?

SHN-:We can enter into an alliance with all parties only if we lead the government. If this does not happen, then we will remain in constructive opposition, all the more we are used to this state, and we will control the actions of the authorities.

OCA: What is your attitude towards the Eurasian Economic Union?

SHN: I think that this is the worst model of the Soviet Union. You know why? During the Soviet Union, the center gave subsidies to the republics, that is, the republics lived and did nothing. They were just sent money from Moscow, and now we have to send money to Moscow.

OCA: What are your plans for integration with the European Union?

SHN: Our plans are very pleasant, we want to be members of the European Union, but unfortunately this is not quite achievable for us now, due to the geopolitical situation. Unfortunately, I want to repeat once again that France and Germany, while making decisions regarding Georgia, are following a very pro-Russian course. That is, they do not want to quarrel with Russia over Georgia.

Therefore, I am very worried that Britain is leaving the European Union. Leaving the European Union means inviting Putin as a host, because Putin has gas and energy for Europe in his hands. Energy decides a lot for the development of Europe and Asia. I respect the opinion of British voters who voted for Brexit, but that means they will give Europe to Putin.

 

OCA: In order for the opposition to win and be able to overthrow this regime, you need some kind of support in the regions. How strong is your party’s support in the regions? And in which particular regions do you feel support?

SHN: Our party has always had great support both in the regions and in the capital city. But, unfortunately, we were not able to establish real democracy, and at least count the votes correctly.

We have support in all regions, since the social situation in all regions is the same and they have the same interests. Despite the fact that Georgians are in the majority, an significant Armenian or Azerbaijani minority also live there. But unfortunately, in the regions, in which Azerbaijanis or Armenians live, there is also the factor of trade between the government of Georgia with Baku and Yerevan. That is, there is an agreement between the presidents, all these regions will vote for Saakashvili, for Shevardnadze, for Ivanishvili and all.

I am very worried because we have wonderful citizens of Georgia, Azerbaijanis and Armenians, some of the world’s famous figures who grew up here, who glorified Georgia and their historical peoples. And now they are deprived of the right to vote. Our main regions are Kartli, Kakheti, Imereti, Tbilisi, Rustavi. I repeat in all regions we have voters, and have always had them.

OCA: There is an opinion among experts that in reality the confrontation that is taking place in Georgia now is a battle of the oligarchic clans of Ivanishvili and Saakashvili. There is a struggle for power, for one it is revenge, in order to return. And Vashadze, it doesn’t matter, the first and second are his proteges.

SHN: Grigory Vashadze is the chairman of the national movement, he is a professional diplomat.

OCA: I don’t disagree but rather see a struggle between the two clans.

SHN: No, its Ivanishvili’s PR that, with the help of scarecrow Saakashvili, he can create personal immunity and eternity. There is a struggle of the people and the whole political spectrum against the oligarchic regime … By the way, the oligarchy is being destroyed from within, there are huge contradictions.

OCA: Ivanishvili, as you said, a Russian oligarch, a person who owned or owns businesses in Russia, and is affiliated with Putin. Is there any threat that Russia could take its side and in some circumstances occupy Georgia?

SHN: Russia has already occupied Georgia, 20% of the territory of Georgia is under the control of Russian troops. They are 300 metres from the main Eurasian highway, 300 metres, do you understand? So, if this continues, the political occupation is too obvious.

OCA: If you win and drive him out [Ivanashvili], will the Russian armoured personnel carriers come to his aid?

SHN: No, the matter will not come to this. Today the Kremlin is not satisfied, because it has not had its promises completely fulfilled. Shevardnadze played with both Moscow and Washington, then, both overthrew him, Bush and Putin. And Saakashvili had such a position, at first had excellent relations with Moscow, they agreed to create an anti-terrorism centre here, in Tbilisi. This is also a military base in Russia, and had excellent relations with Washington, and then took a pro-Western course and naturally this course continued. Putin was very dissatisfied, he considered that he had been “cut out” and burst here and there. Now the same situation is being established, everyone is tired of Ivanishvili. Everyone, this is a fact!

OCA: Now there are European MPs intermediaries whole have intervened, and they offered a mixed form, and it seems that the government is thinking about it…

SHN: Sorry, I do not trust these deputies. I still think that these diplomats are lobbying Ivanishvili.

OCA: You mean to say that these intermediaries protect Ivanishvili?

SHN: Not protect, but if there is an opportunity they will protect him and implement his interests.

These grievances are not directed to the whole of Europe, now I really appreciate that the deputies of the European Parliament arrived, that they recognised the existence of political prisoners, and told the truth. But there is a tendency, in the French-German bloc, which is always recognised by the Georgian government, and not by the people or the country, they are cooperating with the government, not with the opposition and all political representatives.

For us, Europe is like that. Due to the fact that we loved England/Europe, that is why we called ourselves Labourites, took the ideology of classical social democracy, the oldest one, thought that we would be partners, and embarked on the European path. They all failed and left us here alone against the oligarchs, Putin and against all this savagery.

OCA: It remains a fascinating and tense time. Thank you for taking the time to speak to us.

 

BRUSSELS HOSTS VIII OPEN EURASIAN LITERARY FESTIVAL

From 13th to 17th November, the eighth Open Eurasian Literary Festival and Book Forum (OEBF 2019) was held in Brussels (Belgium). Open Eurasia is an international initiative that for the eighth year brings together creative people from all over the world – writers, poets, translators, artists and other talented people. This year, festival guests represented more than 25 countries.

Organised by the Eurasian Creative Guild (London) and the British publishing house Hertfordshire Press, the Festival teamed up with AidEx – to create an exhibition on a mutual platform to bring attention to humanitarian issues currently affecting most post-soviet countries.

The Open Eurasian Literature Festival & Book Forum (OEBF) is the only annual literary festival in the world to promote Eurasian literature internationally. As a cultural bridge between East and West, this unique event provides an opportunity for authors and artists to talk about their work, share experiences and find like-minded people from different countries with whom to implement joint projects.

The program for the OEBF Festival 2019 in Brussels was intensive, and consisted of many different events, including book presentations, exhibitions and seminars for writers and artists by experts in the fields of literature, publishing and communication.

On 13th of November, an exhibition of ECG London artists was held at the Brussels Expo and the R. Hubbard Museum. The works of the following artists were successfully presented at the exhibition: Olesya Shibaeva (Moldova), Gulzada Hamra (Kyrgyzstan), Emil Guzairov (Russia), Ravil Abdulov(Kazakhstan) Akhmetzhan Akhatbakiev (Kazakhstan) and “Peaks of Asia” (Almagul Yesimova, AbayChunchalinov, Elena Fursa, Bakytnur Burdesbekov, Asia Bekisheva, Adilgali Bayandin, SmakovaBibigul from Kazakhstan and Laura Pak from Kyrgyzstan).

This year, the opening ceremony of the festival was dedicated to the 175th anniversary of Abay and was held on November 14th at the Brussels Expocenter, where the following speakers made a welcoming speech and shared their thoughts on the contribution of Abay Kunanbayev’s work to world literature: Johnathan Fryer (British historian, researcher), Marat Akhmedjanov (vice-president of ECG London) and Begizhan Akhmedov (writer from Kyrgyzstan), who solemnly presented Marat Akhmedjanov with the Order of Honor and Courage Fund (Russia) and presented his book “The Wanderer”.
Honorary guests spoke at the opening ceremony: Ambassador of Tajikistan Erkinkhon Rahmatullozoda, Ambassador of Kyrgyzstan Mukhtar Dzhumaliev and Counselor-Envoy of the Embassy of Kazakhstan – Erbolat Sembaev. On behalf of the organizer of the exhibition AIDEX, Peter Lindsay gave a speech and he also conducted a sightseeing tour of AIDEX.

On the same day, there was a panel discussion dedicated to the work of the great writer Chingiz Aitmatov and the influence of Abay’s heritage on world literature. The report “Oscar Wilde in Central Asia – drawing a parallel between the work of Wilde and Kyrgyz writer Chingiz Aitmatov (1928-2008)” was made by the British researcher Jonathan Fryer. The panel discussion participants included: a literary agent – Bakhtygul Makhanbetova, a scientist – Dandai Yskakuly, and a translator – Nurym Taibek from Kazakhstan.

On November 15th, the presentation of the third “ECG-2019 Book Series” was held by Angelina Krasnogir, manager of the Hertfordshire Press publishing house. The following books published in London were presented at the presentation: Vladimir Tulinov, “Guardsmen of Hippocrates” (Belarus), Kanybek Imanaliev, “Kaganat” (Kyrgyzstan), Alfred Engalychev, “And God Give Me …” (Kyrgyzstan) and the collection “Thread” -3 ”, which was presented by one of the authors of the collection – Aya Maksutova (Kazakhstan).

One of the most striking events of the festival was the presentation of books by the winners of the Open Eurasia 2018 competition published through grants awarded to the winners:

“Lost Paradise – Real Paradise”, Gulsifat Shahidi (Tajikistan) with Stephen Bland (Great Britain)
– BEST TRANSLATION 2018

“Sofya’s heaven or the magic gift of the dwarves”
Oksana Gordiyko (Poland-Ukraine)
– NEMAT KELIMBETOV PRIZE 2018

“Leia the Little Mouse” Arina Chunaeva (Russia) with Stephen Bland and Mariola Fedarchuk (Great Britain) – MARIA SHEVEL PRIZE 2018

“Rhymes about boys” Ludmila Dubcovetcaia (Moldova) with John Farndon and Stephen Bland (Great Britain) – MARZIA ZAKIRYANOVA PRIZE 2018

Presentations of the following speakers took place on the same day:

Alan Flowers (Great Britain), who presented a book dedicated to Belarusian classics – “Celebration of Vera Rich’s life and work”. The presentation was attended by a representative of the Embassy of the Republic of Belarus – Julia Lyashuk.

Poetess Josephine (Berkinaliev Sagynbubu) from Kyrgyzstan, presenting her book “Girl dancing in the sky”

Jonathan Farndon (UK)

Nurym Taybek (Great Britain) editor of “Russian Service”, “The Muslim community of Ahmadis around the world” with lectures on the topic: The Rational Religion Initiative to unite humanity into one family in order to save it from war and self-destruction

On November 16th, the official part of the festival took place!

A literary marathon “Voices of Eurasia” lasted more than 6 hours, during which 50 finalists of the competition and guests of “Open Eurasia-2019” presented their entries.

On the same day, the annual meeting of the Council of the Eurasian Creative Guild (London) took place. As a result of the vote, a new chairman of the Guild, John Farndon (Great Britain), was elected. The new composition of the Advisory Board and the composition of the new Council of the Guild Guardians were approved. (lists in the appendix)

The literary part of the festival was completed by the following book presentations and workshops:

“Keanu Reeves: unfinished portrait. Part 1”. Author: Evgenia Sihimbaeva (Kazakhstan)

Stephen M. Bland. Prize laureate, author and journalist Stephen M. Bland delivered a speech entitled “Dictators, Desolation and Dadaism: From the Uzbek Desert of Forbidden Art to the Forgotten Peoples of Armenia”

“The Silk Road Revisited”, a new photography and history book was presented by Nick Rowan, editor-in-chief of OCA magazine (London).

Visual master class by Emil Guzairov – writer, architect, designer from Russia. The workshop “Unusual books, beech art and book architecture” taught attendees how to interest the public in an unusual presentation of the book.

Master class from Elena Bezrukova (Kazakhstan) on the topic: “Communication training for creative people.” The purpose of the workshop was to identify resources for the presentation of their creative abilities to the world.
In the evening, the main event of the festival was a gala dinner and an award ceremony for the winners of the Open Eurasia 2019 contest. The ceremony began with the presentation of a painting by Kazakh artist Bibigul Smakova as a gift to the R. Hubbard Museum in Brussels.

The total prize pool in 2019 was $ 31,000. The main prizes of the competition are grants that will be used to publish the book of winners in London or to pay for trips to the OEBF 2020 festival.

In 2019, more than 1200 applications from over 30 countries of the world were submitted to the competition.
PROSE CATEGORY:
1st place: Ion Zhani (Russia) – $ 5000 grant from Hertfordshire Press
2nd place: Aydin Shem (Russia)
3rd place: Alexander Chigolsky (Belarus) and Temirbek Dzholdobaev (Kyrgyzstan)

At the award ceremony, it was announced that the medal of Henryk Sienkiewicz was awarded to the winner of the Open Eurasia 2017 contest – Sultan Raev (Kyrgyzstan).

CATEGORY SMALL PROSE:
1st place: Torgyn Zholdasbekgizy (Kazakhstan) grant $ 1000 from Hertfordshire Press
2nd place: Klara Kabylgazina (Kazakhstan)
3rd place: Kenja Navoi (Uzbekistan) and Marina Markina(Russia)

CATEGORY OF POETRY:
1st place: Ekaterina Khlebnikova (Russia) award “Song of the Moth”
from the studio of Ermek Amanshaev ($ 2000)
1st place: Josephine (Berkinalieva Sagynbubu) – Kyrgyzstan, prize / medal “Lira” ($ 1000)
2nd place: Banu Esengeldi (Germany / Kazakhstan)
3rd place: Valery Terkin (Russia) and Svetlana Razmyslovich(Russia)

CATEGORY PUBLICITY:
1st place: Cordelia Buchanan Poncek (Poland) Lev Gumilyov Prize from OCA Magazine ($ 3000)
2nd place: Katerina Gladkaya (Ukraine)
3rd place: Sofia Timurovna (Slovakia) and Akylbek Dzhumanaliev (Kyrgyzstan)

A special prize for best literary criticism was awarded to Gulsifat Shahidi (Tajikistan).

CATEGORY BEST CHILDREN’S WORKS:
1st place: Hope Silver (USA) Maria Shevel Prize ($ 5000)
2nd place: Mikhail Kunitsky (Belarus)
3rd place: Dina Oraz (Kazakhstan) and Zaure Turekhanova(Kazakhstan)

CATEGORY BEST WOMEN’S AUTHOR:
1st place: Zhanna Golubitskaya (Russia) Marzia Zakiriyanova Prize ($ 5000)
2nd place: Aldona Groupas (Great Britain / Lithuania)
3rd place: Dilorom Nishanova (Uzbekistan / USA)

CATEGORY VIDEO:
1st place: not awarded (Nemat Kelimbetov Prize)
2nd place: Platinum (Russia)
3rd place: Helen Rush (Great Britain / Latvia) and Andrey Yesaulov (Russia)

TRANSFER CATEGORY:
1st place: Simon Hollinshire (Great Britain) Irina Bustard Prize ($ 1000)
1st place: Maria Kevaeva (Russia), “BelRos” prize from Oleg Nesterkov ($ 1000)
2nd place: Luche (Israel)
3rd place: Olga Marusina (Belgium) and Alena Filippova(Russia)

CATEGORY ILLUSTRATION:
1st place: Abishev Nurlan (Kazakhstan) Live Line Prize from Adam Kapanov ($ 2000)
2nd place: Igor Barbov (Russia) and Alexander Batykov(Uzbekistan)
3rd place: Aliya Temuriyzoda (Uzbekistan)

AWARDS:

THE PRIZE OF GENERALS from the International Association of Peace Generals for Peace, the highest award of the Association – the dove of peace medal for the best work on topics of strengthening, peace, friendship and mutual understanding between peoples was received by: Lenar Shaekhov (Tatarstan / Russia)

CERTIFICATES “GENERALS OF THE WORLD FOR PEACE” were issued to the following laureates:

Ksenia Kirillova (USA)
Alexandra Taan (Russia)
Dandai Yskakuli (Kazakhstan)
Bayangali Alimzhanov (Kazakhstan)
Elena Aslanyan (Armenia)
Lyudmila Blokhina (Russia)
Mikhail Ananov (Georgia)
Dana Zheteeva (Kazakhstan)
Ahmet Ahat (Kazakhstan)
Yufim Sanya (Russia)

CERTIFICATES OF APPRECIATION were awarded to the following participants:

Ivan Arjona Pelado (Spain / Belgium)
Ayia Maksutova (Kazakhstan)
Oksana Zhukova (Crimea)
Elena Bezrukova (Kazakhstan)
Nick Rowan (UK)
John Farndon (UK)
Stephen M. Bland (UK)
PARTICIPANTS, GUESTS AND SPEAKERS:

1. Sultan Raev (Kyrgyzstan) *
2. Elena Bezrukova (Kazakhstan) – speaker
3. Ermek Amanshaev (Kazakhstan) *
4. Gulsifat Shahidi (Tajikistan) – speaker
5. Kairat Zakiryanov (Kazakhstan) *
6. Anastasia Kuzmicheva (Belarus)
7. Sergey Molokhovsky (Belarus)
8. Mark (Marat) Ahmedjanov (Great Britain – Uzbekistan) – organizer
9. Adam Kapanov (Kazakhstan) *
10. Narkabilov, Narkuchkar (Uzbekistan) *
11. Zhukova Oksana (Crimea)
12. Lenar Shaeh (Russia) – official participant
13. Stephen M. Bland (UK) – Speaker
14. Marina Markina (Russia) – viewer
15. Zhanna Shvydkaya (Russia) – viewer
16. Elena Aslanyan (Armenia) – viewer
17. Gayane Aslanyan (Armenia) – viewer
18. Olga Marusina (Belgium) – viewer
19. Arina Chunaeva (Russia) – speaker
20. Mikhail Chunaev (Russia) – viewer
21. Bakhtygul Makhanbetova (Kazakhstan) – viewer
22. Andrey Zapsha (Moldova) – official member
23. Tatyana Rasskazova (Russia) – viewer
24. Dubkovetskaya Ludmila (Moldova) – speaker
25. Kurochkin Alexander (Moldova) – official participant
26. Kabylgazina Klara (Kazakhstan) – official participant
27. Iskakuly Dandai (Kazakhstan) – official member
28. Karimov Gumer (Russia) – official participant
29. Yurchova Timea (Slovakia) – official participant
30. Guzairov Emil (Russia) – exhibition
31. Abdulov Ravil (Kazakhstan) – exhibition
32. Abdulatova Bibinura (Kazakhstan) – guest
33. Akhatbakiev Akhmetzhan (Kazakhstan) – exhibition
34. Mambetsadykova Gulnar (Kyrgyzstan) – viewer
35. Gordijko Oksana (Poland) – speaker
36. Taybek Nurym (Kazakhstan-Great Britain) – speaker
37. Lana Timofeeva (Belarus) – official participant
38. Aldona Grupas (Lithuania-UK) – official participant
39. Anna Schneider (Russia) – official participant
40. Mikhail Kunitsky (Belarus) – official participant
41. Ekaterina Khlebnikova (Russia) – official participant
42. Nishanova Dilorom (USA -Uzbekistan) – Official Member
43. Razmyslovich Svetlana (Russia) – official member
44. Helen Koro (Russia) – official participant
45. Maksutova Aya (Kazakhstan) – official participant
46. Dana Zheteeva (Kazakhstan) – official participant
47. Oganjanyan Gagik (Russia) – official participant
48. Murat Uali (Kazakhstan) – official member
49. Zhanat Akhmetova (Kazakhstan) – press
50. Zhomart Akhmetov (Kazakhstan) – press
51. Banu Toleukhanova (Kazakhstan) – official participant
52. Mahabat Alishova (Kyrgyzstan) – viewer
53. Begizhan Akhmedov (Kyrgyzstan) – viewer
54. Temirbek Dzholdobaev (Kyrgyzstan) – viewer
55. Ekaterina Pivnik (Russia) – official participant
56. Evgeny Pivnik (Russia) – viewer
57. Lyudmila Kulikova (Moldova) – viewer
58. Elena Leschu (Moldova) – viewer
59. Bektenova Bubuira (Kyrgyzstan) – viewer
60. Nargisa Karasartova (Kyrgyzstan) – viewer
61. Dulaeva Olga (Russia) – viewer
62. Oleg Kunitsky (Belarus) – viewer
63. Elena Smirnova (Russia) – viewer
64. Natalya Rusak (Belarus) – viewer
65. Oleg Nesterkov (Belarus) *
66. Hollingsworth Simon (UK) – Official Member
67. Almagul Yesimova (Kazakhstan) * -exhibition
68. Abay Chunchalinov (Kazakhstan) * exhibition
69. Elena Fursa (Kazakhstan) * – exhibition
70. Bakytnur Burdesbekov (Kazakhstan) * – exhibition
71. Asia Bekisheva (Kazakhstan) * – exhibition
72. Laura Pak (Kyrgyzstan) * – exhibition
73. Adilgali Bayandin (Kazakhstan) * – exhibition
74. Smakova Bibigul (Kazakhstan) * – exhibition
75. Victoria Malyushitskaya (Belarus) – organizer
76. Evgenia Sikhimbaeva (Kazakhstan) – speaker
77. Josephine (Berkinalieva Sagynbubu, Kyrgyzstan) – speaker
78. Kanybek Imanaliev (Kyrgyzstan) *
79. Alan Flowers (UK) – Speaker
80. Angelina Krasnogir (Belarus) – organizer
81. Blokhina Lyudmila (Russia) * participant
82. Kenjaeva Zulkhumar (Uzbekistan) * participant
83. Golubitskaya Jamilya (Russia) * participant
84. Kaminska Natalya (Ukraine) – official participant
85. Alina Moseykina (Russia) * participant
86. Ksenia Kirillova (Russia) * participant
87. Grinkevich Nadzeya (Belarus) * participant
88. Nina Yagolnitser (Israel) * participant
89. Terkin Valery (Russia) * participant
90. Irina Egorova (Russia) * participant
91. Parfenov Yuri (Russia) * participant
92. Sakalu Alexander (Belarus) – official participant
93. Olga Sianyuk (Belarus) – viewer
94. Yulia Olshevskaya (Russia) * participant
95. Poncek Cordelia (Poland-USA) – viewer
96. Laura Berdkkhozhaeva (Kazakhstan) – viewer
97. Ilham Rakhimov (Azerbaijan) – official participant
98. Antonina Karimova (Russia) – viewer
99. Maria Mantorova – viewer
100. Alexander Pavlenko – viewer
101. Elena Rashevskaya (Latvia) – viewer
102. Alexandra Taan (Russia) – official participant
103. Timea Jurchova (Slovakia) – official participant
104. Yuri Porfinov (Russia) * – participant
105. Tatyana Truneva (Canada) * – participant
106. Torgyn Kalelova (Kazakhstan) * – participant
107. Yulia Bondarenko (Ukraine) * – participant
108. Mikhail Ananov (Georgia) * – participant
109. Olga Bagriy * (Ukraine)
110. Alexandra Balzhak * (Belarus)
111. Vladislav Ermachenko * (Russia)
112. Natalya Korshun * (Russia)
113. Victoria Levina * (Israel)
114. Kuchkar Narkabil * (Uzbekistan)
115. Joanna Reeves * (Belarus)
116. Luca Sibir * (Russia)
117. Ahmad Hoji Horazmiy * (Great Britain)
118. Natalya Kaminska (Ukraine) – official participant
119. Nick Rowan (U.K) – speaker

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THE RESULTS OF THE THIRD EURASIAN CULTURE WEEK IN LONDON-2019

From October 1st to 6th 2019, Great Britain, attracted artists, artisans, writers, filmmakers and art-lovers to its capital. Attendees enjoyed the creativity and culture of the Eurasian region through exhibitions, films, and creative meetings. Eurasian Culture Week was organised by the Eurasian Creative Guild (London), with the support of Premiere Cinemas Romford, The Mercury Shopping Centre, Rossotrudnichestvo London, The Center of Contemporary Art of Tajikistan, The British-Kazakh Society and Orzu Arts Theatre.

On the first day the main event was a discussion dedicated to the 175th anniversary of Abai, the famous Kazakh writer and philosopher. The discussion was led by David William Parry, Daniele H. Irandoost, Jonathan Fryer, Gulsifat Shahidi, Nurym Taibek, Bakhtygul Makhanbetova and John Farndon. Members of the Guild, Jonathan Campion, Gulzada Hamra and others also took an active part in this event. At the end of the roundtable, the official opening of the first exhibition of fine arts, ‘Peaks of Asia’ took place. More than 50 works by artists from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Moldova and Russia were presented alongside replicas of the most famous works from the State Museum of Art named after I.V. Savitsky (Uzbekistan, Nukus).

The second day saw an important presentation of a new book by Gulsifat Shahidi (Tajikistan) ‘True Paradise – Lost Paradise.’ A Q&A session was also held with writer, journalist and editor, Stephen M. Bland, who delivered a speech entitled ‘Dictators, Devastation and Dadaism: From Uzbekistan’s Desert of Forbidden Art to Armenia’s Forgotten People.’ Following this event, David Parry presented his newest work: ‘Mount Athos Inside Me: Essays on Religion, Swedenborg and Arts.’ The closing of the second day of the Eurasian Creative Week was marked by a lecture by Jonathan Fryer in which the journalist and author compared the works of Kyrgyz writer Chingiz Aitmatov to those by the English writer, Oscar Wilde.

October 3rd saw the premiere of the film ‘Oasis.’ Made by students from the American University of Central Asia (Kyrgyzstan), the London screening was presented by the University’s Professor, Lauren McConnell. The film revealed the history of Elm Grove, the largest park in Bishkek, which was founded in 1881 by the first Russian settlers. A poetic performance was also given by John Farndon – winner of the EBRD 2019 literary prize for his translation of a book by the Uzbek author, Hamid Ismailov, entitled ‘The Devil’s Dance.’

On October 4th, official participants of the Eurasian Culture Week were given the opportunity to become acquainted with the architecture, culture and history of Great Britain, visiting historical sites in and around London. Participants visited the British Library and the house-cum-museum of the famous writer L. Ron Hubbarad on Fitzroy Street in London.

In the evening, a panel discussion took place in Rossotrudnichestvo in Central London about the upcoming release of the book, ‘A Poetic Treasury from Belarus,’ dedicated to the English poetess and cultural historian, Vera Rich. David Parry, Daniele H. Irandoost, Alison Cameron and Kapil Gupta participated in the roundtable.

The presentation of the ECG 2019 Book Series and works published by Hertfordshire Press was hosted by Angelina Krasnogir, wherein the audience were introduced to books such as ‘True Paradise – Lost Paradise’ by Gulsifat Shahidi, ‘The Guardsmen og Hippocrates’ by Vladimir Tulinov, ‘The Kaganate’ by Kanybek Imanaliev, ‘Sof’iny Nebesa, Ili Volshebniy Dar Gnomov’ by Oksana Gordiyko and ‘I day mne Bog’ by Alfred Engalychev.

The culmination of the fourth day was a gala concert and performance, ‘Voices of Eurasia,’ which featured the musicians and writers, Zhanna Kemp, Daria Robertson, Nadejda Nalivkina, John Farndon, Stephen Bland, Nuryn Taibek and Aiya Maxutova.

On October 5th, the unique exhibition, ‘Peaks of Asia’ – which was visited by a record number of spectators and art lovers – continued in Romford. The works of art presented introduced visitors and residents to different styles of painting by talented artists of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, revealing the picturesque beauty of Eurasia.

The final day of the Eurasian Culture Week (6th October) began with the presentation of Caroline Walton’s book, ‘My Cossack Family.’ Following this, a presentation was given by Nurym Taibek (Eurasian Creative Guild member) of his book, ‘Love for all, hatred of no one.’ In the early evening, participants and guests were able to enjoy a theatrical performance by Orzu Arts Theatre. Finally, a traditional gala dinner and a certificate awards ceremony was held for all of the official participants in the Culture Week.

The Eurasian Cultural Week was a highlight of creative life in London and the first event of this magnitude and type to be held in Romford. It is one of the few such events in the UK to bring together creative people from around the world – artists, artisans, writers and filmmakers among them.

During the week, a total of fifteen events were held at various venues which won the hearts of Londoners. The events were attended by dozens of representatives from the creative industries of Great Britain, journalists and representatives of the embassies of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Belarus in London.

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TEDX LAMBETH DEBUTS WITH SOVIET THEMES

TEDxLambeth officially debuted on Friday 11th October 2019 at the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA) in London, UK, attracting 70 attendees from all over the globe including New York, Trondheim and Almaty. A year in the making, this gathering brought together 12 remarkable speakers and performers, not to mention 28 dedicated volunteers, and received rave reviews on social media (Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @tedxlambeth). Each talk, in TED tradition, was published on the official TEDx Youtube channel in late October.

To briefly contextualise, TED was born in 1984 out of a fascinating convergence among three fields: technology, entertainment and design. Indeed, the principles that have made TED great with more than a billion viewers online are the inspired format, the breadth of content, as well as the commitment to seek out the most interesting people on earth and allow them to communicate their passion. TEDx events, in turn, follow the same format but are organised by communities, organisations and individuals to deliver TED-like experiences at the local level. Since the programme’s creation, more than 5000 TEDx events have spread throughout the world. The aim of TEDxLambeth, with that in mind, is to become a meaningful platform for inspiring change, and stimulating discussion. Being held under the theme of ‘Antinomies!’ — or opposites — TEDxLambeth’s stated mission is to showcase the very best, and most current ideas, generated in Lambeth and the UK, to a global and enlightened audience.

Against this background, the three-hour-and-a-half event explored three sub-themes, titled ‘Antinomies to surprise!’, ‘Antinomies for thought?’ and ‘Antinomies in art …’, each investigating a variety of exciting and emotive topics. The occasion itself, moreover, opened with Daniele-Hadi Irandoost, Curator and Founder, setting the scene with Electric Avenue by Eddy Grant and a ribbon-cutting ceremony alongside James Roberts, a Paralympian from Wales, UK. Speakers and performers, specifically, included Jillian Haslam, Sölvi Fannar, Terje Toomistu, Professor Emeritus Michael York, Professor Andy Clark, Ben Brabyn, Katie Day, Haralampi G. Oroschakoff, Reverend David William Parry, Gerrie Skeens, Julia Munrow and Gabriele Pollina; each giving astonishing talks and performances from finding one’s voice, what unites the 112 gender identities, a brief history of soviet hippies, cultural astronomy, the extended mind, building connections across economic and skills divides, roar of the menopause, conceptualist art, excerpts of a theatrical play on the suffragettes, and even handpan music. The show rounded off with everyone, both participants and team members, clapping along to the Lambeth Walk as they walked on stage.

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MOLDOVAN LITERATURE COMES OF AGE

By profession, Ludmila Dubcovetcaia is a doctor working in the Department of Immunology of the Municipal Dermatovenerological Dispensary of Chisinau. However as a part time writer she strives to reach out and touch the hearts of others. If her poem or story stirs someone’s soul, then she is fulfilling her creative mission – which is exactly what one of her recent books did when it won “The Marziya Zakiryanova Award” at OEBF literary competition in 2018. OCA Magazine finds out more…

OCA: How did you come to understand that writing is your true calling?

Ludmila Dubcovetcaia: I always wrote from the heart because I could not help but do so. I’ve been writing since my early childhood.

I never look for inspiration, however, since inspiration always finds me, and most often unexpectedly. I can be at home having a cup of tea, on public transport or sometimes even at work during a break. Most often inspiration strikes when I’m alone with my thoughts. There can be very long periods of inner emptiness, however, some kind of spiritual pit where nothing can be pulled out of oneself, not even a line. I used to be afraid of this silence and sometimes even forced myself to sit down in front of my notebook, but nothing happened.

Now, I wait, knowing, that sooner or later a source of inspiration will come. Sometimes, it can be unpredictably, in the form of music, random meeting or smiles which give me an unstoppable urge to create. Whether it be poems or prose, I simply have to write.

OCA: What book or author influenced you the most?

LD: It’s difficult to answer this question because each book leaves its mark, giving one a deeper understanding of oneself, a fuller sense of self-awareness. If I were to focus on one book, though, I would probably say The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery, because in a simple statement great wisdom is laid bare.

Nowadays, it’s common and, dare I say, fashionable to name contemporary authors, but my favourite is Pushkin. His books express what is eternal. There is no topic that he didn’t touch upon, from love, conscience and dignity to the fall of man.

OCA: What are the books that you think everyone should read and why?

LD: My top six would be The Black Obelisk by Erich Maria Remarque, The Story of a Real Man by Boris Nikolayevich Polevoy, Buranny Polustanok by Chingiz Aitmatov, War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy, the Collected Works of Alexander Pushkin, and Young Guard by Alexander Fadeev. Each of these books covers the authors’ time, the interests and core values of people, and most importantly, what a person is capable of for the love of life and their homeland.

OCA: Given the rapid development of technology, do you think books will be replaced in the future?

LD: No modern special effects will ever replace the human imagination. Therefore, no matter how rapidly technology develops, books will always remain the major source of spiritual development. As for the e-book, I don’t see them being in opposition to the printed version as both fulfil the same criteria. A big plus of a printed book, though, is that you can have a special life and soul contact with it. Nothing can replace the rustle of pages, the very feeling of paper which is absent when reading an e-book.

OCA: How do you usually spend your free time?

LD: I try to devote all of my free time to my family, but as soon as there’s a moment for solitude, I spend it with a book. I have many friends who write and share their creativity and give recommendations. I try to read everything and then express my opinion on each work. At the moment, I have several unfinished projects and dozens of new ones which I will soon put down on paper.

OCA: What would be your advice to new writers?

LD: To work, to write, to create, experiment, not to be afraid to try different genres and directions, and never give up. And read, read, read!

OCA: What can inspire young people to express their creativity today?

LD: Nothing develops the imagination better than reading books. Therefore, I think reading is the best way to inspire creativity. One can also be driven by the examples and experiences of people who have already achieved success in their creative field.

OCA: Are your characters derived from people you know or are they purely fictional?
LD: They’re fictional characters, but they’re sometimes drawn from my friends and acquaintances in different ways. For some reason, it just so happened that the good characters are mainly fictional characters, but the evil, proud and envious ones are often prototypes of people I’ve encountered more than once in life.

OCA: Would you like to make a film of one of your books? If so, which one and why?

LD: Like any author I would imagine, I’d like it if my works were not only read, but also heard, and even better, seen. If I was offered the opportunity to make a film of one of my works, my choice would be the cycle of stories, Little Stories about Little People.

OCA: How do you look upon the state of modern Moldavian literature today?

LD: With optimism, as today literature in Moldova is in its prime. I can name many talented contemporary poets and writers who publish their books successfully. On a personal note, thanks to winning the international competition, Open Eurasia-2018 held by Eurasian Creative Guild (London) (http://www.rus.eurasiancreativeguild.uk/), my children’s book, Poems about Boys hasbeen translated into English and will be published by the prestigious UK publishing house, Hertfordshire Press.

OCA: Finally, which national dish should every tourist who comes to Moldova try?

LD: The classic cuisine of Moldova: placinta, zama and mamaliga; and, of course, homemade Moldovan wine.

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THE BRITISH MAP OF “RUSSIAN” PLACES

The map of Russian places in Great Britain, originally developed on the basis of the free Google Maps service in 2015 for the website of the Russian Embassy in London, has now become the most complete and clear illustration of the deep historical ties between Russia and the United Kingdom. At the time of launch, it included about 160 addresses, including “Names of streets and houses”, “Burials”, “Monuments”, “Memorial plaques and benches”, “Russian organizations”, “Russian Orthodox churches” and “Places with Russian history”.

While compiling this map, a big question to deal with was the criteria for adding facilities. What personalities are worth mentioning on the map – only Russians who lived in the UK? Or also the British, who joined Russian culture and made great contributions to Russian studies (for example, William Morphill, the first professor of Russian language at Oxford University). And (currently absent on the map) immigrants from the Russian Empire who did not consider themselves Russians, but left a mark on British history (philosopher Isaiah Berlin or businessman Michael Marx for example)?

From the very beginning, the map does not include commercial facilities, the so-called “Russian businesses” and the names of pubs, hotels, shops and so on associated with Russia – only official toponymy and places that have valid historical reasons are included. The plaques are marked not solely by established English Heritage, but also by local authorities and individuals, including inside the premises (London Remembers website, which contains the most comprehensive database of commemorative signs in the British capital, does not take this last category into account).
Many places have a “Russian history” – uniform criteria of significance have yet to be worked out. It is obvious that the map should indicate buildings where prominent personalities lived and where important events occurred. But what about the locations that famous people visited only occasionally? In a number of cases, we marked such spots on the map, for example, Oxford University, in order to recall the great Russians who became honorary doctors there.

“Political” matters are separated. So, near Holland Park in London there is a statue of Prince Vladimir with the inscription “Prince Volodymyr, ruler of Ukraine”, constructed by the local Ukrainian community to celebrate a millennium of the Baptism of Rus. Because of this wording, the monument to the all-Russian saint, apparently, should not be placed on the “Russian” map.

And what about the monuments dedicated to the Crimean War – the only real war between Britain and Russia? They are connected with Russia, but glorify the British. An even more complicated case is the Russian captured guns included in some of these monuments. At the moment, only the “main” one, the London monument, is marked on the map in order to highlight this big topic and taking into account the fact that the British Minister of War immortalized on it was Sydney Herbert – the grandson of S.R. Vorontsov, the Russian ambassador and earl.

New constructions appear on the map constantly – such as new articles about the history of the Russian presence in Britain and the targeted search for “Russian toponymy” appear. Unfortunately, however, a national register of “blue plaques” does not exist: there are separate “schemes” for counties and cities, but in addition to them, the plaques can be set by individual organizations and private individuals with the consent of the municipality. These plaques have different “weights”, but every point of the Russian presence on British soil is important. There are aggregators as openplaques.org and blueplaqueplaces.co.uk, but they are also incomplete, and the descriptions of the plaques are insufficient (sometimes only a number is given in the description, without further details).

We urge you to take a closer look at the plaques and monuments established in your city, study the websites of organizations that constructed them (and write on specialized websites and organizations that study local history and Russian memorials that they didn’t take into account!). This will not only succour to broaden our horizons, but will also contribute to commemorating the memory of our compatriots in those places, where are memorial constructions cannot be found yet.

by Konstantin Shlykov

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TAKING OSCAR WILDE TO KAZAKHSTAN

The Irish playwright Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) never visited Central Asia, but given how he revelled in the American Wild West, with all its raw edges, I suspect he would similarly have loved the “new frontier” atmosphere of the steppes of Kazakhstan. However, that was not why I was invited to Almaty and Taras, to talk about Oscar Wilde, but because of parallels I had drawn between his work and that of the Kyrgyz writer, Chinghiz Aitmatov (1928-2008). That might surprise some people, but let me explain.

Both Wilde and Aitmatov were “outsider-insiders” – creative men who came from the periphery (Ireland and Kyrgyzstan, respectively) but who conquered the metropolis (London and Moscow) with the power and originality of their literary voice. This was despite the fact that some of the subject matter of their writing was subversive, even transgressive, in the historical context. In Wilde’s case, he provided in his social comedies a distorting mirror which parodied the pretentions and hypocrisy of English high society, much to their delight, until he was brought down and imprisoned for over-stepping the mark in his own private life. Chinghiz Aitmatov, the son of a man crushed and obliterated by the Stalinist Soviet system, nonetheless succeeded in challenging the literary orthodoxy of the time by championing the regional (now we would say “national”) characteristics of the Kyrgyz and Kazakh people and their culture and by focussing on individuals who absolutely did not fit into the pattern of the Stakhanovite worker or the heroic fighter in the patriotic war against the Nazis.

Many of Wilde’s and Aitmatov’s characters have glaring flaws, which is why we can empathize so readily with their human frailty. They behave not as they are expected to by the sometimes oppressive norms of the societies in which they live, but rather according to the dictates of their instincts and their hearts. Moreover, in contexts where patriarchy was dominant, the two writers’ women characters – from Wilde’s Mrs Cheveley to Aitmatov’s Jamila – act with a positively revolutionary awareness of their own inner strength and determination.

It was inspiring to be able to discuss such themes when I accompanied Rahima Abduvalieva, Director of the Aitmatov Academy, to Kazakhstan to give lectures and master classes at the Al Farabi University in Almaty and Taras University in Taras. It was by no means my initial encounter with Kazakhstan – which I first visited in 1994, when conditions were difficult for many people in the early years of post-Soviet independence –and each time I return I see marked improvements and vaulting ambitions. There was an energy and enthusiasm among the students (both Kazakh and Russian speaking) too – a thirst to penetrate the unknown and to reconcile the excitement of discovering aspects of world culture while treasuring their own local literary richness. Given that until recently so much of Central Asian culture was based on the oral tradition there is an awareness of the need to preserve and protect so much of the legacy of the past. Aitmatov himself understood that very well, and to a degree many of his short stories are a sort of bridge between traditional story-telling and printed books to be read. The two experiences are, of course, different: the first collective, the second individual. But there is no reason for them to be mutually exclusive.

It was notable that the Russian-speaking students had a much greater background knowledge of Oscar Wilde than their Kazakh-speaking counterparts, but this is maybe not surprising. Wilde’s first, largely unsuccessful, play, pre-dating his four famous comedies, was Vera or, The Nihilists, a melodramatic tragedy loosely based on the life of Vera Zasulich, who shot and wounded the Governor of St. Petersburg, General Fyodor Trepov, but was acquitted in a sensational trial in 1878. However, even more important than that historic link was the fact that the Russians, following the lead of the Germans, in the early 20th century resuscitated interest in the later dramatic output of Oscar Wilde at a time when his posthumous reputation in Britain was still obscured under a cloud of disapproval following his trials and imprisonment. Much of Wilde’s work is available in Russian translation, but I am not aware of that being the case in Kazakh or other Central Asian languages.

Rahima and I returned to London from Almaty just in time to take part in an hour-long BBC Kyrgyz Service TV programme celebrating the 90th anniversary of Aitmatov’s birth. I was able to talk about the main points of my thesis about the Wilde-Aitmatov similarities and I can’t help thinking that even if Wilde would not have understood a word of what was being said in the Kyrgyz language broadcast, he would have been delighted. For as he declared, on more than one occasion, “There is only one thing worse in life than being talked about and that is not being talked about!”

Text by Jonathan Fryer
The British writer and broadcaster Jonathan Fryer is a regular TV pundit on the Islamic world for half a dozen Arab satellite channels, as well as teaching a Humanities course at SOAS (London University).

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THE SOFT POWER OF EDUCATIONAL EXCHANGE BETWEEN CENTRAL ASIA AND THE WORLD

Don’t underestimate the potency of soft power grounded in education and people-to-people contact. Both are the backbone of deepened relationships, and the global community needs to invest in strengthening those ties with the Central Asia region.

Soft power is an axiom of international relations and multilateral ties. Within this framework, education and research is a key part of the soft-power apparatus. Their value is recognised among policy makers, educational institutions, students, and laypeople alike. The cornerstone of network-building alongside regional improvements is particularly pertinent in developing countries joining the global community, like the Central Asian countries. It has been with rapt attention that the world followed these countries’ development and exchanges with the near and far abroad after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Now, practitioners of the region should work to cultivate this interest to ensure Central Asia thrives.

The Central Asian region—Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan—are old cultures but young countries. They evolved shaped by nation-building under the Soviet Union, and were limited to the periphery, a supportive role to an empire. Their physical separation, enforced by large tracts of steppe, some of the biggest landlocked masses in the world, water, and mountains, heightened the experience of isolation. The collapse of the Soviet Union created new challenges for these nascent countries. Independence was multi-faceted—it came with autonomy, but also with uncertainty. At the forefront of policy dilemmas was the paradox of creating a domestic system to maintain cohesion while striking out to craft an international personality. A secondary question was whether it was better to act in isolation or together, as a regional bloc. These questions have had a significant impact on the relationships that the Central Asian countries have forged with other nations.

This legacy and development interplay is evident in academic exchange. As part of the centre-periphery relationship, Central Asian countries were accustomed to sending their students and researchers abroad to educational institutions in the Russian area of the Soviet Union. In the post-Soviet era, the space of opportunity has widened to include countries outside the post-Soviet sphere, from Osaka to Oxford or Cape Town to Calgary. Programmes from all over the globe are available to applicants from Central Asia. Likewise, the Central Asian countries opened their boarders to host researchers abroad. Networking, people-to-people contacts, and soft power possibilities are numerous, all playing a role in the region’s initiative to reach out and develop itself abroad while cultivating interest at home.
Discussion on the benefits of educational exchange for Central Asia is prescient. Countries comprising the region are facing a demographic shift to an overwhelmingly youthful majority: UN data estimates the population will grow from 70 million to 100 million by 2050. Aided by the boom, countries like Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are marketing themselves as potential technology and start-up hubs for the region. China and the European Union have taken an interest in the area as a re-export hub and commerce zone. The governments in Central Asia need to be prepared, and part of that readiness is investment in education to ensure their own populations are adequately trained. It is a project that can be undertaken in isolation, but this seems neither the most strategic option nor the one the Central Asian countries favour—perhaps with the exception of Turkmenistan. Most have stepped out of the self-imposed isolation following the transition from the Soviet Union and have opened to increased cooperation; this is cooperation that the outside world is eager to accommodate. External organisations want to see the Central Asia countries prosper, their economics expand, and their development in good practices.

This eagerness is a natural extension of the abundance of outsider fascination in Central Asia. The region registers somewhere on the spectrum between intriguing and exotic. Academics and students are mesmerised by the Central Asian countries: their history, their legacy, their culture, economics, geography, geology, and so on. There is an allure in the region’s beautiful, multi-faceted past, romanticism in its wide expanse of literal and figurative space, and enthusiasm in the potential created by that space. The Central Asian countries can be a thesis topic, a fieldwork location, or a place for undertaking a long-term degree or short-term exchange programme. There is much to be learned from Central Asia, and academic interest in Central Asia is an asset to the region.

These two paths can be joined for a common trajectory. There is a role for Central Asian researchers abroad and at home, and a role for foreign researchers to do work in Central Asian countries. The seamless exchange of academics and students to the benefit of both communities is ideal. Yet, there are complications and places for improvement. Where education is concerned, there are problems not unique to the region, like information outreach and funding. There needs to be more dialogue, more openness, and more support for those interested in exchange programmes. There are places where the legacy of the Soviet experience seeps into academia, presenting challenges to access and transparency. These legacy challenges represent bigger questions of autonomy and cooperation, dependence, independence, and interdependence. Such issues must be addressed.

To find solutions, Central Asian countries need look not only to outsiders, but to their own: Central Asian students and researchers bring some of the best expertise to the discussion. Central Asians’ knowledge is vital to tackling pressing issues on the modern agenda, like water resources, hydrocarbons, IT, demographics, regional development, conflict management, and, of course, the effects of transition. Abroad, these researchers challenge norms and stereotypes and advance studies about the region with aplomb. Other problems ought to be jointly confronted by the Central Asian countries and their partners. Outsiders must recognise the importance of these academic ties to build networks domestically and in the international community. Central Asian countries and outside countries should invest in the axiom of soft power progress through academic exchange—the outcome is a win-win.

Text by Cordelia Buchanan Ponczek

Images courtesy of Antti Viktor Rauhala, a University of Oxford MPhil graduate who wrote his thesis on Kazakhstan. Antti travelled through Kyrgyzstan in 2015 and conducted fieldwork in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in autumn 2018. He previously hitchhik

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UNVEILING THE DARK SECRETS OF THE GULAG

INTERVIEW: ROMAN ROMANOV, DIRECTOR OF THE GULAG HISTORY MUSEUM, MOSCOW

 

The GULAG History Museum in Moscow, Russia, covers one of the darkest eras in human history. The GULAG – the acronym for the Russian translation of ‘Chief Administration of Corrective Labour Camps and Colonies’ – best embodies the repression of the Soviet system in which millions of “enemies of the state” were sent to forced labour camps between 1918-1960. It is estimated that GULAGs across the former USSR held some 20 million people, and around 2 million died as a result of disease, starvation, hyperthermia, and physical exhaustion. Some 700,000 were systematically executed on false charges between 1937 and 1938 during the period of Stalin’s Great Terror.

In this interview, James Blake Wiener speaks to the GULAG History Museum’s Director, Mr. Roman Romanov, about the museum and its recent relocation, the centrality of the GULAG in our understanding of Soviet history, and the research work being undertaken by the museum in remote regions of Russia every year.

James Blake Wiener: What events lead to the museum’s establishment and founding in 2001? Additionally, when did the museum move to its new location, which, I must say, resembles a prison camp?

Roman Romanov: Thank you for your interest in the GULAG History Museum activities! So, the GULAG History Museum was founded in 2001 by writer and historian Anton V. Antonov-Ovseenko, who survived a 13-year sentence at forced labour camps as an “enemy of the people”. Leading the civil movement of victims of political repression during the “Perestroika” era, Antonov-Ovseenko has sought to create a museum dedicated to this topic since the 1990s. He managed to gain the support of State Duma Deputies and the Moscow government, and finally, in 2001 the Museum was founded by the Moscow Department of Culture. Initially, we were based at a small building on Petrovka Street, but in 2015 the Museum relocated to a large separate house. It should be noted that the new location has no relation to GULAG history. As far as I know, the current building of the Museum was constructed in 1906 as a tenement for renting. However, during the reconstruction, we aimed to elaborate such a design that could reflect both the concept and the content of the Museum. As a result, we recovered the historical appearance of the facade, while the other walls of the building were covered with the copper panels. This architectural solution enabled us to make the building “alive” — the copper walls will darken with time, under the rain and snow. This turns the building into a physical metaphor of memory working through the trauma.

JBW: When one first enters the GULAG History Museum, they are confronted by a multitude of different doors — a door from a camp barrack, a door from a prison cell, and doors from the apartments or homes of individuals sent to gulags. How and why was it decided that this would be the best way to introduce visitors to the GULAG?

RR: During mass repression, no one was insured against accusation; the Secret police could literally knock on the door and take a person away forever. The doors at the beginning of the exposition are a metaphor of moving from a peaceful and prosperous world to another one, a terrible one, filled with despair, a world with interrogation, investigators, transit and distribution facilities and camps. There are numerous doors being exhibited in the Museum—a door from a camp barrack, a door from a cell in a remand prison in Magadan, a door from one of the Seven Sisters buildings in Moscow. From one of the doors the poet Mikhail Koltsov was exiled to the GULAG, cross-questioning and tortures were carried out after the other. These doors can tell us a lot, becoming a link between the past and present.

JBW: Your museum not only highlights the history of the GULAGs, but also the state-sanctioned system of political repression that endured until the 1950s CE. On display throughout the GULAG History Museum are various documents and personal effects belonging to victims from across the Soviet Union. How did the GULAG History Museum acquire these personal belongings and artifacts?

RR: That was a very time-consuming and complicated process to select which of the items to include in the permanent exhibition, mostly, because we were seeking to present the GULAG history through the human dimension. Thanks to the former prisoners and their families, we managed to get numerous letters and other documents. The governmental documents were discovered in state archives. For example, one of the objects from the Museum collections, a very special diary compiled in the form of a graphic novel in the 1940s, was donated to our Museum by Zoia Eroshok, a journalist of the Novaia Gazeta newspaper. A woman living in Siberia, whose mother took this book out from the camp in 1946 and thus saved it, sent this artifact to the newspaper office. The only thing known was that this diary had been created by a woman called Olga, who had probably worked at the meteorological station of Karagandinskiy Corrective-Labour Camp (Karlag, Kazakhstan). In collaboration with the GULAG History Museum, Zoia Eroshok started her investigation to identify the author of the diary and to reconstruct her story. Based upon preliminary results of Zoia Eroshok’s research, the museum’s staff requested information on the diary’s author at the archives of different secret police agencies, courts, and other organizations in Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan.

Overall, it took seven years to collect all the elements of the puzzle and to present it as a part of the exhibition. The result of the research was the following story: During the period of the Stalin’s Great Terror, in 1937, the author of the diary, Olga Ranitskaia, was accused of espionage for Poland and sentenced to five years in the Karagandinskiy Corrective-Labour Camp in Kazakhstan, where she worked at the meteorological station. While she was in the camp, her son Sasha stayed with his grandmother. It was for him that Olga created a handwritten diary entitled Meteo-Devil: Works and Days. It looks like a graphic novel and consists of 116 pages of drawings and witty verses on how the main character the Little Meteo-Devil, the author’s alter ego, endures the camp. In 1942, her 16-year-old son, Sasha, unable to live through the bullying from his schoolmates on his mother’s imprisonment, committed suicide. He had never seen his mother’s diary. In 2014 Zoia Eroshok donated this unique artifact to the GULAG History Museum. Impressed by this story, we published a copy of the diary in a small, handbook format, as well as elaborated the concept of the exhibition The Evidence, consisting of only one object, which personalizes the horrors of Stalinist repressions. The Evidence was later turned into a series, but the very first one was a handwritten book with drawings and verses created by the GULAG prisoner Olga Ranitskaia for her son Sasha.

JBW: Have any artifacts, in particular, raised considerable interest amongst your visitors? I found the tools made by GULAG prisoners were both fascinating and haunting, myself.

RR: As a rule, the exhibits related to children in the GULAG leave the strongest impressions. Numerous camps included “kindergartens” for children of the ages of 2-4. Some of them were born in camps, the others were taken there along with their detained mothers. The survival of these children depended on many factors, such as the camp’s geographical location and climate, its distance from the family’s place of residence and, consequently, the duration of transportation, and, finally, the general attitude of the camp’s staff, educators and nurses. For instance, we exhibit children’s stockings and slippers that little Svetlana Turchinova wore in prison, where she was spending time as part of her mother’s sentence. When they arrived to the camp, she was around one year old. Someone from the prison staff, taking pity on Svetlana, bought these stockings for her.

JBW: It surprised me that I was able to take a virtual-reality (VR) tour of the Butugychag camp in the Russian Far East while at the museum. How would you describe the museum’s layout and Interview with the GULAG Museum — OCA Magazine Autumn 2019 2 organization, and how does the museum utilize other interactive and multimedia tools to better explain the painful history of the GULAGs?

RR: From the very beginning the integration of the VR into our permanent collection was a goal for the museum’s new incarnation. In a broader sense, the VR supports the museum’s pedagogical goal: educating the public about the horrors of the Soviet penal system using the tools of “entertainment”. Based upon an expedition to a former GULAG camp, the VR experience confronts the viewer with the material reality of Russia’s past. Moreover, last year we released the Interactive map of the GULAG — a permanently updated database of the history and geography of GULAG camps. This project shows the scale of the Soviet punitive system with prison camps scattered across the entire country — from the Baltic Sea and the Crimea to Chukotka. The map shows the birth and the evolution of this phenomenon, its climax in the times of the Great Patriotic War, and the eventual decline in the year of 1960. Touching the red spot on the map, the visitor opens a window containing geographic, historical and economic information about each camp. It is available online in English and Russian, so you can see it without visiting the museum on the website (gulagmap.ru). This year we commenced integrating the GULAG interactive map into regional museums all over Russia.

JBW: I was intrigued to learn that your museum undertakes research trips to the remote corners of the Russian Federation on a regular basis. What projects is the GULAG museum currently overseeing, and how are these research expeditions altered our collective understanding of the GULAGs?

RR: Yes, we regularly undertake expeditions to the former camps. For example, this summer we visited Nakhodka, Magadan region, the former camps in Kazakhstan. We usually return from these research trips with objects of everyday camp life, work equipment, personal belongings of prisoners and other valuable artifacts. During these trips, we take photos and videos of the camp ruins. We thoroughly scan the place with a quadricopter, making 2d and 3d scans to create a detailed mapping system of the place. With time, these objects disappear, so our most pressing concern is now to preserve these sites or, at least, to capture them, using modern technologies. In some cases, we manage to preserve the former camps assigning them heritage status as we did with the Chaunski Dalstroi camp. Heritage status is equal to a guarantee of the conservation of the camp construction, protection of the site and availability of the area to researchers.

JBW: I saw so many young people while visiting the museum. Several were crying, as they had relatives and ancestors interned in the gulags. Why should people — especially young people — visit the GULAG History Museum? What lessons do you hope can be learned through a visit?

RR: I think the new generation of Russian people understands that the origins of our present lie in the Soviet past. I see a lot of creative and independent-minded young people in Russia, and, as I believe, they are striving to realise what actually happened to their families in order to move forward. It is not a surprise that almost every family in Russia and the former Soviet republics suffered from the repression. So I think it is a kind of post-memory with the Soviet basis. They are striving to understand the past they were excluded from. I believe this knowledge can provide a basis for a strong and truly free nation, as well as serve as a reminder that we should not let this happen again.


Roman Romanov is the head and chief curator of the GULAG History Museum (Moscow, Russia). He received his MA of Psychology at the Russian Academy of Education. In 2012 he also completed the program in Museum studies. Romanov started his career as a volonteer at Optic Theatre, where shortly after he became the deputy director. From 2005 to 2008, he worked as a chief manager of Modern Museum Technology company. In 2008, he was appointed as the deputy director at the GULAG History Museum, which he has been heading since 2012. Being the head of the Museum, Romanov initiated the expansion of administrative and exhibitional areas of the Museum, the relocation of the Museum and its collection to the new building, as well as increasing staff. Under his leadership, the Museum turned into an international museum and a research centre. In 2018, Romanov joined the Presidential Human Rights Council. In 2014, he was given a Moscow Award as a Manager of the Year in Culture. In 2018, he also got special acknowledgment from the Moscow mayor for the development of Russian culture and was awarded the Order for Service to the Motherland for contribution to the development of the Russian culture, Art and Media.

MUSICAL HERITAGE OF TURKIC SPEAKING PEOPLE IN THE MODERN WORLD

THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE
NEW ICTM STUDY GROUP

The ICTM Study Group on “Music of the Turkic-speaking world” was established in 2006 at the Music Department, SOAS, University of London. This Study Group is dedicated to the practice, documentation, preservation, and dissemination of traditional music and dance as found throughout the wide area of the Turkic-speaking world, stretching from South Siberia to the shores of the Mediterranean and increasingly in diaspora locations elsewhere.

The Turkic-speaking world is both geographically huge and culturally diverse (twenty-eight countries, republics and districts extending from Eastern Europe through the Caucasus and throughout Central Asia). Although the Turkic peoples of the world can trace their linguistic and genetic ancestries to common sources, their extensive geographical dispersion and widely varying historical and political experiences have generated a range of different expressive music forms. In addition, the break-up of the Soviet Union and increasing globalisation have resulted in the emergence of new viewpoints on classical, folk musical traditions and Turkic versions of globalised popular culture to fit new social needs. In line with the opening up of many Turkic regions in the post-Soviet era, awareness of scholarship from these regions has also increased.

The ICTM Study Group on “ Music of the Turkic-speaking world “ comprises the art and music of numerous different ethnicities including Altai, Bashkirs, Crimean Karaites, Karakalpaks, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, Tatars, Turkmens, Turks, Uyghurs, Uzbeks, and Yakuts, as well as many other ancient and medieval states from history. Today at a time of globalisation and, for many countries losing their identity, the research and documentation on music of the Turkic–speaking world helps to identify key issues of music performance phenomenon allowing a better understanding of the vast Turkic speaking world to emerge.

With the collapse of the USSR, Turkic peoples from former Soviet Union have the opportunity to be considered as unified by ethnic and cultural traditions. The first international organisation to recognise the cultural phenomenon of the Turkic-speaking world was UNESCO. On an official cultural level, it seems that UNESCO nominations for “Intangible Cultural Heritage” [1] are the best evidence for such recognition. Recently twenty-two nominations from the Turkic-speaking world area have been approved by UNESCO, clearly showing what a diversity of musical genres the Turkic-speaking world possesses. Azerbaijan won four nominations (Azerbaijani Mugham; art of Azerbaijani Ashiq; craftsmanship and performance art of the Tar – a long-necked string instrument, and Novruz [2] ), Kazakhstan gained two nominations (Kazakh traditional art of Dombra Kuy; Aitys-Aitysh, the art of improvisation [3]), Kyrgyzstan was granted four nominations (Kyrgyz epic trilogy: Manas, Semetey, Seytek; art of Akyns, Kyrgyz epic tellers; Aitys-Aitysh: the art of improvisation; and Navruz); Turkey won five nominations (Semah, Alevi-Bektaşi ritual; Âşıklık: minstrelsy tradition; Meddahlik, the art of the storyteller; Mevlevi Sema ceremony; and Nevruz); Turkmenistan gained one nomination (epic art of Gorogly), Uzbekistan was granted five nominations (Askiya, the art of wit; Katta Ashulla, cultural space of Boysun District; Shashmaqom music ‒ together with Tajikistan; and Navrouz); Russia(Yakutia) won one nomination (Olonkho, Yakut heroic epos).

Why are these UNESCO-nominated Intangible Cultural Heritage traditions so significant? Because the newly established UNESCO schemes for Intangible Cultural Heritage assist in evaluation of traditional heritages displaying the cultural diversity of the Turkic-speaking people. The wealth of the Turkic music culture critically acclaimed by UNESCO experts proved its uniqueness and the fact that the international assistance is needed to provide the safeguarding pritorities towards music genres of the Turkic- speaking world.

HISTORY OF THE ICTM STUDY GROUP ON “MUSIC OF THE TURKIC-SPEAKING WORLD”

Talking about the history of our Study group one should mention our past Symposia started from the first one on “Music of the Turkic-Speaking World: Performance and the Master-Apprentice system of Oral Transmission”. Chaired by Dr Razia Sultanova, it took place between 3-4 February 2006 at SOAS, University of London with the keynote speaker Professor Hiromi Lorraine Sakata (USA). The event aimed to establish a new Study Group within the ICTM (International Council for Traditional Music) for regular meetings and joined projects. It was considered important to pool our efforts to undertake the new ICTM Study Group in order to discover key issues of cultural phenomena of various musical traditions of the Turkic speaking world. Further symposia followed in 2010, 2013, 2014, 2016. and 2018. The latest on was the 6th Symposium and took place at the State Conservatory of Trabzon University in Turkey, on October 15-16, 2018. The theme of the Symposium was “Dance Phenomenon: Innovation and Creativity in Studying and Performing”.

The two-day Symposium comprised of two keynote presentations, eleven papers and three poster presentations.The symposium attracted participants from eleven countries. Two keynote speakers were Professor Ann R. David (University of Roehampton, UK) and Dr. Catherine Foley (University of Limerick, Ireland).Behind the Study Group activities there is a strong and flexible team working on its activities, reflecting a wide geographical areas. Its chairperson is Dr. Razia Sultanova ( University of Cambridge, UK), Vice-Chair is Dr. Galina Sychenko ( Glinka Novosibirsk State Conservatory, Russia) and Secretary is Dr. Abdullah Akat (Trabzon University State Conservatory, Turkey). There are also Appointed Study Group members serving on the Board.

OUTCOME OF THE STUDY GROUP’S
RESEARCH ACTIVITY

Several books with articles by Study group members have been published in the thirteen years since the Group’s establishment: “Sacred Knowledge: Schools or Revelation? Master-Apprentice System of Oral Transmission in the music of the Turkic Speaking world”, Razia Sultanova (Ed), LAP, Germany, 2009; “From Voice to an Instrument: Sound phenomenon in Traditional cultural Heritage of the Turkic-speaking world”, Saule Utegalieva (Ed), 2016, Almaty, Kazakh Kurmangazy National Conservatory, 2016; and the most recent book released by the World’s leading academic publisher Routledge: “Turkic Soundscapes: from Shamanic voices to Hip-hop”, Razia Sultanova and Megan Rancier (Eds), London, 2018.
In future the group will continue its scholarly study aiming to promote the richness and the wealth of musical culture of the Turkic speaking world.

____________________

Footnotes:

[1] The intangible cultural heritage as the practices, representations, expressions, as well as the knowledge and skills (including instruments, objects, artefacts, cultural spaces), that communities, groups and, in some cases, individuals recognise as part of their cultural heritage. It is sometimes called living cultural heritage, and is manifested inter alia in the following domains: Oral traditions and expressions, including language as a vehicle of the intangible cultural heritage; Performing arts; Social practices, rituals and festive events; Knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe; Traditional craftsmanship

[2] Navruz (Novruz, Nowrouz, Nooruz, Navruz, Nauroz, Nevruz) was a joint nomination for Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, Uzbekistan (India, Pakistan).

[3] Aitys-Aitysh (the Art of Improvisation) was a joint nomination for Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.

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THE RAPID RISE OF TOURISM IN UZBEKISTAN

I remember the first time I entered Uzbekistan, more than a decade ago. My car, an already rather battered Isuzu Trooper, broke down in the no man’s land between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, and had to be push started to make it across the border. It wasn’t an auspicious start. With a trio of friends, I nursed the car to Tashkent and Samarkand, however, and in the course of a week fell in love with the country and its people. We paid a couple of dollars to watch the ballet at the Alisher Navoi Theatre in Tashkent, and treated ourselves to sickly sweet Champagne before the performance. We posed with the bronze statue of Amir Timur by Hotel Uzbekistan, picnicked on cherries outside the Bibi Khanym Mosque in Samarkand, and climbed to the top of the minaret on the Ulugh Beg Madrassa and sat completely unguarded on the roof. No, it wasn’t high season, but I could have counted the number of other foreign tourists we saw on one hand.

Scroll forward to 2019 and Uzbekistan’s tourism industry is booming. So much so, in fact, that the country won the Gold Award for the Top Emerging Destination at the Wanderlust Readers Travel Awards. Foreign tourist arrivals doubled from 2017-18 and we will see a similar rise again this year thanks to the introduction of a visa free regime in January. A Gallup poll ranked Uzbekistan as one of the top five safest countries in the world for tourists, and international hotel brands from Hyatt to Raddison, Hilton to Marriott are finally moving in.

The rapid rise caught everyone — myself included — by surprise. It’s not that Uzbekistan doesn’t have the cultural treasures and natural beauty to justify a place at tourism’s top table, but rather that until three years ago, the country was making next to no effort to court tourists. The red tape was excessive, international flights few and far between, and marketing was non-existent. You had to be determined and persistent to get in, and prepared to put up with outdated infrastructure, poor accommodation, and surly officials once you were there.

All that changed when President Mirziyoyev came to power at the end of 2016. He announced two priorities for his presidency — investment and tourism — and has since moved hell and high water to invigorate both areas. The reforms have been ambitious, and the results are already dramatic.

In tourism, the introduction of an evisa — swiftly replaced with the current visa free regime for more than 60 nationalities — was long overdue. Uzbekistan Airways invested in new planes (Dreamliners and A350 Neos) to increase capacity and comfort on long haul routes, and added new destinations. The airline’s London office took the brave first step of inviting foreign journalists to visit and write about Uzbekistan, thawing relations with the media to such an extent that just over 18 months after the first official press trip, the BBC’s accreditation was restored.

Thirsty for a new, exotic destination — and in particular one as diverse and unknown as Uzbekistan — the UK’s travel media went wild. I personally hosted trips for the Financial Times, The Guardian, The Independent, Travel Weekly, and even the Daily Mail: they couldn’t get enough of the glittering madrassas and mosques of Samarkand, the brutalist architecture of Tashkent, the Silk Road romance of the desert, and the possibility of sleeping in a yurt beside Lake Aidarkul, looking up at the clearest night sky you’ll ever see.

The UK media sets trends, and so we quickly saw a domino effect in other markets. UK tour operators — in particularly the likes of Wild Frontiers and Travel the Unknown — were early movers in Uzbekistan, but once Joanna Lumley’s Silk Road TV programme was broadcast in summer 2018, what’s popularly known as “the Lumley effect” took off. Saga, a company known for offering sedate itineraries for older travellers, is now running more than 30 group departures a year, and every one of their guests returns home an enthusiastic ambassador for the country. Berkshire based agent Triangle Travel sold out their first Uzbekistan tour in an hour; it won’t even run until autumn 2020.

Having pulled off what is in any circumstance a remarkable feat, Uzbekistan’s next challenge is to make sure its tourism growth is sustainable. The spectre of over-tourism already hovers over the streets and squares of Samarkand and Bukhara in the summer months, and good quality hotels are in short supply. I have three objectives for tourism development and promotion, which I hope will go some way to addressing the issue.
Firstly, we have to lengthen the tourist season, so that there isn’t a sudden influx of visitors in the summer months and a shut down in the winter. November, March, and April are cool but usually sunny with bright blue skies, which makes for very pleasant sightseeing weather.

Secondly, Uzbekistan needs to diversify its tourism products beyond cultural sightseeing. I want to see more adventure tourism, birding, archeological tours, agri- and ecotourism, and itineraries based on handicrafts, gastronomy, and even Uzbekistan’s Soviet heritage. When the Amirsoy ski resort opens this winter, Uzbekistan will add winter sports to its offering, and this will attract visitors in January and February as well.

Lastly, we need to educate the market that there’s so much more to Uzbekistan than the four UNESCO World Heritage cities. Karakalpakstan boasts one of the world’s foremost avant garde art collections at the Savitsky Museum in Nukus. Alexander the Great built a fortress at Nurata, and a complete city, Alexandria on the Oxus, at Kampir Tepe. The Golden Ring of Khorezm includes dozens of desert castles, there are more than 10,000 petroglyphs at Saramysh (including carvings of dancers and hunters), and the home stays and hiking around Sentob offer unrivalled insight into rural life.

The next few years of tourism development in Uzbekistan are critical, but as the industry has exploded from almost nothing in 36 months, the country is more than up for the challenge.

Text by Sophie Ibbotson is Uzbekistan’s Ambassador for Tourism and the author of Bradt Travel Guides’ Uzbekistan.

TOURISM ON THE GREAT SILK ROAD: VIEWS ON KAZAKHSTAN

The recent international tourist forum “Ulytau-2019” in Nursultan City attracted participants from more than 30 countries, including the UK, USA, Italy, France and others. President Kasym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan announced that the government of the country would continue putting special attention and billions of dollars into promoting his country as a major tourist destination. Indeed, Kazakhstan has already invested billions over the past decade in developing the tourism sector and hospitality infrastructure by building the image of the country as a major destination on the Great Silk Road. In addition, the government has introduced major financial initiatives to attract the largest players in the global tourism business, from leading international hotel chains and restaurant outlets to major construction and transportation companies.

THE RISE OF “NEW” GREAT SILK ROAD

Kazakhstan continues to work hard on building its new Silk Road infrastructure and placing its modern and medieval cities and ancient caravan-sarays (hotels) onto global tourist maps. Kazakhstan is the 3rd largest country on the historical Great Silk Road, after China and Russia, and has been a destination attracting almost half a million tourists from the UK alone since 2008. During past decade between 2011 and 2019, the local and national governments have begun to realise that they need not only to preserve the major attractions and historical sites, but also to considerably upgrade the entire tourism infrastructure, from building new hotels to renovating all airports, highways and railways to serve between five and eight million visitors a year. The tourism boom has not only opened numerous ancient and medieval archeological excavations and well-preserved major architectural monuments for local and international tourists, but has also attracted intensive foreign direct investments (FDIs) at the rate of almost one billion USD.

In promoting tourism, Kazakhstan has to compete with several large and well-known regional players in mass tourism, such as neighboring Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. To move the country to the foreground, national tourism experts and major local players have focused their efforts on developing three major areas.

Traditional tourism on the historical sites of the Great Silk Road. As part of the Great Silk Road for almost 2,000 years, Kazakhstan is rich in historical sites, which are scattered mainly along its southern rim from the border with China all the way to the Caspian Sea. Various estimates suggest that the country is home to the remnants of more than 100 ancient and medieval cities and towns and more than 1,000 other historical sites from ancient Buddhist temples to Nestorian Christian churches. Some of these have survived through millennia of the turbulent history of Central Asia and represent interesting examples of cultural exchanges on the Great Silk Road.

Take for example the city of Turkistan with its medieval mosque and mausoleum of Khoja Ahmad Yasawi – a classic example of architecture from the time of medieval ruler Tamerlane (Timur). The ruins of a large medieval city – some scholars identify them with the medieval city of Kultube – are scattered over thousands of square meters, comparable in area to the remains of Italy’s ancient city of Pompei. Local experts ambitiously call it the “Pompei of Central Asia.”

Adventure tourism. Another area for niche tourism in which local companies and government-funded operators are investing tens of millions of US dollars is adventure tourism. The mountains of southern and eastern Kazakhstan offer amazing landscapes and hundreds of destinations for adventure tourists. This includes safari tours from simple short tours along the great nomadic steppe to very complex multi-week safari expeditions over various terrains and climate zones. Several rivers offer good opportunities for river rafting combined with the exploration of local fishing and hunting opportunities. The mountains around Almaty City offer numerous year-around opportunities – from hiking in summer to skiing in winter and spring. In fact, in geographic terms, these mountains present the best skiing opportunities in the whole area between New Delhi and Moscow!

Eco (green) tourism. Over the past decade Kazakhstan has emerged as a new destination for eco-tourism with visits to exceptional locations from fragile and pristine Alpine mountain valleys and river basins in the south to the unique forest and steppe zones in central and eastern Kazakhstan. The country is home to hundreds of endemic species, and nature enthusiasts not only can observe unique birds and animals (such as the gorgeous snow leopard), but also participate in the numerous campaigns directed at preserving Kazakhstan’s wild animals, birds and insects.

THE NEW SILK ROAD PARADIGM

The tourism business in Kazakhstan – which is growing at an impressive rate of 6-9 percent per annum – has a considerable potential. To fulfil this potential, it needs to attract all sorts of international experts and investors. Kazakhstan has already attracted top architects like Norman Foster from the UK and Kisho Kurokawa from Japan to help develop architectural marvels in the rapidly growing new capital – the city of Nursultan (formerly Astana). The country has also made a number of other strong moves in the right direction. First, recent regulatory changes such as waiving visas for tourists from almost 50 countries around the world has eased travels opportunities for many travelers, including business people and ordinary tourists. Second, the country successfully hosted World Expo-2017 in Astana and the 28th Winter Universiade Games in Almaty and these and many other regional and global events contribute to the fact that Kazakhstan has become one of the fastest growing tourism destinations in the region. Third, Kazakhstan has spent almost US$40 billion since 1997 in building up Nursultan City as a prime regional business, financial and banking hub, hoping to make it one of the major tourist destinations between Beijing and Moscow.
PERSPECTIVES

During the past decade Kazakhstan has become one of the growing major tourist destinations on the Great Silk Road and an attractive destination for investors and major players in the tourism sector from European countries including the UK. In fact, according to official statistics the government-initiated strategy “Tourism Industry Development Plan 2020” channeled about US$3 billion into the development of five tourism clusters and the creation of 300,000 new jobs in the tourism sector alone and climbing to the 81st place in the in the global tourism ranking (2018, World Tourism Organization (WTO). If successful the country indeed might become one of the major tourism destinations on the great Silk Road offering diverse tourism activities and absorbing billions of dollars in FDIs.

AUTHOR BIOS:

Rafis Abazov, PhD, is a visiting professor at Al Farabi Kazakh National University and a director of Ban Ki-moon Institute for Sustainable Development. He is author of The Formation of Post-Soviet International Politics in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan (1999), The Culture and Customs of the Central Asian Republics (2007), The Stories of the Great Steppe (2013) and some others.

Andrey Khazbulatov, PhD, is an associate professor and research advisor for the archeological research and excavation project “The Hillfort of Kultube” in Turkestan City, Kazakhstan. He is the author of three monographs and numerous articles on cultural development in Kazakhstan.

OCA#33  FALL 2019  WWW.OCAMAGAZINE.COM

BUSINESS IN CENTRAL ASIA: HOW TO COVER 20 YEARS’ GROUND IN TWO YEARS

SAIDMUROD DAVLATOV

Business mentor, owner and co-owner of 23 types of businesses, Davlatov has individually trained 292 entrepreneurs and coached 30 US dollar millionaires over the course of five years.

The premier of the movie, The Mentor is set to be held in Moscow in 2020. The plot is quite simple and is based on real-life events. It’s not just another success story; it’s a story about a boy who was sent to a mentor for instruction at the age of eight. In the mid-1990s, the civil war in Tajikistan forced him to become a migrant worker in Moscow. The events of the movie will be familiar to many our contemporaries from the CIS, especially those from Central Asia. It is the story of a man who, despite many obstacles, managed to fulfil his potential, to become a successful businessman and multimillionaire and then go on to teach others.

If 20 years ago I had been told there would be a film about me and what one can do with what I know today, I would never have believed it; but the simple truth is that the film really is about me.

I want to challenge the widespread belief that there are no opportunities for Western companies to do business in Central Asia. I will tell you about the peculiarities of doing business here using both examples of my own experiences and those of my students, 30 of whom have become US dollar millionaires over the course of just five years.

I believe that the path to progressive global change begins with the right system of education, one, for example, like the British system.

I see that the UK and countries in Central Asia have recently developed strong ties. For about a decade now, the Union Jack has appeared at the entrance of numerous educational centres in almost every city across the region. This means that the values of the British system of education resonate with local people.

Young people are interested in the British system of education and would like to understand the nuances of British culture. Because of its system of education, the UK has become a part of everyday life in Central Asia. English is already widely taught using British teaching methodologies. It is quite natural that over time students will want to continue their studies in the UK.

In this sphere, I see what is also lacking in many other areas, such as doing business and in production: a true partnership. Of course, there have been certain breakthroughs, but not as significantly as in the sphere of education.

I would advise business professionals from the UK and from other countries not to waste the opportunities that cooperation with the nations of Central Asia offers today. It is a very promising and rich region with large reserves of numerous raw materials. Unfortunately, the region produces very few finished products and in most cases the production process stops at the stage of working with raw materials; the ratio is 10% to 90%. At the same time, though, the prime cost of raw materials is low, there is little intensity to the competition and labour is relatively inexpensive.

There are free trade niches in almost every country, be it Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, or Tajikistan. These economic zones have been established to make doing business easier, providing benefits and exemption from some taxes. It is highly profitable, therefore, to do business in these zones. Many agricultural enterprises manufacture natural products and can guarantee supplies in large volumes. High-quality food is needed by everyone everywhere, whilst textile production is also very promising.

If all of the advantages named above, plus low prices and the mentality and work ethic of local people are augmented with Western technologies, it will be possible to achieve a truly revolutionary breakthrough. With this in mind, I would recommend that all business professionals launch production facilities in Central Asia. Here you will find benefits, raw materials, a willing workforce and exceptionally favourable conditions. Later, the finished goods can be sold all over the world.

The financial tools available to local companies are inefficient as they do not yet employ the technologies and principles of modern European management. Many European banks have negative interest rates on loans and pay dividends to borrowers, but local banks only issue loans at high interest rates.

I think that the next 20 years will be hugely profitable for British businesses which choose to invest in Central Asia. Managers of British companies think quickly, efficiently, and on a grand scale. Thus, they have an undeniable competitive advantage.

Running a business in Central Asia today is akin to going back to the 1990s, but with state-of- art technologies at hand. What I managed to achieve in the course of 20 years, today I could have done in two. I have described this in detail in my two books: How to Become a Millionaire in Tajikistan and How to Become a Millionaire in the CIS States.

In my opinion, Central Asia is the best place in the world to do business today. I say this as a person who has been teaching and advising local entrepreneurs for over 20 years. I know the difficulties and struggles they encounter well. I instruct my students on how to set up business processes. They have already made significant progress, with one of them running a business with a turnover of 30 million US dollars.

I advise and help my students choose the right direction, and this is where I benefit from having long-standing relationships with a huge number of businessmen across the region. I have scrutinised all the pros and cons of various production areas and can help business professionals from the UK. I am extremely well-acquainted with the local opportunities and can help to establish strong, mutually beneficial ties in any city or state in the region.

Don’t hesitate; come to Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan and see for yourself. In Central Asia today, people have first-hand knowledge about corporate management, and local businesses understand and accept the principles of transparent entrepreneurship; principles which are beneficial to everyone.

I will be glad to offer my advice.
Please feel free to email my agent, Karina Galoyan:
karina.galoyan@davlatov.tj

THE DEVELOPMENTAL JOURNEY OF THE FIVE STANS POST-SOVIET INDEPENDENCE

A brief analysis of overseas development assistance to the Central Asian Republics.

 

When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, abrupt national independence incited a sharp rise in poverty, inequality, and the disintegration of public services across Central Asia. A multitude of development challenges lay ahead for the five Stans: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

Yet, for their first decade of sovereignty the international community’s role in Central Asia’s development was largely neglectful. The focus was predominantly geopolitical than developmental due to the region’s strategic position between the natural resource giants of Russia, China and India.

Such neglect has meant the development assistance that was delivered to the Stans remains largely unexplored. Meanwhile, the effort on behalf of western actors to fill the vacuum that was left through the promotion of a shift from centralised models to more democratic socio-political models with a liberal market economy, has not bode well amongst the widely disjointed sovereign states.
A recent paper produced by Fabienne Bossuyt highlighted how although the EU was the region’s biggest donor in the first decade post-Soviet independence, providing €944 million in assistance until 2002, it was largely an invisible actor comparative to the US, UN and Asian and Muslim development agencies. Despite being absent in Central Asia in the nineties, the last fifteen years has seen China on the other hand become the leading actor in the region with high receptiveness to their assistance.

Bossuyt attributes this changing development landscape to one comprising of a mix of traditional western donors with emerging ones. The report states that where the west, ‘envisions the achievement of stability through inclusive development methods, China equates development with economic growth instigated through improved infrastructure.’ Symbolic of this is the focus on the Silk Road Economic Belt initiative and of China’s development cooperation.

In terms of impact, the EU’s approach has been generally criticised as relatively ineffective, with Bossuyt going as far as to say it has failed to make any significant difference on the ground. Contrarily, China’s assistance has been extensive, with local regimes seeing the development of infrastructure as more attractive. Cooperation is also easier for the nations when there are fewer conditions attached to aid delivery, such as human rights performance.

Although the EU can be criticised for its lack of priority in terms of overseas aid to Central Asian countries, the relative ineffectiveness of implementing western model ideals has been a result of unstable governance. The combination of natural resources with scarce accountability engendered pervasive corruption throughout the region. Tajikstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan all scored highest for corruption in the Eastern Europe and Central Asia region in Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index 2018 (CPI). Meanwhile, Kazakhstan has declined in terms of their CPI score. The report states:
“In many post-Soviet countries, checks and balances do not exist that would ordinarily keep powerful private individuals and groups from exerting exceptional influence over government decisions. In these settings, illicit lobbying practices take place and conflicts of interest go undisclosed.”

Western donors’ hopes for the region to achieve good governance across the board is impeded by antagonism between the states, which has for a long time dictated the narrative that regional cooperation between these hybrid regimes is required for true progress.

In May 2019 the EU set out a ‘fresh strategic vision’ for its partnership with Central Asia with the allocation of €1.1 billion for development cooperation between 2014 and 2020. However, for as long as the EU insists on a determination to help the region promote dialogue and cooperation at their own pace, China’s assertive economic development, non-interference in domestic affairs strategy will continue to lead the development journey of the five Stans.

And yet, there is the inexorable question of whether such an economic investment heavy approach will resolve the institutional weaknesses of the individual countries that is needed for them to achieve sustainable growth, good governance and a strong social sector.

Will China’s assistance strategy exacerbate inequalities and create new problems, or will it be the emerging trend for the international community to follow suit? Only if the West starts paying more attention to the Stans, can we find out what might work best.

Anastasia Kyriacou is the PR Manager for AidEx, the leading global event for the humanitarian aid and development community.

OCA#33  FALL 2019  WWW.OCAMAGAZINE.COM

PUSHING THROUGH UZBEKISTAN’S NEW REFORMS INTERVIEW: AKTAM KHAITOV

Aktam Khaitov has held many roles in Uzbek politics. Currently the Leader of the Uzbekistan Liberal Democrat Party, he cut his teeth in several previous government roles as Minister of Employment and Labour Relations and General Director of the Uzbek Agency of Standardisation, Metrology and Certification (Uzstandard). Uzbekistan has changed significantly since the death of former autocrat, Islam Karimov, and OCA had the opportunity to interview Khaitov and find out more…

OCA: The label “Liberal Democrat” has been adopted by a wide range of parties across the world from the centre left minority Opposition in Britain through Japan’s ruling conservative government to Vladimir Zhirinovsky’s national grouping in Russia. Where would you place Uzbekistan’s Liberal Democrats in that spectrum?

Aktam Khaitov: First, let me briefly familiarise you with the history of our party in order to answer this question in a better way. The movement of entrepreneurs and business people, the Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (hereinafter – UzLiDeP) was created in 2003 as a nationwide political organisation that voices and defends the interests of the middle class, representatives of small business, entrepreneurs and farmers – the class of owners who are business people.

Having united on behalf of entrepreneurs and business people into a powerful political force, we need to strengthen the tools that make people’s power not theoretical, but real and ensure the effectiveness of parliamentary and public management. Summarising all of this, it can be said that UzLiDeP is a centrist liberal party, oriented toward liberal economic reforms.

OCA: Do you consider yourself to be a social liberal or an economic liberal or both?

AK: Most likely both. Our party stands for a social policy that promotes the development and self-realisation of people. The party believes that the main goal and driving force of democratic transformation is the person themself. Our targets are to halve the share of low-income groups of the population, achieve full coverage of all those in need of social protection measures, ensure that vulnerable sectors of the population have access to basic resources (land, bank lending and etc.), new technologies and financial services, including micro-financing. Our priority is further liberalisation of economic reforms. To summarise the above, and speaking briefly, there is a need for more freedom of enterprise and less bureaucracy.”

OCA: How easy is it for a multi-party democracy to establish itself and function effectively in a country, where this is a relatively new phenomenon?

AK: Currently, Uzbekistan is at a new stage of its development. There are five political parties in Uzbekistan, including the Movement of Entrepreneurs and Business People (Uzbekistan Liberal Democratic Party) such as Uzbekistan National Revival Democratic Party “Milliy Tiklanish”, “People’s Democratic Party”, “Justice Social Democratic Party “Adolat” and the Ecological Party of Uzbekistan.

Indeed, multi-party democracy policy began when our country obtained its Independence. But much has been done in this short historical period. Our party predicts a fierce struggle in the upcoming elections. Therefore, the openness and transparency of their conduct becomes one of the key factors in the implementation of the principle of democracy and determining the country’s authority on the world stage.

OCA: How many members does the Party have, and how many Members of Parliament or local councillors?

AK: To be specific, the total number of party members as of July 1, 2019 is 733 989 people, of which 383 166 people (52.2%) are under the age of 34, and 297 561 people (40.5%) are women.

The number of deputy seats in the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis is 39, the members of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis have 35 seats, the deputies of the Zhokarga Kenes of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, the region and Tashkent city Kengashes have 291 seats, while the district and city Kengashes seats make up 1976. As of July 1, 2019, the number of primary party organizations is 12,616.
OCA: In your view, what are the most important reforms that would benefit Uzbekistan at its current stage of development?

AK: I see four key areas we need to reform:
1. Free currency conversion
Previously, a simple financial currency exchange operation was a big problem in Uzbekistan. The President of our country Sh. Mirziyoyev allowed banks to buy currency from the population and convert money for legal persons to pay for import contracts at the market rate. This was the first and key economic reform carried out at the initiative of the President.
2. Reform of the financial system
The Central Bank began to regularly publish important financial indicators and actively collaborate with leading global financial institutions, among them: theInternational Monetary Fund and the World Bank. The result of this work was an increase in the confidence of foreign investors and the issuance of the first Eurobonds, most of which were acquired by investors from the UK and the USA.
3. True statistics
Several years ago, no one believed the statistics of Uzbekistan. In 2017, Mirziyoyev approved a program to improve the efficiency of statistical activities and improve the quality of statistical information. In 2018, the republic introduced a system for disseminating statistics according to the methods and standards of the International Monetary Fund. Today we know with certainty the real level of citizens’ incomes, unemployment, the level and main causes of mortality, and much more.
4. Freedom of journalism
Uzbekistan has risen four positions in the freedom of speech rankings. Previously, journalists were afraid to criticise officials, who held “senior positions” and did not cover a number of socially important topics. Now media representatives, not fearing for their own lives and health, can condemn the work of any public servant or state-owned company.

OCA: Are there women and youth sections in your party and, if so, what are the issues that most concern them?

AK: UzLiDeP pays close attention to issues of work with youth and women. In the structure of UzLiDeP, the Youth wing of the party operates and unites about 425,000 youth. The party is addressing the challenges of increasing the political culture and legal awareness of young people, forming their active civic position and a conscious attitude to political processes. It also provides lasting ideological immunity against various external and internal threats in the spiritual and moral sphere, and ensures the information security of children. The projects have already provided practical assistance to over 150 young entrepreneurs.

The “Women’s Wing” is also successfully functioning in the party, which helps to increase the political activity of women and enhancing their role and social status.For example, last year, over 200,000 women and girls were involved in UzLiDeP’sactivities of the “Women’s Wing”. One of the main tools of the “Women’s Wing” of UzLiDeP is the implementation in practice of various kinds of party projects aimed at the comprehensive support of women who intend to do business, create new jobs by broadly attracting girls to entrepreneurship by identifying active and initiative women.

In the UzLiDeP faction in the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis, 8 deputies are women. At present, UzLiDeP has a well-formed basis of which 8.103 are women or 30.9% of staff capacity from the party.

OCA: How has your past professional and personal experience in many different roles affected you?

AK: Of course, it is not right to praise oneself; one must prove one’s professional success by deeds. But, as can be seen from my biography, my professional activity is connected on the one hand, with the solution of a wide range of economic problems. But, on the other hand, in carrying out these activities, it was important to take into account the opinions and wishes of ordinary people and to feel their aspirations and hopes, the desire for well-being and high quality of life for families.
For myself, I think this is the most important professional baggage, which is to focus on solving specific problems of people and the importance of work by taking into account the needs of the population, as reforms should be carried out for the people.
I see in every workplace that the Motherland, society, our voters, trust me, so my goal is to try to justify this high trust by working for the benefit of our people. Years of work taught me that it is important that in each of us such values as readiness for change, responsibility, professionalism, justice and humanism prevail.

OCA: What are your perspectives on relations between the UK and Uzbekistan?

AK: Uzbekistan attaches great importance to the development of mutually beneficial cooperation with European countries. At the same time, special attention is paid to promoting a higher level of bilateral relations with such a leading European power as Great Britain.

In our opinion, the trade and economic interaction of our countries requires its further development. Although bilateral trade between Uzbekistan and the UK in 2018 grew by almost 40% and exceeded $235 million, we are confident that the parties have significant potential for the growth of mutual trade.

UzLiDeP also considers the possible development of inter-party cooperation as a step towards expanding interstate contacts between Uzbekistan and the UK. This may require the organisation of international conferences and round tables aimed at further developing interstate relations, disclosing Uzbekistan to the general public in Great Britain as a reliable and responsible partner. UzLiDeP expresses its readiness to support the business circles of the two countries in their intentions to develop cooperation.

 

OCA#33  WWW.OCAMAGAZINE.COM  Interview prepared by Saniya Seilkhanova

FIRST ECG FILM FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS NEW TALENT

From 6th to 10th June 2019, Premiere Cinemas in Romford, London became the centre of attention for directors, producers, actors and designers from Eurasian countries. As part of the third ‘Romford Film Festival’, for the first time, the ‘ECG Eurasian Film Festival’ (London) featured alongside it as a contributing partner.

Founded in 2017 by British film makers and enthusiasts, The Romford Film Festival this year teamed up with the Eurasian Creative Guild (London) under the leadership of Laura Hamilton and Marat Akhmedjanov, to bring a unique platform for communication between British filmmakers and their post-Soviet counterparts. Aligned with the Eurasian Creative Guild (ECG) ambitions to promote all creative people, including filmmakers of the Eurasian region in Great Britain and the whole world, the festival was a culmination of over a year’s hard work to find, promote and develop film making talent.

Despite its infancy, The ECG Eurasian Film Festival gathered over 60 films from 24 different countries. The film program of the festival kicked off with the British premiere of the film “My Name is Kozha” by an outstanding classic of Kazakhstan cinema, Abdulla Karsakbayev. During the five days of the film festival more than 1,500 people visited and were shown films from diverse locations including Kazakhstan, Russia, Italy, Finland, USA, Belarus, Sweden, Germany, Iran, Georgia, Armenia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Canada and the UK.

Guests of the festival also had a unique opportunity to learn about the Eurasian region, not only through cinema, but also through exhibitions of paintings, handicrafts and books created by members of the Eurasian Creative Guild. Two Silk Road Fashion shows, networking round table events and creative meetings were also held within the framework of the ECG Eurasian Film Festival.

On the final day of the festival, and on the largest cinema screen, the award ceremony was orchestrated to recognise the most talented filmmakers for their efforts. This was stylishly conducted in the presence of the Mayor of Havering, Cllr Michael Deon Burton, among representatives of various embassies, a wide array of press and esteemed international guests.

The overall winner of the Grand Prix was to the Russian-Belarus entry film, “Kaddish”, while Best Director went to Mahmoud Shoolizadeh for the film, “Susan”, a UK entry. There were 15 awards handed out, as well as a number of diplomas. The event marks what is hopefully the inauguration of a new branch of exciting ECG projects and events.

FULL AWARD LIST:

1. Grand Prix: film ”KADDISH’ (Russia-Belarus)
2. Best Screenplay: the film “MIDNIGHT OF THE SHAH” (Azerbaijan)
3. Best Director: Mahmoud Shoolizadeh, the film “Susan” (United Kingdom)
4. Best Male Role: Wojtek Urbanski, the film “KHARMS” (Russia)
5. Best female role: Dinara Sharipova, “SEA AND THE GIRL” (Kazakhstan)
6. Best non-Eurasian director Hernan Findling, film “IMPOSSIBLE CRIMES” (Argentina)
7. Best trailer for the book Three Distichus – Elena Aslanyan (Armenia)
8. Best Documentary: “DONETSK” (UK)
9. Best director of documentary “ORGANIC SAGE OF INDIA” (India)
10. Best film based on real events “IT’S NOT FOREVER” (Russia)
11. Best Short Film “HEAVEN OF CHILDREN” (Iran)
12. Best script of the short film “MALIBU ALTERNATIVE” (Ukraine)
13. Best male role of a short film; Zura Pirveli, film “BEHIND THE DOORS” (Georgia-France)
14. Best female role of the short film: Irina Egorova, the film “BLOOD” (Russia)
15. Best Short Film Director: Boris Hayrapetyan “YES! TODAY” (Armenia)
ECG Eurasian Film Festival 2019 was made possible thanks to the active participation of the large internationally located Guild-member team, including: Alexandra Rey, Anna Lari, Angelina Krasnogir, Ainura Berdikul, Bolot Shamsiev, Dale Lessoway, Nadi Fadina, Natalie Bays, Maira Karsakbayeva, Solvi Fannar, to name but a few.

OCA#32  SUMMER 2019  WWW.OCAMAGAZINE.COM

“VIKING EXTRAORDINAIRE” – Sölvi Fannar

“Viking Extraordinaire”, Sölvi Fannar, doesn’t believe in following just one career path, in fact he has actively pursued several. He has acted in films, played music professionally, modelled, been a sports athlete, dabbled in poetry, and even spent time as a health professional. Recently, he is better known for his work in films, especially working as the agent for actor and strongman Thor / Hafþór Júlíus Björnson (The Mountain, from Game of Thrones).

Fannar’s talents stem from his upbringing in Iceland, where his parents, themselves talented, nurtured a multi-faceted childhood. Singing in a prestigious Icelandic children’s choir at the age of 12, he got his first taste of acting in a feature film. After that there was no turning back, later studying at the Icelandic Film School. A big supporter of ECG events, his presence always visible, OCA decided to catch up with the big man himself.

OCA: You’ve been described as the “poet, trapped in a caveman’s body”. How did that come about?
Sölvi Fannar: I’ve been called many things actually. “Renaissance Man”, “Iceland’s Bruce Lee” and more, but “the poet, trapped in a caveman’s body” is actually a poetry book that I’m writing. It contains very personal poems that in essence map a big part of my life, mirroring what I was going through and experiencing at the time and putting into words the state of mind I was in then – as well reflecting with hindsight. But in the way that we so often persuade ourselves to believe that we are alone in what we are going through, the opposite is actually closer to the truth as we collectively share experiences, even though each one of us does so in their own way as becomes evident when we discover how others express themselves, be it through art, photography, writing or otherwise.

OCA: Talking about bodies of cavemen, you’ve done sports for a long time and have even competed in World Championships. That is quite an unusual activity for poet, surely?
SF: I’ve been training since I was nine years old, beginning in karate and judo but then also competing successfully in breakdance, Tae Kwon Do, bodybuilding, strongman, gymnastics, discus and shot put. Internationally I also competed in the Scottish Highland Games and MAS wrestling. There have been many memorable moments. To name a few, I became a champion bodybuilder after only three months of training and achieved second in the stone throw by less than an inch behind the world champion in the Scottish Highland Games. Of course competing in breakdance is great fun although what they are doing in breakdance now is simply unbelievable.

As a board member of the Eurasian Creative Guild, I’ve not only gotten to travel to places I would never have otherwise seen, where I’ve held seminars on topics such as filmmaking while managing to intertwine that with competing in an ancient sport called MAS wrestling, first at the World Championship in Yakutia, and later in Kyrgyzstan. As it happens the Vikings also did a very similar sport a thousand or more years ago and called it ‘Keflisglíma’, so it was an incredible opportunity for me despite little time for preparations.

I ended up doing a lot of other things in Yakutia, for example a photo sessions for the ‘First Yakutian’. There is a beautiful legend that the first Yakut was a child born to a Viking warrior, who sailed up the Lena river, and a local woman of Turkic origin. I was also invited to be a judge in Miss Yakutia. And of course the MAS wrestling World Championships in Kyrgyzstan during the World Nomad Games was a once in a lifetime experience. Being a competitor as well as a guest of honour allowed for fantastic networking opportunities and seeing the region.

OCA: You have been working as a professional actor as well as a producer in the Eurasian area for some time but we have heard you’re starting to work in the US as well. What should we expect to see you involved with in that space?
SF: It’s actually very exciting. I’m involved in the development of an American project called The Dimension that intertwines the ancient world of Vikings & Norse mythology with futuristic SciFi action. Both being an associate producer and having a great part is invigorating. I’ll be working alongside Hafthor Julius Bjornson (The Mountain in Game of Thrones), producer Skip Williamson (The Underworld Franchise, Crank 1 & 2, and Gamer) and the fantastic team at DreamState Entertainment to create a multi-media franchise, which will include future films, podcasts, and a graphic novel series.

OCA: On top of your passion for acting, you also do many other things, including being a health professional, how is that compatible with what must be an already very busy schedule?
SF: Even though I got involved with acting and performing early on and had parts in several films throughout my life, my main focus was on sports and fitness and health counselling. It started out with me helping my dad get into great shape in 1988 and soon after that a lot of people asked me to counsel them for health. Later I studied to become a trainer as well as a functional medicine practitioner. I started my own firm, wrote books on health related matters, did lectures and seminars, had my own spot on national TV and wrote a column in a major newspaper. It was actually not until a few years ago that my youngest daughter pushed me to audition for a place that became available studying to be an actor at the Icelandic Film School. I applied and got in. It was during these studies that I was invited to work on Game of Thrones. It was a great opportunity to get to work on one of the most amazing TV shows ever created and of course I learned a lot as well. You cannot but learn when you get to work with such a dedicated group of seasoned professionals.

Since then I’ve done several feature films where I’ve had good parts. One of the more memorable one is called Operation Ragnarök, where I am also an executive producer, and the distributor is in Iceland as well as China. My character is Egill Sturlaugsson who is the Team Leader of the Icelandic Viking Squad along with five other characters of the Squad who also happen to be in my novel called Quis Custodiet Ipsos Custodes (Who Guards the Guardians) that will, if everything works out, come out at the same time as the film which is coming out in the next few months.

Another one is Three Dots and a Dash where I play a ‘brutal’ Russian mafia boss which was great fun since it’s a comedy and the director wanted me to go all out, that one should be coming out later this year but judging from what I’ve seen from it, it’s going to be hilarious. There are several films I’ll be working in later this year and in 2020 – and in two of them both as an actor as well as an executive producer. I also compose and produce music and am currently working on a soundtrack for my upcoming sitcom, Knightime. In the Viking spirit, I’m always looking for new challenges.

OCA: Recently you were interviewed by the BBC attending the Eurasian Creative Guild Film Festival in London. What were your impressions?
SF: Indeed, the interview was regarding the Eurasian Creative Guild Film Festival in London which was held very successfully right alongside the Romford Film Festival. In the interview I discussed the great efforts of a film called Kaddish that won the Grand Prix. I was lucky enough to get to hand the award to the producer, writer and director, Costa Fam (Konstantin Fam), since I had the honour of being a member of the jury.

Sölvi Fannar can be found on his Youtube channel:
youtube.com/solvifannar;
and on his website: solvifannar.com.

LOST ENLIGHTENMENT: THE GOLDEN AGE OF CENTRAL ASIA

The problem of distorting general history, a departure from the principle of objectivity in compiling history textbooks, and the lack of holistic basic research on the history of culture and science of Central Asia has long been troubling many historians, scholars, scientists and other representatives of the intellectuals. Scientists and historians of the Central Asian countries, after the acquisition independence, conduct research and publish books that often have a fragmentary or one-sided character. In this regard, there was a need for a new, broad and panoramic view of the general history of science and culture of Central Asia, which during different periods of its long history was part of different empires and large state entities. We needed our own Needham to reveal the history of science and culture of Central Asia to the world.

It is known that the outstanding Cambridge-historian, Joseph Needham (1900-1995), is the author of the stunning seven-volume monograph “Science and Civilisation in China”. The founder of studying of Chinese science in Europe, Needham proceeded from a thesis about universality of science and its continuous progress. The American Professor, Stephen Frederick Starr, came to a similar conclusion about the level and importance of Central Asian science for the world science in the age of Enlightenment.

Oddly enough, this long-awaited book was written not by a historian from the east, but by a U.S. overseas scholar, the President of the Central Asia – Caucasus Research Institute, Stephen Frederick Starr. The monograph by famous orientalist, researcher, and lecturer at the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University, Frederick Starr, titled “Lost Enlightenment: The Golden Age of Central Asia from Arab Conquest till Tamerlane’s Times” has become an event of recent years. This book makes not only Europeans, but also eastern people take a fresh look at our region.

It is remarkable, that the founder and Chairman of the Central Asia-Caucasus Institute was an expert on Russian and Eurasian affairs under the three presidents of the United States. Unfortunately, Central Asia in the eyes of a certain part of western inhabitants to this day is represented as a region of several little-known, poor States at the edge of the world, whose culture is absolutely unremarkable for them. But Stephen Frederick Starr thinks this is notion is wrong, and skilfully dispels the myth of backwardness and marginality of Central Asia. On the basis of extensive research, he colourfully and lovingly describes the Renaissance – the Age of Enlightenment in Central Asia.

This surprisingly rich book tells the story about the rise and crisis of the brightest intellectual and cultural traditions in the Islamic world. Starr proves that the “Muslim Renaissance” – the flowering of philosophy, exact sciences and poetry in the IX-XII centuries, was connected with thousands threads with the territories, which are now called Central Asia: from eastern Iran to western China. But Starr does not simply reveal a broad panorama of political, economic, and cultural processes: he shows how the story is created by personalities like Ibn Siné, Al-Biruni, Al-Ghazali, and many others.
The reader learns from the book, for example, that the scholar and polymath, al-Biruni, discovered America three centuries before Columbus; that Abu Ali ibn Sina’s “Canon of Medicine”, written at the turn of the IX and X centuries, for 600 years was the main textbook on medicine in all educational institutions of the world, including the most famous universities in Europe; that the famous lancet arches entered the European Gothic from Central Asian architecture.

When one 11th-century Arab scholar made a list of all the “praiseworthy people of the epoch” who spoke Arabic, one third of the total number listed – 415 – appeared to be natives of Central Asia. The superiority of Central Asia is most noticeable in the field of natural sciences, philosophy and mathematics – scientists from this region accounted for up to 90% of the total.

Even a cursory glance at the wonderful work of Steve Frederick Starr on the main persons of science, literature and art testifies to the high level of the Epoch of Prosperity – the Era of Enlightenment.
The well-known great scientist Ibn Sina wrote over 400 works, 240 of them came to us in different forms. Ibn Sina’s “Canon of Medical Science” contains compelling arguments about the environmental impact on health, as well as the need for what we today call preventive medicine. He researched methods of treatment of hundreds of diseases, including psychosomatic ones.

The brilliant scholar, Al-Biruni, wrote 180 works. Biruni was one of several Central Asian scholars who spoke out for borrowing the concept of zero and negative numbers from India and paving new avenues for their use.

Several Central Asian scholars fought for primacy in the development of trigonometry and its adoption as an independent field of knowledge. It was rediscovered in Italy only in the 17th century.

In astronomy, the light of science Wasal-Khwarizmi. He and several other astronomers of Central Asia were engaged in measuring the length of the Earth’s degree of Meridian and the development of tables for the construction of horizontal solar clocks, which were precisely adjusted by geographical latitude. He also designed a tool that uses the sine quadrants to obtain numerical solutions to the problems of spherical astronomy. Biruni’s astronomical research has led him to conclude that planetary orbits can be elliptical rather than circular, and the apogee of the Sun changes predictably. Recently, among the planets orbiting other stars in our galaxy, planets with elliptical orbits were discovered, which drastically reduced the number of supposedly inhabited extrasolar planets.

Biruni’s tutor and close friend – Abu Nasr Mansur, is known as the “second after Ptolemy”. Al-Khuzhandi built a large sextant and made some very accurate measurements of the tilt of the ecliptic. Al-Ferghani wrote a treatise on the main medieval astronomical instrument – the astrolabe, which was later widely studied among European readers. He also wrote a study on astronomy, which became the most famous Arab work in Europe in this field. Among his many readers was Christopher Columbus, who lived 600 years after Ferghani.

Some Central Asian scientists have compiled astronomical tables of stunning accuracy. Ulugbek, the ruler of Samarkand, who passionately engaged in astronomy throughout his life, determined the length of the star year better than Copernicus, and measured the inclination of the Earth’s axis so precisely that his calculations are used today.

Al-Khorezmi was the first person who developed the theory of linear and quadratic equations in mathematics. It allowed him to find a key to various arithmetic and geometrical problems. As a result, a book called “Algebra” was published, which defined the name of this field of knowledge, and the term “algorithm” – a distorted form of the name of the scientist. Al-Khorezmi significantly deepened the field of spherical astronomy and did more than anyone else to popularise the decimal system invented in India.

In the sphere of optics a notable contribution was made by Ibn Sahl. He wrote an important treatise on the use of curved mirrors to focus light. Previously, scientists could not solve this problem. In the process, he discovered the law of refraction. Besides Ibn Sina, several other Central Asian scientists created volume works on applied and theoretical medicine. One of them, who studied in Central Asia, Abu Bakr Muhammad ar-Razi, was the most courageous diagnostician and surgeon of the Middle Ages. He was the first to use catgut sutures during operations.

Geography prospered too. Mahmud al-Kashgari created the first map on which Japan was marked. Many astronomers and experts in trigonometry used their skills to determine the latitude and longitude of hundreds of places – from India to the Mediterranean. Without doubt, the greatest geographical achievement of the era was Biruni’s work, where he used astronomical data to prove the existence of an inhabited array of land somewhere between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

Rashid ad-Din wrote the world’s first universal history. It would not be an exaggeration to say that Biruni turned out to be the greatest sociologist in the period between Thucydides and present time. For comparison: Hugo Grotius (1583–1645), Thomas Gobbs (1588–1679), Samuel von Pufendorf (1632–1694) and John Locke (1632–1704) preferred to theorise about society rather than study it.Mahmud Kashgari was a turkologist and ethnographer who created comparative linguistics as a field of knowledge.

The pride of Central Asian intellectual life is philosophy. Natives of the region plunged into this area with such passion and eagerness that they considerably bypassed all other scientists of this era. Their writings had a decisive influence both on Muslims all over the world and on the Christian West. The great German scientist, Adam Metz, said that the humanism of the European Renaissance would not have been possible without the early flowering of philosophical research in Central Asia.

The age of Enlightenment is rich with unsurpassed achievements in art and literature. Sufism, a mystical and ecstatic form of Islam that seeks to dispel all worldly problems so that the believer can enter into direct contact with God, was one of the striking examples of popular values that were the driving force of intellectual transformation. The Sufi poets Jalaladdin Rumi and Omar Hayyama have many admirers all over the world today. The early poets Rudaki and Asjadi are at the origin of the great Persian literary tradition. The colossal panorama of Iranian civilisation, the poem “Shahnameh”, set the world standard for other national epics. The author, Ferdowsi, was born in Khorasan, and a large part of his epic describes Central Asia, not the land, which is currently located on the territory of Iran. Almost all scholars, including Ibn Sina, wrote at least part of their works in verse.

Even a superficial and incomplete list of names and accomplishments confirm that the medieval scholars of Central Asia were not mere “transmitters” of ancient Greek achievements, they themselves were pioneers in various fields. Before the Islamic era, Central Asians invented the bow. Due to this invention, which quickly spread throughout China, India and the West, Central Asia can be considered the true birthplace of the violin.

 

A simple annotation of the contents “The Lost Enlightenment: the Golden Age of Central Asia from the Arab Conquest to the Time of Tamerlane”, even briefly, takes a long time. The monograph of Professor Frederick Starr reveals to readers an amazing Age of Enlightenment, which gave a powerful impetus to the development of world science and culture. And such work with colossal texture could be written only by the person, who was sincerely in love with Central Asia and fascinated by its history.

text by Akhmedov Begizhan Makhmudovich

Akhmedov Begizhan Makhmudovich is a writer, historian, member of the National Writers Union of Kyrgyzstan and Prize Laureate of International Funds (Kyrgyzstan) and Babur (Uzbekistan) named after Kurmanjan Datka.

KAZAKH ALASKA

The territory of Ile in Xinjiang was occupied by Russian troops in 1871.

After ten years, in the year 1881-82, the Ile area was returned to China.

For the second time (after Alaska) the Russian Empire refused the

almost-conquered territory that was lying at its feet like a ripe melon …

Ile area
Numerous rivers, the most significant of which are the Tekes and Kunges, run down the Tien Shan ranges and, merging into one, make the Ile River. The main flow of the river crosses the territory of Kazakhstan, but its headwaters arise in the area then called Ile, which formed and still forms the Chinese region of Xinjiang today. China gets the majority of the river water for its needs. The Ile River becomes shallow and Lake Balkhash becomes shallow too. But back in the 19th century it could have been that the entire Ile valley became part of Kazakhstan. Why didn’t that happen?

In the 1760’s, after the seizure of Dzungaria by China coupled with the driving out of the Dzungarians to the deserted upper valley of Ile, Chinese Hans resettled there alongside Dungans from Gansu, Taranchi from Kashgaria, Sibo and Soloni from Manchuria and Mongol-Chahars from Mongolia. The Kalmyks also migrated there from Kalmykia in 1771. Separate nomadic tribes of Kazakhs and Kyrgyz travelled through the mountain gorges. Thus, the population of the Ile area comprised an explosive mixture of various ethnic groups, different economic patterns and various confessions. At this time, the western border of the area was the border between Qing China and Tsarist Russia.

Dissolution of Xinjiang
In the 1860s China, weakened by the “Opium Wars”, was seized by the fires of national riots and rebellions. This started with the peasant war of Tai-pings in the eastern part of the Empire. Then the rebel’ fervor spread to the west. In 1862 the Dungans’ rebellion blazed throughout Shanxi province. Then the fire of riot leaped over to Gansu. In summer of 1864 the riots came to Urumqi. The city was partially destroyed and burned away. The huge warehouses of tea that was designated to be exported to Russia were burned down. In March 1866 Muslim rebels, mostly Dungans, occupied the capital of Xinjiang – Ghulja. The Dungans were supported by their fellow believers, the Taranchi (Uighurs), and also by Kazakhs and Kyrgyz. The riot obviously took on the religious tint of a Muslim fight with infidels. The representatives of Chinese-Manchuria administration, Mongols and Kalmyks that fell into the rebels’ hands were viciously slaughtered. The infidel survivors of the massacre from the eastern parts of the province escaped to China, and those from the western precincts fled to the borders of Russian Altay.

After the final victory of the rebels in 1867 there appeared three independent Muslim states on the territory abandoned by the Chinese Xinjiang: The Taranchi sultanate on the Ile lands, headed by sultan Alakhan Abilogly; the Dungan Khanate in place of the Tarbagatay precinct, headed by Lotay Khan and the Yetyshaar state in Kashgaria, headed by the field commander from neighboring Kokand – Yakubbek. Neither China nor Russia recognized the newly created countries. However, Great Britain and Turkey recognized Yetyshaar. The so-called “Great Game” between Great Britain and Russia was at its peak and the politicians were guided by the “The enemy of my enemy is my friend” principle.

Russian Turkestan vs Chinese Turkestan
Also in 1867, as a counter to the Muslim countries, Russia created the Turkestan Governor-Generalship headed by General Kostantin von Kaufman.

In the Taranchi sultanate the power of Alakhan sultan was weak and he could not maintain order. During the feuds between Dungans and Taranchi, armed groups plundered from civilians, trespassed over the border with Russia and established connections with Kokand, Khiva and Bukhara while fighting with each other. However the tough and aggressive Yetyshaar ruler, Yakubbek, acted more decisively. He proclaimed himself to be the descendant of Tamerlane and suggested that every Middle Asian nation should unite for jihad against Russia. But besides the propagandist discourse he created a strong state, enabled taxation, summoned a regular army with various service arms, and with the help of the British and the Turkish re-equipped them with firearms. In 1870 his army occupied Urumqi, annexing the Dungan Khanate, and Yakubbek was ready to unite the entire former Xinjiang under his reign.

The Russian generals determined that a risk had developed of creating a huge and hostile neighbouring Muslim state in Chinese Turkestan under the custody of Great Britain and demanded decisive actions. Finally, after long hesitation, the Russian Government came to an agreement with the Generals to occupy the Ile area whilst it was not yet occupied by Yakubbek. That was when the occasion recurred. In May 1871 particularly violent clashes of Muslim troops with the Russian army occurred on the Russia-Taranchi border. This became the pretext for an invasion.

In June 1871, Russian troops under the command of General Kolpakovski crossed the river Borohudzir, which marked the border, and invaded the territory of the Taranchi sultanate. During several battles the disorganized and poorly armed troops of the Dungans and Taranchi suffered a defeat. The war ended with a victorious blitzkrieg. In eight days the Russian army occupied Ghulja and the sultanate was destroyed. The Ile area became the Ghulja region as part of Russian Turkestan. But Russia made a gesture to the international community, promising to China that as soon as the Chinese government found itself able to support its power in the region, the Ghulja region would be returned and the troops would be withdrawn. Sultan Alakhan Abilogly was honourably exiled to Verniy city (Almaty), where he spent the rest of his life, receiving his annual pension of five thousand rubles from the Russian government.

“Doves” vs “Hawks”
And what to do with the Ghulja region next? There were constant disputes about its future between the Turkestan regional administration and the Russian Central Government – between the Hawk-generals and Dove-diplomats. The Turkestan “hawks” – Kaufman and Kolpakovski and the majority of the Russian military were firmly set against the return of the region to China. The generals, having considered the strategic goal of defence, proposed that Russia replace the old, completely open, border that crossed the steppe with a new, almost impassable, natural border at the Tian Shan mountain ridge, retaining the rich and fertile valley of the Upper Ile. In this case, the frontier patrol duties would be reduced to control the strategically important passes of Talki (to Dzungaria) and Muzart (to Kashgaria). At this time the Semipalatinsk governor – General Vladimir Poltoratski – suggested solving the problem even more drastically, by taking advantage of the situation to occupy Urumqi and Kashgaria, thus expanding the Russian state to its “natural limits”.
However, people in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) thought otherwise. The MFA’s head, Duke Gorchakov, who was counting money, well remembered his promises and regarded England’s opinion and Europe’s reaction with caution. In order to calm the combative generals, the diplomats assured them that ‘the refusal to return it would have been in complete contradiction to those undertakings that the Russian government repeatedly made to the Chinese government’. In this case, ‘the loss of the advantageous strategic position would be compensated by the recovery of mutually advantageous trade with The Heavenly Empire’. That was the main reason. It was not a secret that Russia was receiving huge profits from the export of their own produce to Ile region and from the import of Chinese tea with its further transit to Europe. As a result of the rebellion the trade routes via Chuguchak and Ghulja were cut off, trade was suffering losses and the treasury was not receiving taxes. Therefore, Russia was interested in the recovery of its former trade routes, the profit from which the Government considered was more important than expensive territorial purchases. Thus, the ‘doves’ won at the Russian court.

Whereas, there were disputes about the Ile region’s destiny at the Chinese court; they also considered costs and here also ‘hawks’ were disputing with ‘doves’. The head ‘hawk’ – General Zuo Zongtang, who had defeated the centres of the Dungan rebellions in Shanxi, set his heart on becoming the liberator of China. The General was keen to advertise the perceived ‘Russian threat’, persuading all that if China did not regain Xinjiang, the Russians would own it, and would move on to Mongolia and further on to Manchuria. His gang of ‘hawks’ appealed to the Empress Dowager Cixi’s patriotism, trying to persuade her that after the defeat in the ‘Opium wars’ China should demonstrate to the Europeans its power in suppressing the anti-Qin riots and that Xinjiang was to be returned at any cost. The ‘doves’ faction, headed by the Beijing governor Li Hongzhang, considered not only the Ile region, but the entire Xinjiang as a self-supporting area that did not belong to any other country. Li Hongzhang as a practical person argued that owning Xinjiang was detrimental, and suggested that they should forget about that ‘wild land’ and recollect that there was a ‘Japanese threat’ from the sea. ‘The hawks’ won at the Chinese court.

In 1875 General Zuo Zongtang headed ‘The Western campaign’ of the Chinese army to Xinjiang. At first he drowned the riot centres in Gansu and Urumqi in Dungan blood and then moved on to Yetishaar. The Muslim troops were heavily defeated. Yakubbek died in unclear circumstances: whether from poison, or from a heart attack. The state was destroyed and the Chinese General flooded Kashgaria with Uighur blood. Then the slaughterman of the Uighur and Dungan people claimed his right to the Ile region.

And thus, in September 1879 the Livadian Agreement was signed in Crimea, based on which Russian troops were withdrawn from the Ile region and then the latter was returned to China. However, according to the claim of the ‘hawks’ from the Military Ministry the agreement stipulated that more than 40% of the region’s territory with the valley of Tekes and the Muzart and Talki passes went to Russia.

‘There, where the Russian flag was once hoisted it must never be hoisted down’ – claimed Tsar Nicolay I. And so it was, though not always. But for the unprecedented cases with Alaska and the Ile region, the Russian tanks would have been standing by the threshold of North America, and the full-flowing Ile and maybe Irtysh would have been flowing fully within the territory of Kazakhstan. America was blessed with Alaska, while Kazakhstan failed with the Ile region three times: the ‘doves’ from the MFA won in Russia, Zuo Zongtang’s ‘hawks’ won in China and the Livadian agreement was not fulfilled.

The Ile crisis
The Chinese government considered the Livadian agreement as extortionate and did not ratify it. The Chinese ambassador Chung Hou, who had signed the agreement, was accused of acquiescence and lack of determination, and was “denounced as a Russian spy”. The Empress Dowager Cixi sentenced him to death, precipitating the so-called ‘The Ile crisis”.

The ‘hawks’ suddenly became more active in China. After Yakubbek’s death, Great Britain placed its bets on Zuo Zongtang. The Chinese delegates were purchasing fire arms, cannons and cruisers in Europe with the help of English loans. The aggressive General, while re-equipping his army, threatened to capture not only the Ile region, but all of Central Asia; and playing along with the English, he blustered to reach St. Petersburg. Demonstrating hard-line decisiveness, he moved his headquarters from Central China to Xinjiang, taking a luxurious coffin with him, thereby implying that he would return home ‘with a shield or in a coffin’.

The Russian government also started preparing for war, repositioning troops to the borders of Turkestan. Tsar Alexander sent Admiral Lesovsky’s fleet to the Far East to land troops in Manchuria. The Russian Attaché in London, General Gorlov received a proposal from Irish terrorists to create a volunteer brigade to fight with the British in Central Asia. The ‘hawks”-generals headed by Kaufman were rubbing their hands in anticipation of easy manoeuvres and were planning a ‘crusade to Beijing’.

In 1880 the Ile crisis reached its final phase. Qing China and Tsarist Russia, rattling the sabre were standing “wall-to-wall” against each other. The entire world was watching the confrontation of Russia and China with sinking hearts. Would the Chinese put the ambassador to death or not? Would war break out or not? Behind China one could perceive the shadow of the third empire – Great Britain. And there Queen Victoria made her move towards peace, sending a letter to her colleague – the Chinese Empress pleading with her to grant a pardon to Chung Hou.

While Zuo Zongtang was ‘warmongering’ in Xinjiang, the pragmatism of Cixi and Li Hongzhang was predominating in Beijing. They clearly understood that it was one thing to defeat the isolated and poorly armed rebel forces, but quite another to fight the regular army of the great northern Empire. Therefore, taking into consideration Europe’s opinion, Chung Hou was granted a pardon and Li’s supporter, Duke Zeng Jize then was sent to St. Petersburg to conduct negotiations.
In Russia they also considered that a bad peace was better than a good quarrel. The MFA’s position – to regulate the relations with China and to restore trade overweighed the geopolitical concerns of the Military Ministry. The Generals’ demands on the territory were reduced twice and the funding request in relation to occupational costs was increased.

Russian-Chinese agreement
The resolution of the “Ile crisis” became the new Russian-Chinese St. Petersburg agreement signed on February 12, 1881. Russia withdrew its claim for the Tekes valley and the strategic passes. Of the territory of the Ile region, with a total area of 50 thousand square kilometres, Russia (and later on Kazakhstan) achieved only a consolation prize of 10 thousand square kilometres. The old border along Borohudzir and Charyn was moved east to the river Horgos and these lands were settled by the Muslim-refugees from the Ile region, who assumed Russian citizenship. Today this territory is a part of the Almaty region. Besides this, the Chinese authorities were to pay Russia 9 million rubles to cover the expense of bringing order to the Ile region and to allow amnesty to the local population (remember that Alaska was sold for 11 million rubles).
In China the St. Petersburg agreement was received with delight as a significant success in Qing diplomacy. General Zuo Zongtang became the national hero who returned Xinjiang. Subsequently, an administrative reform was conducted in the province. The Ile region became the Ile-Kazakh Autonomous district and Urumqi became the capital of Xinjiang instead of the frontier Ghulja.

Text by Murat Uali
Translated from Russian by Dana Zheteyeva

OCA#32  SUMMER 2019  WWW.OCAMAGAZINE.COM

THE LIFE AND ART OF MARC CHAGALL

Born in Belarus, Marc Chagall is a talented painter, a bright art practitioner of the avant-garde of the twentieth century who took over the world with his unique style and special outlook on life. Chagall is one of the few artists who formed a whole era in art. It is hard to name a person who has not heard of this great man with an incredible imagination and a unique vision of his creativity in painting.

At age 19 he entered the school of the famous Vitebsk painter Yudel Pen, who saw a bright talent and offered the young man to study for free. A few months later, the future artist went to study in St. Petersburg.

Chagall decided to continue his education in Paris: he attended classes at the academies of arts, examined various exhibitions and galleries, mastered new artistic movement – cubism, futurism, orphism and at the same time he was creating his own, exceptional style.

In June 1914 the first exhibition of Marc Chagall took place in Berlin, where were almost all his pictures and drawings painted in Paris. After his success, the name Marc Chagall became widely known.

With the beginning of World War I, Marc Chagall returned to his homeland where he created famous paintings such as: “Over the Town”, “The Promenade”. Besides, in Vitebsk he got married to Bella Rosenfeld – a woman who became his greatest love and inspiration for the rest of his life. In 1934 Chagall’s paintings, which were kept in the museums in Berlin, were publicly burned on the orders of Hitler. Soon after that, Marc Chagall left France and went to the USA with his family.

Marc Chagall’s decision to move to the United States was promoted by the tense situation in Europe, when Germany declared war on the USSR. He lived in America with his family and during this time he created two picturesque panels for the Metropolitan Opera in the USA and many other famous works. In 1942, German Sevastyanov, manager of the New York Ballet Theater, persuades the artist to create the scenery and costumes for the ballet “Aleko”. For the four acts of “Aleko”, Chagall completed a series of sketches, costumes, scenery and four large panels.

Before leaving the USA, Chagall receives an order for illustrations for four tales from “A thousand and one nights”. As a result, Chagall creates the first series of color lithographs (thirteen illustrations), which were published in New York after the artist left the United States. In the US many new works were created, reflecting the American atmosphere as well as the anxiety of the war years. During his stay in the United States, Chagall continued to work in the field of book illustration. In particular, he created wonderful illustrations for the book of Itzik Fefer’s poems.

In the USA, the stained-glass masterpiece can be seen in the composition “Peace” for the UN building in New York dedicated to the memory of Dag Hammarskjold (UN General Secretary) and another 15 people who died in a plane crash. Chagall’s most significant stained-glass work in the United States is the ensemble for the “Union Church” located in the town of Pocantico hills, not far from New York. The mosaic composition established in 1974 in front of the Bank in Chicago is the last work of Chagall, created in the USA.

In 1944 he was going to return to Paris liberated from the Germans, but these days his wife Bella suddenly passed away. Chagall grieved for his loss. He did not paint nine months, but when he returned to it, he created two works dedicated to Bella “The Wedding Candles” and “Around Her”. Bella was not the last woman in the artist’s life but till his dying day she remained his love and eternal muse.

After the war Chagall returned to Europe, his artwork illustrated bible theme. Plenty of etchings for the French Bible edition: paintings, engravings, stained-glass windows expressed the message of the artist to the world. That is why in 1973 he decided to open a museum in Nice. The French government has announced this collection as the official national museum.

In honor of the 90th anniversary of the painter in the Louvre was held the largest lifetime exhibition of his works. Contrary to all the rules, pictures of the living artist were exhibited in the museum.

Marc Chagall passed away at Saint-Paul-de-Vence. He is buried in the local cemetery in Provence.

The art of Marc Chagall is striking in its diversity and defies strict classification. The artist’s style combines expression and unconventional style which was formed under the influence of cubism, fauvism, orphism. In the canvases he illustrated his special outlook and religious views.

Stick to his style, Marc Chagall continued to experiment in various techniques and genres all his life long. His creative heritage consist of book illustrations, graphics, scenic painting, mosaics, stained-glass windows, sculpture and ceramics.

One of the most fruitful movement for Chagall was a book illustration. For famous writers such as Andre Breton, Andre Malraux and many others Marc became the incarnation of a literary artist who expresses poetic lines in fantastic images.

Original works by Marc Chagall adorn the largest theaters in the world. At the request of Andre Malraux, Minister of Culture of France, the artist painted the plafond for the auditorium of the Paris Opera Garnier, created two murals for the New York Metropolitan Opera and decorated the building of the National Bank with mosaics in Chicago.

Chagall was one of the first who started to use easel painting in the design of theatrical scenery. In the early 60s the noted throughout the world painter became interested in monumental art and interior design. In Jerusalem he created mosaics for the parliament building, stained glass windows for the synagogue of the Medical Center and later he decorated many Catholic and Lutheran temples, synagogues throughout Europe, America and Israel.

The talented painter also made a contribution into literature: poetry, essays and memoirs in Yiddish were published during his lifetime and translated into Hebrew, Russian, Belarusian, English and French. The autobiographical book of Marc Chagall “My Life” gained world-wide prominence.

It is extremely difficult for a person barren of imagination to visually perceive the canvases of the artist because they do not fit into the concept of standard painting and are very different from classical works, where the accuracy of lines is extremely important. The artist has created his own reality, which is rich in colors and full of feelings, the one where people can fly and walk in the clouds. His paintings seem strange and at the same time they are extraordinary. That is the way the artist sees the reality surrounding him.

Today the work of Marc Chagall can be seen in galleries in France, USA, Germany, Russia, Belarus, Switzerland and Israel. The memory of the great artist is honored in his homeland: the house in Vitebsk where the graphic artist lived for a long time was turned into the house-museum of Chagall. Fans of the painter up to now can personally visit the place where the avant-garde artist created his masterpieces.

Text by Bozhena Krasnogir

FROM SAINT-LIGUORI TO NUR-SULTAN

After meeting eight young Kazakhs at the International Olympiads of Linguistics, I decided to fly from Canada to see my friends again and at the same time, discover the land of the Kazakhs…

My name is Nathan Samson, I am now 18 years old and I study Linguistics at the University of Ottawa. Last year, I competed in the International Olympiads of Linguistics (IOL). During the contest, which took place in Czech Republic, I became acquainted with the various Kazakh teams and quickly became friends with the members of the teams. At that time, I only had a little knowledge of Russian and absolutely no knowledge of the Kazakh language. I had a vague idea about Kazakh culture and history coming from my interest towards Turkish and Persian history, but I was far from having much of an idea of how Kazakhstan was today and what it meant to be Kazakh.
During my trip in the Czech Republic, I had been so interested and fascinated by the stories I heard about Kazakhstan that I had no choice but to visit this mysterious country and, with this end in view, I started preparing. I spent the last year studying Russian and Kazakh (though more Russian to be honest), I managed to earn enough money to afford my flight ticket and I stayed in touch with my friends. It was not an easy road that I followed until the day I sat on the plane, waiting to arrive at Nur-Sultan airport. A few times, I had thought it would never be possible to visit. Most of my friends and family probably never believed that I would really travel to Kazakhstan.
But I did it. At the age of 17 years old, I travelled alone, across Kazakhstan.

I arrived at the Nursultan Nazerbaev Airport of Nur-Sultan City at 4:55 AM on May 13th 2019. When I was finally able to exit the airport and find my friend, I already felt that this trip was going to be extraordinary. My first day in Kazakhstan was great: I had spent the last year thinking about this trip, about the country, the language, the culture and about the time when I would meet my friends again.

I thought about the different projects I could do during my trip: I was interested in making a documentary at first but finally opted for a book about my journey, so I started writing very quickly after my arrival.

The title of this article refers to the town where I come from: Saint-Liguori, a very small town in the francophone province of Québec, Canada. Big cities were always a bit scary for me, since I grew up surrounded by fields, so it was one of the things that scared me the most about my trip, to stay in a city like Nur-Sultan. That is the reason why I was happy to discover the Right Bank of Nur-Sultan, especially the Baiqonour district, where the way of living was closer to our provincial way of living, but at the same time, very Kazakh.

Before my trip, most of the people I had told about my plans were afraid for me. They thought it was a dangerous idea to travel alone across Kazakhstan being a minor and without a travel agency or any external organisation, but during my journey, I constantly proved to them that Kazakhstan is a place where, with good research and some knowledge of the culture and language, anyone can travel. One of the things that interested me during my preparation for the trip were the trains in Kazakhstan. I had read so many extraordinary stories about these long trips by train across the country, but I never expected what would happen in these trains…
I lived so many incredible adventures during my stay in Kazakhstan, but some of the most interesting moments happened in the trains that I took. I used to a carry a guitar with me when I would go to another city and I often ended up playing music during the night for the other passengers. It was something I really didn’t expect, because no one would think of playing guitar and singing in a train in Canada, but there, often other passengers would ask me to play. There was even one time, when we travelled from Nur-Sultan to Borovoe, when the whole wagon (we bought seats for that trip) listened to my music and sang with me the Russian songs I could play (some classics like Katiousha and some Viktor Tsoy music). They appreciated it so much that when I left the train, they all stood up to applaud me as I was leaving, shaking my hand and congratulating me in various languages.

Another big part of my journey that should be mentioned is my introduction into the muslim tradition. Travelling in Kazakhstan during the month of ramadan, I had no choice but to respect the people who welcomed me and to honour their faith by also holding the fast. They never asked me to do it, they told me several times that they wouldn’t be offended if I didn’t hold the fast, being a non-muslim traveller, but I felt that it would be disrespectful, after all what they were doing for me, to do such a thing. My goal was also to try to understand the Kazakh people and their reality. I couldn’t make another choice than doing as they were doing. Living as a muslim for a month helped me understand more about many things. First, a lot of my friends in Canada are muslim and I never had a chance to see their religion from that point of view. Also, I have been surprised to see how welcoming, helpful and respectful Kazakhs were during my entire trip. We would do well to remember that even if countries like Kazakhstan are not as touristically developed as France or Greece, for instance, it doesn’t mean that they are closed to foreigners. I would even say that the fact that it is not such a touristic place may make it a better place to explore if you are a bit of an adventurer. For those reasons I have plans to return next year.

OCA#32  SUMMER 2019  WWW.OCAMAGAZINE.COM  Text by Nathan Samson

ANIMATION IS KEY TO DEVELOPING EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

As many parents believe that watching cartoons is either harmful or not of much use, nowadays, it has become fashionable not to show them to children. This opinion, however, does not hold true; good animation can contribute to the formation of a child’s personality, because high-quality cartoons, as with books and movies, help to develop emotional intelligence.

What do we mean by this phrase? Emotional intelligence is a person’s ability to perceive their own emotions and manage their feelings for effective problem-solving. A high level of emotional intelligence is one of the indicators of leaders and successful people. Emotional intelligence helps in many areas of life: from studying and building a career to friendship and good familial relations.
The process of learning through animation is often faster than through books, because the child can immediately see and hear what the hero feels and experiences. With the mood transmitted through music, sounds and images, the child can quickly empathise with the hero when watching quality animation. They can see the consequences of negative actions and reflect on what constitutes fitting behaviour. The child learns what is socially seen as good and bad from the examples before them.

A great example of how an animated series can help develop emotional intelligence is the British series, Peppa Pig, which is ideally suited to younger viewers. The main characters laugh, cry, become angry, offended and upset. When they’re happy, they jump in puddles gleefully, and when they’re sad, they cry. The voiceover and other characters give voice to the feelings and emotional state of the hero. For example, in the episode “George catches a cold,” George is afraid of the doctor and the viewer can see how scared he is as he hides under a blanket. The voiceover further emphasises the emotion of the character, and the doctor finds a way to cheer up George and reduce his fear. Watching this cartoon, a young viewer can easily become acquainted with basic feelings and emotions.

If we compare American and Russian animation, the biggest difference at the moment is that animation in America is a huge, profitable industry with well-established processes. Cartoons for both children and adults are shown in prime-time. In Russia, state regulation has led to a position where it is not profitable for channels to broadcast animated films. In Russia, there are almost no cartoons made for adult audiences, whilst in America, there are numerous examples, such as The Simpsons and Family Guy.

In other ways, Russian and American cartoons have become very similar in the last five years, with Russian animators adopting styles used by their American colleagues. This has made the characters in Russian animation more understandable and recognisable for viewers around the world. The differences between modern American and Russian animation are not so great. Both aim to tell expressive stories using both digital and traditional methods. Both use exaggeration, various tricks and modern music, whilst adhering to the basic principles of the art form. Most importantly, both Russian and American cartoons can serve as an excellent methodological tool for the development of emotional intelligence in children.

In the episode, ‘The Frying Pan” from the Russian animated series The Fixies – its script written by children’s author and member of the Eurasian Creative Guild, Arina Chunaeva – the main characters, Nolik and Simka argue as to who is better at skating. They decide to arrange a contest in which their friend Tom Thomas will act as the judge. He turns out to be a dishonest judge, however. Watching this cartoon, a younger viewer learns that you should never deceive your friends for the sake of victory, even if you really want to win. Thanks to this cartoon, the viewer begins to better recognise the causes of lies and boasting and the negative consequences of such actions.

In an episode entitled “Recipe for Disaster” from the world-famous Russian cartoon, Masha and The Bear – an episode which entered the Guinness Book of world records as the most-viewed animated video on social networks – the main character, Masha cooks all the oatmeal in the kitchen, and all the animals in the forest are forced to eat this porridge. The viewer can empathise with Masha, whose prank has gone too far, as well as with the forest dwellers and the Bear, who, as always, only wanted to rest. The situation is portrayed with humour and without any moralising overtones. The child can easily understand from the reactions and facial expressions of the characters what is good and what is not.

In the movie made by the Walt Disney Animation Studio, Moana, the main character teaches the viewer how to inspire others and understand their needs and the motivation behind their behaviour. The eponymous main character helps the demigod Maui to believe in himself again, and in the process teaches viewers how to cope with their fears and doubts and achieve their goals.

In order to facilitate the most rapid and effective development of emotional intelligence, parents should watch cartoons with their children, especially with those under the age of seven. Parents can then comment on events that occur and answer any questions the child may raise, such as why the hero cried, what upset them, and what should be done in this or that case. It is important to focus on the feelings and experiences of the hero, as well as on the motives of their actions.

By following this simple advice, cartoons can be elevated from a pleasurable pastime into great learning material. Sharing a good cartoon is not only an effective way to develop emotional intelligence, but a great opportunity to immerse oneself in the wonderful world of the child. This aids not only in understanding children, but in remembering how you looked at the world when you were young.

OCA#32  SUMMER 2019  WWW.OCAMAGAZINE.COM  text by Victoria Bukharova and Arina Chunaeva

DECONSTRUCTING TRADITION: THE ART OF FAIG AHMED

Faig Ahmed dismantles and reforms Azerbaijani traditions of carpet making, creating remarkable new works of contemporary art. Through his art practice he reconsiders these ancient crafts and their history by deconstructing both their physical form and their traditions, and questions the conventions associated with their craft by repositioning them in the contemporary art environment. From these ancient objects he creates new visual forms which challenge the role of iconic cultural objects in representing nations, traditions and history. The cultural significance of carpet weaving in Azerbaijan is reaffirmed by Ahmed’s practice who sees cultural history as a monolithic subject by which we establish our perspectives and visual vocabulary today but also something which is important to question and challenge.

Azerbaijani carpets are often extraordinary and intricate creations with examples dating back as far back as the 2nd millennium BC. They are made up of range of “schools” defined by their geographic origins and type of pattern. Their construction demands an exceptional level of skill. Ahmed has both manipulated original carpets – un-weaving them and using digital technology to redesign and reconstruct them – and also employed those equipped with the ancient skills to weave completely new carpets. Finding traditional weavers to craft his designs has proved difficult due to the sacred nature of the craft but eventually he found those who would be willing to work for him, although notably done in secret.


Through these methods Ahmed questions the role of truth in these carpets and whether in a deconstructed form they can they still carry the same significance and power as they did when objects of antiquity. His work shows how artworks can be contemporary but still retain a sense of an ancient aura. They are a unique collision of traditional crafts, steeped in history and digitally distorted and pixelated images. In his work ‘Oiling’ (2012) his hand-woven carpet gives the sensation that the coloured strands of the rug are melting, like the reflective pattern of oil in water. This sensation resonates with Ahmed’s home city, Azerbaijan’s capital Baku, and its own history of early oil drilling and the geopolitics around oil that would follow.

The elevation of these carpets into complex objects of art, hanging in a gallery environment, highlights their journey from their original function as a domestic feature – to be walked over – and how, through the role of antiquity and now as contemporary art objects, they have changed into cultural objects that are exhibited and capable of holding multiple meanings. This transformation from functional to iconic is highlighted by their manipulation into abstracted and digitally fluent forms with echoes of contemporary internet art. These digital manipulations express a three- dimensionality that re-activates and invigorates them. They draw the viewer in; as at first glance the skilful weaving of coloured strands appear as pixels seen at close range or a digital glitch.

There is a strange moral tension in this process of using an object, firstly of function, yet which has become renowned as a historic artefact and transforming it into a contemporary art object for exhibition. Ahmed seeks out carpets aged around 100 years old or more, using his own supplier to acquire theses cultural icons. He has reflected on the morality of this process – attempting to remain detached from their historic weight and tradition simply seeing it as another part of history – and another material or medium for an artist to manipulate. However, he has struggled to always maintain this distance; on one occasion he was using a carpet from the Karabakh school, developed in lowland and mountainous parts of the Karabakh region. Ahmed reflected on the issues of tradition and its intersection with nationality and sovereignty with this particular carpet. The Karabakh region is occupied by Armenia and the carpet came from a woman who cannot return there. This relationship between the icon and the displacement of its owner caused Ahmed to be unable to cut and appropriate the carpet, describing himself as ‘a hostage to tradition’. Unable to unravel the carpet himself he used an art production company to do so. This gave Ahmed the realisation that despite his best efforts it was not always possible to remain impersonal to tradition and its presence can be felt directly and personally. In turn this has given him a sense of responsibility and morality in how he makes his work. The reuse and negotiation of tradition through careful and considered manipulation can contribute a new truth to the works and retain or reaffirm the power present in the carpet.

In some of his most recent work Ahmed has begun to question the potential of the carpet as not just part of a singular culture but a wider transcendental visual experience. Travelling deep into the Amazon rainforest he has visited the Shipibo- Conibo people to study their carpet making. While carpets from cultures around the world may share some similar patterns, the Shipibo’s carpets are highly unusual as their designs are devised from shamanic visions produced by consuming the hallucinogenic herb ayahuasca. For Ahmed, this approach to carpet making offers a natural continuation of the abstracted reimagining of the Azerbaijani schools moving towards a more cosmic or universal language of pattern. The influence of this research can be seen in recent work such as In Liberation I (2018), which includes three psychedelic designs inspired by the Shipibo-Conibo where pieces disintegrate into a plume of red strands. In this work we have the sense that Ahmed carpets are becoming more alive than ever, almost organically growing these new forms out of the old carpets material. A constant rebirth from the old artefact.

OCA#32  SUMMER 2019  WWW.OCAMAGAZINE.COM  Text by Robert Mead, Photos by Natalie Bays

CHINGIZ AITMATOV EXHIBITION IN NUR-SULTAN

On May 15th 2019, the House of Friendship in Nur-Sultan hosted an exhibition dedicated to Chingiz Aitmatov entitled Tales of the Mountains and Steppes. The event was initiated by the Kyrgyzstan-Astana Ethnocultural Association and supported by The Eurasian Creative Guild (London). The main guest of the evening was Rosetta Aitmatova, the younger sister of Chingiz Aitmatov, who is a public figure and writer in her own right.

The event began with the announcement of the winners of the Chingiz Aitmatov international essay contest entitled “The Epoch Personality. Humanism” and the Manas Aalama Young Manaschi competition. Young writers were awarded certificates and books by the authors Kazat Akmatov and Shahsanem Murray, which were published as part of the ECG book series. Chairman of Kyrgyzstan-Astana and the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan, Shavkat Ismailov personally thanked all the talented participants and presented awards together with members of the Eurasian Creative Guild. Saniya Seilkhanova – a representative of the Eurasian Creative Guild (London) – also thanked all of the participants and talked about the competitions and projects of ECG, such as the Open Eurasian Book and Literary Festival, a contest for publicists and the First Eurasian Film Festival held in London. Children then performed, reading poems and dedicating songs to Chingiz Aitmatov.

The programme continued with the inauguration of the Museum of Chingiz Aitmatov at school №79, Rosetta Aitmatova giving a speech to the students and teachers, telling anecdotes and interesting stories from Aitmatov’s life. The event then continued at the State Academic Kazakh Music and Drama Theatre with a performance of The Girl with the Red Scarf, based on the story by Aitmatov, which was extremely well-received by the audience.

The official opening ceremony of an art exhibition saw works by 37 artists from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Ukraine, Armenia, Great Britain and France presented. Artists from the Eurasian Creative Guild took an active part in the exhibition. The traditional red ribbon was cut by Vice-President of the Assembly of Peoples of Kazakhstan – the head of the ANC Secretariat, Z. Tuimebayev and Rosetta Aitmatova. Books by the great Kyrgyz writer Chingiz Aitmatov continue to touch our hearts. His literature has inspired not only Kazakh and Kyrgyz writers, but artists from around the world. Paintings featured in the exhibition were based on his works by Aitmatov, such as The Day Lasts More Than a Hundred Years, The White Ship, Jamila, and The Girl with the Red Scarf.

The event continued with a roundtable which brought together public figures, ANC members, writers, scholars, representatives of embassies, ECG members, ethnocultural and youth associations. During the roundtable the honoured poet and writer, Bayangali Alimzhanov read from the cult epic Manas, and participants discussed the potential for further development of Kazakh-Kyrgyz cultural relations, emphasising the significant role of Aitmatov in Kazakh culture.

During the roundtable, Tuimebayev stated that ‘the idol of the legendary Aitmatov was the Kazakh writer, Mukhtar Auezov, and the contemporary writers Kaltay Mukhamedzhanov, Mukhtar Shakhanov, Olzhas Suleymenov, Zeynoll Kabdolov and Sherkhan Murtaza all had warm relations with Aitmatov. In Kazakhstan, Aitmatov’s works are highly appreciated, and thus he was awarded the title of ‘National Writer of Kazakhstan.’ In the capital of Kazakhstan, there is a street named after Aitmatov, and today’s event dedicated to Aitmatov is the best confirmation of our appreciation of his talents.’ Rosetta Aitmatova thanked the participants and organisers. All of the participants in the art exhibition were awarded honorary certificates.

OCA#32 WWW.OCAMAGAZINE.COM material prepared by Saniya Seilkhanova

MAKING AFGHAN CHILDREN SMILE

Warakai is the daughter of Kharakai, the talking rabbit on the BBC radio who, during the brutal war of the 1990s, stole the hearts of Afghans. If I can say so, I knew her very well. And in case you haven’t heard, Warakai and I will co-present the new BBC Pashto children’s bedtime stories TV programme, Lallo Lallo (Lullaby).

In the early 1990s, when civil war was raging in Afghanistan, I wrote and presented a children’s radio programme which the BBC broadcast from London. Knowing how little content was available for Afghan children, I was trying to give them some moments of sparkle and happiness so they could forget, even if temporarily, the bombs, the hunger, the fear, and perhaps lose themselves in a place where good prevailed over evil, where darkness always gave way to sunshine. This place was the children’s story slot on Wednesdays on BBC Pashto radio, transmitted on medium and short waves in Afghanistan as well as in the “Pashtun belt” in Pakistan’s northwest.

Most of the time, my daughter was my first listener. She would give me the most direct and honest feedback you can wish for as a writer. If she liked the story, I would see it in her eyes. I would be telling her about the ant beating the drum, and she would be give me a wide smile and do a drumming gesture. If my narrative confused or disappointed her, her face would immediately show it, she would frown and ask, “Why?” or “Is that it?” That’s when I would know that there was a need for a rewrite.

Watching my daughter’s response, I also could see how children’s imagination works as they picture characters in their heads. One evening I was telling her the story of a village where love had disappeared and people were angry with each other. No one was giving treats to the fairies in the trees, no one was visiting them, so the fairies decided to pack up and leave the loveless village. My daughter’s immediate reaction was: “Do the fairies have suitcases? What are their dresses made of?” As they tuned in to hear that tale, the audience were informed that the fairies’ dresses were made out of rose petals, their sandals – of green shiny leaves, and that they packed their garments in walnut shells.

To help me tell those tales, I soon summoned Kharakai, my grey rabbit co-presenter. Like me, Kharakai was safe from destruction yet tightly held onto the love for her mountainous native land. Kharakai was fun. She helped me explain some particularly tough and tricky parts of the story, asking questions exactly as a child would do. She often took over the narrative with her own interpretation.

Afghans fell in love with my co-presenter. The amount of letters, gifts, and toys we were receiving for her was unprecedented. And they were not all from children. During a duty trip to Afghanistan, at the end of a serious interview, an important interlocutor of my colleague, Kamal Behzadi, suddenly started to smile and asked who was behind the voice of the rabbit on the BBC radio show (to this day, the answer to this question hasn’t been revealed).

When, in 2017, I started writing and presenting the BBC News Pashto TV children’s bedtime programme, Lallo Lallo, I missed my old radio co-presenter’s questions, her funny interruptions. That’s how Kharakai’s daughter – Warakai, the Little One – joined us for the new series of Lallo Lallo.

Children can now watch our stories rather than just listen to them. But the Afghan child is still surrounded by war. Just like in the 1990s, many are familiar with the sound of attacking guns; they have seen, first hand, explosions in a market place or a school. For many, childhood ends at the age of four when they start to work. No matter how widely Afghanistan is reported around the world, it’s often hard to realise the extent of pain and suffering children there are facing.

I remember how the camerawoman at the BBC studio read aloud the titles of the stories we were about to record: “Landmine, the amputee, losing mother…” – she raised her eyebrows and asked: “Najiba, are you sure you brought the right script for bedtime stories?” Sadly, those were the stories for that day: “The landmine story is about the mice looking for a new playground – but the big field is full of mines,” I explained. “Will the mice see the signs? The second one is about a little fairy that lost her leg and yet is walking on crutches to look after the garden. The last one is about a little fox that lost her mother. She was extremely sad, but seeing her mother in her dream changes her mood, helping her to feel better.” The camerawoman’s eyes teared up. She cleared her throat and said quietly: “I am sorry, Afghan children have seen a lot in their young life… I’m really proud to be part of these stories.”

In the last 18 months, we have produced 78 bedtime stories – touching on health, safety, education and morality. I know Warakai will add a few fun moments of magic and colours, something every child deserves. Let’s see if her TV fan group can match that of her radio celebrity mother.

Najiba Laima Kasraee @najibalaima is the writer and presenter of the BBC News Pashto children’s weekly TV programme, Lallo Lallo, available via the service’s digital platforms as well as Shamshad TV in Afghanistan.

By Najiba Laima Kasraee

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: ALMAZBEK ATAMBAYEV

Just hours before former President of Kyrgyzstan, Almazbek Atambayev, was arrested at his home in Bishkek on charges of corruption, Open Central Asia magazine completed an exclusive interview with the man once heralded as bringing a new dawn to the history of the country. In this frank and open interview, we get an insight into the deterioration of the political arena in Kyrgyzstan over the last decade and the events that led up to Atambayev’s public reversal of support for current President, Sooronbay Jeenbekov. These may very well be the last freely spoken words of a man whose love and ambition for Kyrgyzstan is now in ruins.

OCA: In 2011 you succeeded Rosa Otunbayeva as President of Kyrgyzstan. How did you feel at this dawn of a new era and what key aims of your presidency did you try and eschew?

Almazbek Atambayev: We had no time for euphoria. In October 2011, I was elected as President, just one and half years after the overthrow of the second family-clan regime and only one year after the tragic events in the south of the country.
During my premiership (since December 2010), we removed some of the acute problems in the country. However many people considered Kyrgyzstan to be a failed state. It was a difficult path to real stability, that took three years of my presidency. Only after this could we embark on the path of sustainable development of the country.

In 2014, we saw the first results of our work. It was the first spring without rallies and mass protests. According to the results of international financial institutions in 2013, Kyrgyzstan was removed from the humiliating list of “poor” countries. And, in the fall of 2014, we organised and held the first World Nomad Games in Kyrgyzstan. It was a grandiose sight for my compatriots who were not used to such events.

You can’t imagine how happy people were. Kyrgyz people, whom the media and politicians of neighbouring countries condescendingly called “Busoters” (brawlers), did not take part in rallies, but gradually turned to peaceful creative work. People rejoiced at the success of domestic athletes. We received guests from all over the world. Our youth increased their interest in the history and culture of their own nation. Accordingly, the economy started to grow. And all this was preceded by significant but painstaking work in each of these areas. It is well-known that nothing happens easily in this world.

OCA: What would you say specifically changed for the better during your presidency?

AA: At the national level, we adopted a 5-year development strategy. There were many goals and objectives. But, perhaps, it should be noted separately the five key strategic directions. The first of them devoted to Kyrgyzstan’s achievement of energy security.

All my predecessors talked about creating their own energy ring since even our own power plants in the capital of Kyrgyzstan used the power lines of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. The solution seemed very simple – develop your own power line! But there were always obstacles.

Despite serious obstacles, we managed to move from words to deeds. Over the years of my presidency, we not only built this energy ring, we also supplied two powerful power substations, increased capacity and thereby provided a reserve of the most important energy resource for the growth of the Kyrgyz economy. Contemporaneously, we embarked on the reconstruction our country’s largest hydroelectric station, Toktogul.

We concluded a profitable agreement with Gazprom and with this, we not only ensured an uninterrupted supply of natural gas, but also built good prospects for the development of the gas economy.

The second block of problems was related to transport independence. For 6 years, we built hundreds of kilometres of new roads, overhauled most of the existing roads of the national importance and came closer to improvement of local roads.

Before I left the presidency, we had almost completed the construction of our own transport ring. The new North-South highway will make the transport links between all regions of Kyrgyzstan easier and less vulnerable. It creates the basis for eliminating regional differences and contradictions. Significantly it enhances the tourism potential of Kyrgyzstan. The previously deadlocked Dzhumgalsky, Ak-Talinsky and Toguz-Toruzsky districts have therefore become more involved in economic activity.

For the third key achievement look at trade. I know that the West does not particularly trust the Eurasian Economic Union (the former Customs Union), but for Kyrgyzstan, joining the EAEU was the only chance to integrate into the global and regional economies. Moreover, we managed to create a Russian-Kyrgyz development fund with $500 million from Russia. This is the first large-scale development institution in the history of Kyrgyzstan. We are slowly starting to revive the country’s industrial enterprises, that we lost in the 90s. And most importantly, we change the development model from mediation in trade to the production of goods.

Our next strategic achievement, was the creation of a military security system. Unlike in previous years, Kyrgyzstan today has a combat-ready army. Kyrgyzstan is a peaceful country and our army is small, but today, the Kyrgyz army is sufficiently trained, armed and financially secured.
Finally, we improved the electoral system. International observers for the parliamentary (2015) and presidential (2017) elections described Kyrgyzstan as the undisputed leader in Central Asia in terms of ensuring transparency and democratic election processes.

OCA: Did you have any regrets from your time as President?

AA: First of all, we didn’t really complete work on the transition from our previous government to a classic parliamentary form of government that could work within our national characteristics. We stopped halfway. Secondly, I didn’t approach critically enough the study of the man who became my successor as President, Sooronbay Jeenbekov. It’s a pity…. As a result of this mistake, the country slowed down in its development.

There were other mistakes that I worry about. There are people whom I have offended voluntarily or involuntarily. It was not an easy time. That said, during 2011-2017, the team and I did a lot of work. We built a lot. The incomes of the population have increased. The country’s gross domestic product (GDP) almost doubled, the republican budget almost tripled in national currency and 1.6 times in US dollars.

Pessimism was replaced by optimism among the people. The people supported me. International partners also gave us support: Russia, China, Turkey, the European Union, the UN, and international financial institutions. Over the years, Kyrgyzstan received $ 1.8 billion in loans, but debts of $ 0.55 billion were also written off. We secured $ 3.5 billion of incoming grants and other free aid to Kyrgyzstan. Without the help of friends and partners it would be difficult to achieve what we did.

OCA: You are known for your approach to calling out and trying to deal with parliamentary and electoral fraud. How bad was the problem in Kyrgyzstan and how well do you think this has been addressed as things stand today?

AA: We sought “fundamentally” to solve the problem of free and transparent elections. Both national revolutions in Kyrgyzstan happened due to falsification of elections by the authorities. And we managed to completely reform the electoral system. Voters are now allowed to vote only with a biometric passport and fingerprints are identified with an electronic database that is reliably protected from hackers. By this, we excluded the practice of one person voting for several voters. We introduced automatic ballot boxes, which excluded another type of violation – the massive stuffing of ballots. Many countries of the world still do not have such innovations, even within Europe. Despite the return to authoritarianism seen globally, we are the only country in almost all of Eurasia according to the V-Dem Liberal Democracy Index, which has improved its position in the ranking of liberal democracy from 2012 to 2017.

However, the electoral system must continue to improve. Today main problem is the bribing of votes. There is a danger that in 2020 the parliament, unfortunately, may already be completely in the grip of the oligarchs.

OCA: You mentioned that you made a mistake in selecting your successor, however you actively lobbied for his election campaign. How do you reflect on that?

AA:The right to choose was ultimately up to the voters. The election system in Kyrgyzstan does not allow falsification of voting results. However, it should be recognised that in 2017 I really wanted Jeenbekov to be elected president. The fact is that since 2015, many people suggested I find a way to be re-elected for a second presidential term. But I had to set the example of a voluntary rejection of the idea of automatically extending the term of my rule in the country. Therefore, it was important to promise people that my course would be continued by new leaders of the country.

Sooronbay Jeenbekov, in all his campaign speeches, promised to continue my political course and transition to a parliamentary form of government, where the real leader of the country is not the president, but the prime minister. The two revolutions of 2005 and 2010 showed that the Kyrgyz people cannot tolerate sole power. That is why a Prime Minister reporting to the parliament is a more acceptable option for Kyrgyzstan than an unaccountable president.

Unfortunately, almost immediately after the election, my successor went the other way. With the help of populism and slogans of fighting against corruption, he managed to generate hope among the people. They believed him at first. But after a year and a half has passed, people have seen that reforms have been curtailed. Rule by one family clan has been reborn. Everything that is connected with me and my name is being blackened. And the political persecution of my supporters has made my opposition.

OCA: Do you intend to resist the regime of your successor?

AA: It is not easy for me and my supporters now. But this is my country! My children and I live here, work here. But I no longer intend to hold governmental positions. We are preparing leaders of a new generation. Today, the situation has fundamentally changed, there is belief again. Although the current president is doing everything to prevent my supporters from participating in the parliamentary elections in 2020, we are full of confidence in our victory. People see and judge everything, as you know, not by words, but by deeds.

OCA: Recently, many publications have written about the “Chinese threat” for Central Asia. Do you think China has plans to colonise the countries around it in Central Asia?

AA: Similarly, they write about the “sinister plans” of Russia in our region. But Kyrgyzstan must develop and we will certainly look for ways to cooperate with neighbouring countries. Moreover, with such huge international partners as Russia and China, cooperation with them brings many advantages to our country. The main thing is that the national interests of Kyrgyzstan should always be at the forefront.

As for the risk of colonization by China or the Chinese, today, just look at Canada. In Vancouver, for example, according to media reports, already 40% of the population are ethnic Chinese, and they constitute the backbone of the city’s economic power. Emigration from China, as far as I know, today goes primarily to the most developed countries in the world. In Kyrgyzstan, ethnic Chinese do not stay long, at least that is what the statistics show.

However, every country, including Kyrgyzstan, must monitor the situation in the economy and the demographic sphere, take appropriate measures, and also develop and implement development strategies.

OCA: The main message is that China is bringing countries to their knees through infrastructure projects. How do you respond to accusations made against you about the debt bondage of Kyrgyzstan to China?

AA: I want to remind you that in the 90s, when the World Bank was the country’s lender, we suddenly lost our industry in the country, having paid for the PESAK program and their “shock therapy”. I think that the real “economic killers” must be sought in the West – not in China. For example, without projects supported by China, there was no need to talk about any energy independence in Kyrgyzstan. China has helped us to solve our main strategic task. China’s loans to Kyrgyzstan were not classified. They are open and accessible.

As for the debt bondage into which Kyrgyzstan allegedly fell, – this is a lie. Judge yourself: Kyrgyzstan’s gross domestic product (GDP) grew from 2010 to 2017 by $ 3.4 billion. At the same time, the external debt of Kyrgyzstan increased by $ 1.3 billion. The total debt of our country to China is $ 1.7 billion.

If in 2010 the country’s external debt amounted to 58% of GDP, then in 2017 we were able to reduce this figure to 55% of GDP. The global average ratio of this indicator is even close to 80-90%. Over the years, we have significantly increased GDP and, in addition, have achieved the write-off of a significant part of external debt – $ 0.55 billion.
OCA: What are your feelings about the situation that evolved to ultimately remove your ex-presidential immunity?

AA: Firstly, the parliamentary decision to remove an ex-president’s status of immunity from me does not have legal force – the law establishing or aggravating responsibility has no retroactive effect. Secondly, the parliament removes from me only the status of ex-president, but the procedure for depriving political integrity is not spelled out in it. That is, from the legal side, all of this is not valid and unconstitutional.

Today I was summoned to come as a witness in the case of criminal authority by Batukaev. I have nothing to hide in this case, I have already told everything to the media and now I am preparing written evidence. But, I remember how they treated Sapar Isakov and Kuban Kulmatov, my supporters, who also went to the GKNB allegedly for a simple interrogation, and afterwards they were arrested. The Constitutional Court is now considering our interrogation complaint. It is the court, who will put an end to this and to how much further events will develop.

OCA: Since you stepped down as President, where do you see Kyrgyzstan’s path for the future leading?

AA: An image of the future of Kyrgyzstan is in the national strategy for sustainable development of Kyrgyzstan until 2040, the basis of which we managed to adopt before I left the presidency. As before, I would like to see Kyrgyzstan as an economically developed democratic country with a parliamentary form of government in the future. We have all the opportunities to become an integration platform for the Central Asian region.

OPEN EURASIA 2019 CONTEST ANNOUNCED!

Open Eurasia is an international creative competition, now in its eighth year, which brings together creative people from all over the world. Writers, poets, translators, illustrators, videographers and publicists will be competing for a number of awards with a total prixe fund of $31,000. The winners’ money will towards design and print costs for books to be published or to cover trip expenses to the annual Festival Open Eurasian Book Forum & Literature Festival in 2020.

In 2018, the festival was held in Thailand, and in previous years it took place in Bishkek, London, Almaty and Stockholm.

The aim itself of the competition is to gather creative people and give a platform to display their talent in such categories as “illustration”, “video” and “translation”. This means that contest creates new projects and opportunities as well as recognising and celebrating talent.

Winners will have their books published for free in one of greatest cities of writers and poets – London. Thanks to the 10 established awards, in 2019, the authors can publish their works which will be represented in the framework of the Open Book Forum Eurasian & Literature Festival and at other places across Eurasia!
The winners will be announced at the annual Festival Open Book Forum Eurasian & Literature Festival to be held during 14-17 November 2019 in the capital of the European Union – Brussels. During these 4 days, presentations, exhibitions, gala dinners and much more will be held. The winners’ works will be presented at the literary week in London in October and at the OEBF Festival in November of 2020.

TODAY, EVERYONE CAN TAKE PART IN THE FOLLOWING COMPETITION CATEGORIES:

1. ARTWORK (PROSE/SMALL PROSE/POETRY)
2. ILLUSTRATION
3. LITERARY TRANSLATION
4. VIDEO
5. PUBLICISM

For more information and terms of participation please contact us using the following email address: konkurs2019@ocamagazine.com

FESTIVAL OF EURASIAN FILMS WILL BE HELD IN LONDON

In June 2019, the Eurasian Creative Guild launches the first festival of Eurasian films in London, the ECG Film Festival, which will be held as part of the Romford Film Festival.

ECG Film Festival is a platform to promote Eurasian region cinema, bringing it to the English-speaking world!

The Festival will introduce those in the Eurasian film industry to film professionals from all over the world. Acquainting the world with films personifying Eurasian countries and their peoples. Thus opening the doors for collaboration opportunities, joint development and growth.

The western market of cinema is ready to accept the Eurasian market. Professionals from all regions of Eurasia are in great demand. Hundreds of talented directors, producers, actors, directors, animators and screenwriters are ready to enter the world market and show what they are capable of.

Film festival in London as a platform was not chosen by chance, as many world film studios choose the UK for filming and editing world-class blockbusters.

The Romford Film Festival is a stable, well-established festival attended by a large number of film professionals and residents of London. This association is the best solution for attracting the maximum amount of attention from the press, viewers and film professionals to Eurasian cinema.

The Romford Film Festival is a five-day international event held in the heart of Romford, the administrative center of London, a great location for independent filmmakers to showcase their work to film lovers.

Founded in 2017, the festival has already received brilliant reviews from critics, directors, local residents, spectators and even politicians.

We are grateful to Nathalie Bays, manager of the Romford Film Festival for such an initiative. Film festival to be held June 6-10, 2019.

More great news is the organizing committee includes such film experts as Dr. Nadi Fadina and Icelandic actor and film director Solvi Fanner. .

The festival will feature such works as: feature films, short films, animated films, documentaries, book trailers and best screenplay.

Applications have been filed from France, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia, Germany, United Kingdom, Iran, Finland, Russian Federation, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

AWARDS & PRIZES
GRAND PRIX
BEST EURASIAN SHORT FILM
BEST EURASIAN ANIMATED FILM
BEST EURASIAN DOCUMENTARY FILM
BEST EURASIAN BOOK TRAILER
BEST EURASIAN DIRECTOR
BEST EURASIAN SCREENPLAY
BEST EURASIAN ACTRESS
BEST EURASIAN ACTOR

Deadline: 30 April 2019

For many years, the Eurasian Creative Guild has supported and promoted filmmakers as part of Open Eurasia contest. Where the “videofilm” category has been awarded the Nemat Kelimbetov Prize for best film based on literary works. Now time has come for a standout film festival promoting the Eurasia film industry, exemplify their talents and their works throughout the world!

All enquiries on the above may be directed to
info@eurasianfilmfestival.uk.
Applications for screening out-of-competition on a commercial basis are also accepted.

¹Eurasian Creative Guild (London) — Eurasian Creative Guild (London) is a new forum for creative professionals. A virtual as well as an actual platform, whereon creatives from every sphere can unite. As much, dozens of globally significant creatives have already joined forces is an attempt to offer each other mutual support. Men and women from across the planet who believe establishing an association of writers, musicians, dancers, illustrators, graphic designers, sculptors and poets – along with anyone else who considers themselves truly creative – will benefit everyone involved in this partnership.

²“Open Eurasian Literature Festival & Book Forum – OEBF”– is an annual international literary festival and forum that unites poets, writers, artists, directors, creative people of any profession from the Eurasian region and from all over the world. The festival and forum is built on the principle of openness and interaction of all arts based on literature, providing an opportunity to establish a dialogue within the literary and cultural space and providing an opportunity for authors to express themselves.

ARTS IN DEFENCE OF BRANDS

For more than a quarter of a century, Belarus and the United Kingdom (UK) have successfully cooperated in the trade, economic, cultural, scientific, and humanitarian spheres. The promotion of Belarusian brands abroad is a strategic task for state bodies, enterprises, and non-profit organizations. Besides, the point is not in the products by Belarusian companies only. The “BelBrand” Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property is engaged in defending interests of national producers-owners of intellectual property on modern integration platforms, and in promoting Belarusian brands; it is involved in supporting and advancing youth initiatives, upbringing the responsible attitude towards intellectual property in young people, and rejection of unfair competition, counterfeiting and piracy; and the Association promotes young people’s ideas and projects in the spheres of sciences, technologies, culture and education.


Within its latest project, “Arts in Defence of Brands”, BelBrand is supporting talented young people by helping them in organising exhibitions, artistic plein airs, literary and theatrical festivals, publishing literary works, and in training them in technologies for promoting and commercialising projects and initiatives. The Association is rightly proud of such international projects as the Eurasian International Cultures’ Festival; the International Musical BELBRAND AWARD; “Arts in English” and others. On January 15, 2018, BelBrand officially became a member of the Eurasian Creative Guild. The bilateral fruitful cooperation has allowed us to realise several landmark projects in the spheres of culture, arts, literature and education both in Belarus and the UK. The Eurasian literary collection “Nits” (Thread) was published and presented the authors from the countries of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU); the Association’s activities were presented at Cambridge University; besides, literary saloons, creative meetings, arts exhibitions and plein airs of young painters were held. In September 2018, thanks to the educational project “Arts in English”, five Belarusian artists took part in a plein air event, held in the town of Hemel Hempstead and in London. The works created during the event, made a part of the exhibition of Belarusian arts in London held in October 2018. The Association’s successful projects are always a fruit of cooperation with its partner organisations. An important partner is the “Art Chaos” Art Gallery. The “Art Chaos” Artistic Gallery is a young Belarusian gallery, whose activities are aimed at the development and popularisation of Belarusian arts, as well as at supporting young painters. It was opened for visitors in 2017. Since inceptoin, “Art Chaos” has been a participant in a number of cultural events in the Republic of Belarus, held a number of personal exhibitions of young and famous contemporary Belarusian artists, and conducted charity projects. The gallery possesses its own collection of works of arts, as well as a collection of exhibition works, which are shown as part of a permanent sale exhibition in Minsk. BelBrand and Art Chaos have held and plan to organise, with the assistance of the Embassy of the Republic of Belarus in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Eurasian Creative Guild in London, a number of exhibitions: “Belarusian Arts – Life and Dreams” (October 2018), “Step BY Step” (January 2019), and a Week of Belarusian Arts (April 2019). A presentation of Belarusian arts is an infrequent phenomenon for London – the recognized centre of gallery activities. After knowing the works by Kazimir Malevich, Marc Chagall and Léon Bakst, the experienced London audience is still unaware of the contemporary Belarusian culture. Meanwhile, by relying on the national history, traditions of the Soviet period and by perceiving the new world trends, Belarusian painters and sculptors are depicting, in their own way, their country, their lives and dreams, by making use of the well-recognisable special author’s synthesis of surrealism and realism. A special feature of the recent exhibitions was the presentation of works by famous masters and by a new generation of painters and sculptors. The young authors: Maria Kosheleva, Anastasia Shilyagina, Alesya Issa, Maria Larionova, Pavel Grebennikov, Roman Sakovich, Varvara Vyborova, Olga Grouss, Alexander Yushkevich, are all laureates of the BelBrand Artistic Award, which gives them an opportunity, with the Association’s support, to take part in international plein airs, master classes and promote their works at various exhibitions.

The works of the recognized masters, Egor Batalyonok, Nikolai Buschik, Alexander Demidov, Vasily Kostyuchenko, Ivan Semiletov, Anna Silivonchik, Alexander Shibnev and Natalia Ivanova, were presented by the “Art Chaos” Gallery, a major promoter of Belarusian arts.

Anna Bizhik, and arts historian and the curator of exhibitions said, “It’s important for a creator to exhibit his/her works and acquaint people with them. Exhibitions in London, one of the world’s cultural centres, can rightly be treated for many talented Belarusian artists as the dream that has come true.”

In April, London welcomed, under the general theme “Belarusian Arts in London”, an exhibition of Belarusian artists’ paintings “Step BY Step”; a photo exposition “75”, dedicated to the 75th anniversary of Belarus’ liberation from Nazi invaders; a show and a presentation of the collection of the Belarusian costume designer Anastasia Falkovich; and an exhibition of Alla Gubarevich’s works “Artistic Thread”.

The photo exposition “75” presented photos by the Belarusian photographer Anastasia Andreichikova and project “Belarus Remembers” by the Belarusian Republic’s Youth Union.
These are not the only events planned by the BelBrand and its partners for holding in the UK in 2019. The deep conviction that culture is the most universal means for revealing new promising ways of interaction among peoples of different countries motivates the organisers to further actions.

Text by Nina Kalita photos by BELBRAND

KEEPING UP WITH THE TIMES!

The name, Rauza Yeraliyeva, has finally become a true discovery for the fine arts circles of Kazakhstan! It is surprising, perhaps, that the formation of her creative biography began only after an eighty-year threshold. All this time after receiving art education in her distant youth, she did not sit back, wholly devoting herself to her beloved work – painting.

By her own admission, Yeraliyeva painted for herself, believing this to be an inner task for her close associates and family. Meanwhile, the stacks of her works were accumulating, developing into ever greater artistic quality. Thanks to the efforts of the artist’s daughter, after consulting with experts, it was decided to organise the first solo exhibition of Rauza Yeraliyeva at the country’s leading art venue, the A. Kasteyev State Museum of Arts in Almaty. The exhibition, without exaggeration, created a real sensation: On the opening day, people did not leave for a very long time, returning again and again to the review of the works, and spending a long time discussing the most liked ones.


The exhibition occupied a fairly large area, which is rare even for already well-known artists. There were many offers to buy the works, which has also not been typical of late in such exhibitions as the art market has remained stagnant for some time. So, what is the secret of such excitement being generated around the paintings of this hitherto little-known artist? Perhaps the first and most important of them should be attributed to the ability to choose and utilize the space freely. Yeraliyeva has never been bothered by the throes of art known to many artists. She painted easily, completely without straining to search for topics, technology and style. Everything came from the inside and freely. The reason for painting could be anything that was “at hand”: a beloved family, a landscape outside the window, a luxurious service or everyday dishes of fruit and vegetables appealing in their appetizing forms. Sometimes her fantasy carried her away to eastern legends, Kazakh traditions or secular stories.
One of the paradoxes of her work is democracy in a completely non-political sense. As a rule, for the works of each artist there is a certain category of connoisseurs. The works of Yeraliyeva are admired by people outside of social status, level of education, professionals or amateurs and most importantly beyond any age limit. Young fans are attracted by their freshness and modernity and the creativity of the artist’s vision. The older generation, by subtle lyricism and romance of perception. Professionals by a variety and originality of artistic techniques and innovation of style. Yeraliyeva may have spent most of her life in the rigid ideological framework of the Soviet era. But it did not affect her.

Unlike most of her fellow tradesmen, she never painted for the social order, obeying only the needs of her soul. In her work there are no politicized motives, which is often what many of her contemporaries used. Yeraliyeva’s oeuvre is truly cosmopolitan. She manages to avoid another extreme, which has become especially active lately: manifestations of nationalism in a radical form, when the values of one culture are exalted over others. She is completely abstracted from concepts of this kind. In her works there is a genuinely harmonious combination of modern art trends with the certainty of the origins of the Kazakh and Eastern heritage. At the same time, her work cannot be entered into the historical or ethnographic framework, which could become an obstacle for the author’s full self-expression. Yeraliyeva’s paintings are a wonderful symbiosis of the achievements of Western and Eastern civilizations. Her favorite portraits are the images of her three daughters and they do not bore the audience with their repetition, as in each new work the artist’s fresh, innovative interpretations are quite obvious. They are distinguished by the stylization of the image, more decorative than visual approach; facial features are barely marked and fairly conditional, and at the same time a portrait resemblance is always achieved.

Made on a tree in an unusual vertical stretched vertical format – there is a rather decorative approach than using the usual easel painting. Numerous images of fairy trees are executed in the same style: a whimsical unique outline of a field and garden flowers; a magnificent still life of the author’s favorite, apples and peppers. The artist sculpts the form in a very peculiar way, which creates a luxurious mosaic effect, using stained glass, a precious inlay in her paintings. They unwittingly reveal a female hand, able to admire and reveal the natural beauty of everyday objects. “Amber Crystal”, “Bohemian Glass”, “Teapots” are aesthetically expressive on their own, and the iridescent polyphony of colour and the temperamental play of colorful strokes give a certain fleur of fabulousness and aristocratic nature to the objects painted.
A different impression is left by Yeraliyeva’s works depicting folk festivals, where through the list of dishes, serving, intriguing ethnic identity is seen. Almaty is the city of apples and it is quite logical that it is not possible to pass by this topic without comment. The simplicity of the plot does not make the paintings by the artist in any way ordinary. A riot of colors in the transfer of ripe fruit, striking in size (this is a uniqueness of local varieties), the sun’s glare on their liquid sides literally brings a salivating appetite to the audience. The artist is inventive in choosing a format – this is a kind of diptych of two components in an already elongated horizontal configuration.

Although she did not purposefully do so, almost all her paintings fit perfectly into the modern interior. Her artistic genre of “Nude” takes a special place in her work. The very approach to this topic of an oriental woman is evidence of the artist’s courage and even charisma. At the same time, she is not shy to be even somewhat sentimental, accompanying her paintings with lyrical opuses. It is surprising how many unexpected angles the artist finds in the interpretation of nude female nature. They are all completely different. In some there is a certain lack of clarity through the fragmentation of the solution, a barely outlined silhouette of the body, and the fragmentary strokes of the painting. This is the eternal secret of women. In others, we admire the storming energy that breaks through the picturesque layers of colors, and subtle sexuality, without which it is so difficult to take place in this world. Tenderness and touching, subtlety of perception, inherent only to a woman is manifested through a restrained, almost monochrome color gamut. Overall, the artist boldly appeals with a bright, almost defiant, pictorial flavor that she tames in order not to leave the rails of the laws of artistic harmony.

Living a long creative life, Yeraliyeva was not satisfied with what she had already been achieved. Her art is therefore attractive because at every stage of her journey she changes. An amazing paradox: she is always recognisable and at the same time something new is constantly being discovered that is radically different from the previous works. Her perception of the world is alien to all sorts of stagnation and conservatism. She is an addicting person and because of this, her recent experiments in the field of abstractionism and symbolism are quite in the spirit of modernity, with which she always keeps pace. And most importantly: her art is always relevant, because it is always and in all positive!

by Mariya Zhumagulova, Fine Art Expert

BRITS NAMED INTERNATIONAL RESIDENCY ARTISTS IN AZERBAIJAN

Two British contemporary artists, Nicholas Joubinaux and Tim Ridley have been chosen to travel to Azerbaijan from the UK in April 2019 to create new artworks. Taking inspiration from the similarities and differences between the UK and Azerbaijan’s cultural heritage, the artists creative investigations have already started to take shape.

Ridley’s ‘Parrots in the trees’ is symbolic of the types of animals found in Azerbaijani and Persian traditional painted ‘miniatures’ whilst as the same time reflective of his own societal interests as a vegan artist. Ridley’s art practice predominantly explores our human interaction with animals, and the ways we often personify nature as humans. Tim is very much looking forward to exploring Azerbaijan’s rich and diverse fauna and flora and it’s local residents within.
Nick Joubinaux will be exploring a very different Azerbaijan. One of rich prosperity and modernity. He will be expanding on his project Camera / Regarder, a series of images that Joubinaux, a photographer, has been creating since 2016. Working predominantly in central London, Nick creates works that capture the fleeting moments of a city through ‘camera obscure’, a processing technique that was used at the turn of the 20th Century. The quality and context of using this technique in a futuristic city such as Baku is that you can capture the juxtaposition of the traditional and modern. Nick is excited to think that this technique may have been used as standard photography process during the Oil Boom in Baku and as western Europe had its own connections with Baku during this time can feel a real connection between London and Baku society here.

Joubinaux and Ridley will be spending their residency week, and will be supported by, five other members of The NO Collective, a youth arts organisation from London. This cultural residency programme was initiated as a unique evaluation project for a web-information portal. InAzerbaijan.co.uk is a website dedicated to educating young people about Azerbaijan and its history and culture. It is supported by CSSN Azerbaijan, which funds innovative projects by international NGOS.

Natalie, the co-founder of THE NO COLLECTIVE and project manager says:
“As we came to the end of our project we were due to create an evaluation. It was overwhelmingly evident to us that throughout our working in Azerbaijan the thing that has been most poignant in research is the depth of culture and richness of society here. We had written enough quantitative facts on the website so for our website, we wanted to provide something unique to display that gave information about the intangible experiences that we have encountered in Azerbaijan. We felt that giving the opportunity to artists to make unique artworks that explore this experience would create such intangible information and in turn portrait the union and spirit between our two cultures’.

When the artworks are complete, they will be showcased on the InAzerbaijan website for years to come, and for young people to use as educational case studies. InAzerbaijan is the only website in the UK dedicated to sharing information to residents in the UK and has been written by young people for young people through first hand research in visits to the country.

The artist residency will begin in early April and will include a live exhibition of works that will be displayed in the historic area of Baku’s Icherisheher on Thursday 11th April. Named ‘Light Remnant to reflect both artists works – the show will welcome guests and members of the public in Baku to join the event. The exhibition will then travel to London and then Penzance in Cornwall to a variety of new UK audiences.

During the exhibition, Tim Ridley hopes to show a number of miniature works created from found materials and oil paint -depicting animals in a traditional style. He has been working with an array of materials, including oils paint, pencil and gold leaf. Joubinaux plans to turn a hotel room in Icherisheher into a living camera; inviting audiences into a space where they can physically watch how a photograph is made inside of a giant camera facing out into the cityscape of Baku. He will then display the photographs created in Baku to the London and Cornwall audience.

For more information about the artists and their works, please visit www.inazerbaijan.co.uk/light-remnant

Further information:

THE ARTISTS

Nick Joubinaux is an award winning photographer working in London for over 20 years. He plans to create a Camera Obscura installation in Baku – utilising old processing technology in a fabulously modern city. Displaying hand printed works of both London and Baku he hopes that audiences will be able to see the depth of materiality in the personally processed works and a timeless essence of the fleeting moments that he captures.

Based in Penzance in rural Cornwall, Tim Ridley is a mixed media artist who creates works on found materials, about a human response to animals and our links to nature. Fascinated by Azerbaijani and Persian miniatures, Ridley plans to make works exploring nature in similar styles to the historic pieces. He hopes to display drawings and paintings in miniature form during the exhibitions

IN AZERBAIJAN

A web project a collaboration between The NO Collective and CSSN Azerbaijan (Council on State Support to NGOs under the auspices of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan). This information portal website project aims to improve contemporary communication between Azerbaijan and the UK and through doing so has used young people from both countries in the heart of its creation.

THE NO COLLECTIVE

A youth arts organisation which is the creation of Londoners Joe Easeman and Natalie Bays, who’s main priorities are to educate and expand horizons of young people through creative means and cultural connectivity. The Collective is made up of young professional members specialising in producing artwork, and teaching through creative means. Based in London, they work on a local, national, and international scale.

www.nocollective.co.uk

The CSSN Azerbaijan
The Council on State Support to NGO’s under the Auspices of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

The CSSN assists in the development of the independent Azerbaijani statehood and continued fostering of democracy. As Azerbaijan extends its path of democracy, transformation of society is a socio-political necessity. The public sector has been enriched and developed, and international experiences have been carefully studied. The CSSN was approved by a Decree signed by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mr. Ilham Aliyev on 27 July 2007 and after key discussions were held in response to this, the Republic of Azerbaijan was established upon the Decree of the President (dated 13 December 2007) and the Regulations of the Council were approved.

www.cssn.gov.az/en/

text by Natalie Bays

WORLD MUSICAL HERITAGE IN THE HEART OF EURASIA

‘Don’t divide music into the serious and frivolous.
Music can only be good or bad.
You can compose a magnificent simple song and trashy opera.’

— Naum Shafer

There is a city located in the centre of Eurasia, on the territory of Kazakhstan. The city is named Pavlodar. It was founded in 1721 in the epoch of the Russian Empire as an outpost for the protection of salt-mining industries. The city became the centre of the region with highly developed industry and cultural life in the Soviet period. These days the world’s largest collection of gramophone records (not to be confused with vinyl ones) is situated in this city. The collection consists of more than 14,000 discs. Some of them exist as the only saved copy in the whole world. This collection was put together by a professor, musicologist, literary critic, writer, composer Naum Grigorievich Shafer.

This story began even before the birth of Naum Grigorievich, in 1930, when a gramophone and 30 records were presented to his parents as a gift for their wedding. That time the family have been living in Bessarabia occupied by Romania (today Chisinau, Moldova). Already since his earliest years, little Naum showed much more interest for the gramophone and the records than for the toys. In 1940, Soviet troops entered Bessarabia. In 1941, 8 days before the war against fascist Germany, the Shafers were deported to Kazakhstan together with many people of various nationalities. Representatives of the new government allowed each family to take no more than 100 kilograms of luggage.

The gramophone and the discs were included in the load of the Shafers. The NKVD employees (NKVD means Committee of internal affairs – the name of KGB in the early years of the Soviet Union) who came to evict the family tried to forbid them to take this property away with them. Apparently, they very much liked ‘miracle of technology’ (rare for that time). Little Naum who was in love with music, realised already in his childhood he could eventually find the same gramophone, but perhaps he would never find the same records. And he used the most powerful children’s weapon — crying and tearful requests to allow him to save his favourite things. Seeing this, one of the police officers urged his colleagues to follow the instructions and to allow the Shafers to take 100 kilograms of any luggage. Naum Grigorievich is still grateful to this man today. So, in June 1941, the Shafers family arrived in Kazakhstan with their gramophone and 30 records. They were settled in a village near Akmola (now Astana). Those 30 records became the basis of the collection of Naum Shafer. As it turned out, Shafers and other deportees were very lucky with this deportation, because when Bessarabia passed to the Germans, many local residents, mostly Jewish, were killed. Including the relatives of the Shafers who stayed in the place where they lived before the war.

Naum Shafer graduated from school in his new motherland and enrolled in the Faculty of Phylology of the Kazakh State University in Almaty. He continued to collect gramophone records. He also discovered the talent of the composer inside himself. He performed his work ‘Evening Waltz’ at an amateur art contest during his student years. The awards jury was attended by the famous Soviet Russian composer, Yevgeniy Brusilovskiy, who worked in Kazakhstan at that time and was very fond of Kazakh music. Brusilovskiy became the founder of Kazakh professional music, the Kazakh national opera, and he was the composer of its best examples. He appreciated the abilities of Naum Shafer and began to teach him music individually for free. Brusilovskiy even advised Shafer to quit philology and to enter the music conservatory. Mr. Shafer (at that time — comrade) didn’t want to enter the music conservatory, but he continued to create as a composer, taking the pseudonym Nami Gitin.

When Brusilovsky found out that Naum Shafer collected gramophone records, he was delighted, saying ‘You have no idea what you are doing!’. Brusilovskiy repeatedly appealed to the USSR Ministry of Culture with the request to create music libraries all over the state in addition to many book libraries already created. The answer always followed — ‘Well, we print musical notes’. Yevgeniy Brusilovskiy tried to explain to the officials only the sounds of the recording could convey the style of performance. These arguments had no effect. Therefore, having learned about the enthusiasm of his student, Brusilovskiy instructed him to continue to update his collection of the records, assuring him that this this was a very important thing for the entire human civilisation.

So, Naum Shafer continued. He collected more than 14,000 gramophone records during 50 years. He bought them in stores, corresponded with collectors from many foreign countries and exchanged discs with them. Naum Shafer’s wife Natalia Mikhailovna Kapustina always provided tremendous support to her spouse. Naum Grigorievich calls her a heroic woman. The couple had agreed between them to spend Naum Grigoryevich’s salary for records and books while spending Natalya Mikhailovna’s salary for everything else. Nowadays the collection contains records issued on all the continents of the Earth (except Antarctica, of course) during the period from the end of the 19th century to the middle of the 20th century. The music of almost all nations of the world is recorded on them — from folk music to classical symphonies.

The collection includes the archive of 1930’s Kazakh music recorded on gramophone discs, which is the largest in Kazakhstan. There are more than 10,000 vinyl records, more than 1,500 tape reels and compact cassettes in the collection. The owner of all this cultural treasure personally made more than half a million cards — each one for each song. It was made so as to be able to find a record easily. In 2002, with the help of local authorities, the Shafer house museum was opened in Pavlodar. The house-museum also has a library that consists of more than 17,000 books and more than 64,000 newspapers and magazines (since the 1930’s). Over 100 issues of Russian writers and poets, printed in the 19th century, are the most valuable among books. Naum Grigoryevich and Natalia Mikhailovna live literally behind the wall.

Naum Shafer has always been an admirer of Isaac Dunaevsky’s work (the famous Soviet composer). In 1988 he officially published a unique compilation named ‘Isaac Dunaevsky visiting Mikhail Bulgakov’. The compilation was issued on vinyl at the Soviet label ‘Melody’. It includes works that Dunaevskiy has been performing at his friend Mikhail Bulgakov’s home (another famous Russian Soviet writer, author of “The Master and Margarita’), and which were not published during the composer’s life. Naum Shafer has been collecting these records for 15 years. Dunaevsky’s son, Yevgeniy, was so shaken up by this act that he gave to Naum Grigorievich a few dozen gramophone records from his father’s personal collection. There are the rarest copies among them which were secretly brought to Isaac Dunaevskiy from abroad by his friends among diplomats (many kinds of foreign music were forbidden in the Soviet Union that time).
In 1995, Naum Shafer published a compilation named ‘Little bricks’ on vinyl too. This is an anthology of urban Russian songs over 100 years (between the 1850s – 1950s). The songs were performed by talented Pavlodar musicians working in Russia and the USA. It was the last vinyl record published under the label ‘Melody’.

In 2008, Paul Brummel, the British Ambassador to Kazakhstan, visited the Shafer House Museum. Mr. Brummel was pleasantly surprised by the presence of English records in the collection of Naum Grigorievich, which he had never seen in his life even in the United Kingdom. He listened with pleasure the songs on the gramophone that his grandmother sang him in his childhood. At the initiative of Paul Brummell, the British Council in Kazakhstan published a booklet about the Shafer House Museum in English.

In 2010 the museum was visited by the Greek ambassador Evangelos Denaksas. The wife of Mr. Denaksas is a musicologist. Mr. Denaksas was so impressed by the fact that any Greek song he called immediately materialized as a record on a gramophone disk. After that, the museum staff began to joke: they have everything – like in Greece (a popular Soviet joke at the times of commodity deficits).

In 2016, another citizen of the British Crown, a former DJ, and now an engineer, Nicholas Brigham, who has been working in Kazakhstan, was granted a visit to the Shafer House Museum. Nicholas, like his compatriot Mr. Brummell, also enjoyed listening to English gramophone records of the songs that were well-known to him from childhood. He presented a 1963 vinyl record of The Beatles to Naum Grigorievich. Naum Grigorievich presented his vinyl compilation ‘Little Bricks’ and a compilation of the songs by jazz singer Bing Crosby to Nicholas.

The Shafer House museum is very popular among guests from abroad. Naum Grigoryevich is always glad to receive every guest who is in love with music. He is ready to personally conduct a tour of his museum and play the records that his visitors have interest in. This is despite the fact that he is already 88 years old and has almost lost his eyesight. The gramophone stylus is designed to play only three records. After this the stylus must be changed. When the gramophone styluses in the Shafer’s house-museum were almost all used, Kazakhstan’s famous journalist and writer, Yury Pominov, with his son Dmitry, made a gift to Naum Grigorievich. According to their order, 700 styluses were made at a plant in Azerbaijan using preserved old patterns.

The museum also has a concert hall. Weekly, on Fridays, literary and musical evenings, presentations of museum projects, meetings with poets, composers, musicians, and artists take place in this concert hall. There is also a unique object that makes an appearance — a rare gramophone, which is more than 120 years old. The museum’s attendees listen to gramophone records on it. This is great opportunity to hear the echoes of the history.

Collectors from around the world have repeatedly appealed to Naum Shafer asking him to sell his collection, offering a lot of money for it. Each of them is ready to allocate a large building to moving the museum of records, and to make it the pearl of the cultural life of their city. But Naum Grigoryevich loves Pavlodar, and still wants to save his entire collection in this city for the next generations.

Sadly relations with the authorities are not always so good, however. Recently, Naum Shafer had to appeal to the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, Bakhytzhan Sagintayev, with a request to save the museum from another so-called “optimization” (a word popular among Kazakhstani officials to explain the liquidation of an enterprise). Bakhytzhan Sagintayev, when he was governor of Pavlodar region, always appreciated the work of Naum Grigorievich, and now he has helped the museum to preserve its status. But, as mentioned above, professor Shafer almost completely lost his eyesight which he believes are due to the nervous experiences related to the protection of the house-museum from the attacks of local officials.

These days the heads of Pavlodar region have set themselves the task of developing tourism in the region and attracting foreign tourists in particular. Hopefully the officials will understand the significance of Naum Shafers’s unique collection and will do everything possible to help the museum, because this is the only collection of its kind in the world. Indeed, perhaps it can help make Pavlodar the centre of attraction for true connoisseurs of music from around the world.

Text by Vladislav Yermachenko
Photos: Vladislav Yermachenko, Nicholas Brigham and from the archive of the Shafer’s house-museum

CULTURAL CROSSROADS: TWO WOMEN’S JOURNEY ALONG THE PAMIR HIGHWAY.

In July & August 2018, two British women Catherine & Hannah, undertook the 2500km drive, unaided, along the Pamir Highway, famously the 2nd highest road on Earth, reaching altitudes of 4500m and coursing through the heart of Central Asia. Their mission: to reach, live with and film the women living along it. During their time on the road, they managed to interview more than 45 women from Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan – hearing stories that have reached few Westerner’s ears. Their documentary, which will be released in Summer 2019, celebrates crossing cultural boundaries, encourages us to challenge stereotypes and emphasises that common bonds can be formed between people from diverse backgrounds if only we step up and create new dialogues.
Their trailer can be viewed here: https://vimeo.com/302153525

CROSSING CULTURES

Our endeavour to document and share the experiences of women living in Central Asia – an entirely unfamiliar continent – was, at its core, a cultural exchange. We wanted to draw attention to the myriad of cultures that have received minimal attention in Western media to date, specifically focusing in on the female communities. In England, where Hannah and I were born and raised, knowledge of the social culture in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan is largely based on generalisations that merge all countries ending in ‘stan’ under the same brush, forgetting or perhaps unwilling to accept that each may have a unique identity; not to mention the fear of terrorism and violence that mean relatively few Westerners are willing to cross these borders – assumptions we are determined to challenge in our documentary.

The three countries we drove through have been formed, and often divided, by complex histories producing richly diverse communities across the region. From the epic network of the Silk Road in the 1st century AD, through which ideas and goods were exchanged, to the divisive results of seven years Communist rule which proclaimed the nations of Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan in the 1920s, this part of Central Asia concentrates a staggering variety of religious, cultural and political groups. The Pamir Highway runs through the heart of these often remote societies, transcending geographical, political and ethnic boundaries. The women we met along our route were representative of the region’s remarkable diversity. It was crucial to our documentary that we talked to individuals and organisations from all walks of life to capture the variety of cultures & micro-cultures at play: from urban and rural; the highly educated to those living in poverty; women from devoutly Islamic communities and those who are staunchly Atheist; from different tribes and with local languages; young and old; feminist and traditional; political and apolitical. High levels of female poverty, mass migration of men to Russia, and widespread domestic violence mean that women’s rights are still somewhat behind in these countries, particularly in rural Tajikistan. There are high rates of teenage pregnancy and maternity-related causes are the biggest killer of girls aged 15 to 19. Women face legal barriers to buying property, and are still poorly represented in parliament and government institutions.

But the history of women’s rights in the region is far from linear – when Bolshevik governments were set up in the 1920s Central Asian women were declared equal to their male counterparts, quotas were built into the social infrastructure, and gendered dress codes were significantly relaxed. Following the withdrawal of Soviet control in 1991, however, traditions and gender stereotypes have re-risen, many in conjunction with the re-growth of Islam – this dynamic was interesting to explore. Contrary to what we expected, in some of the cities, women reported increasingly oppressive Islamic mentalities and restricted freedom; while in some rural areas women often expressed enthusiasm at the new opportunities afforded to them. As a result of both Soviet & Islamic influences, there is huge variation in attitudes to women within and across the three countries and we were curious to see how more feminist organisations interacted with the traditional female values in parts of the countries. Few at home, and indeed in US or European audiences, will be aware of the subtle and stark differences in women’s experiences within and across these cultures. Without global awareness of these issues, the organisations campaigning for change in Central Asia lack the visibility and financial support they need to carry on their work.

Although we were always happy to share our experiences of British culture with ever-curious locals (and this often served as a conversation starting point), throughout the trip we intentionally abstained from imposing our own values or identities on any of those we encountered, our aim was simply to provide a platform for the wide cross-section of women whose voices are rarely represented on “western” screens. This is a region is all too frequently homogenised or misrepresented by audiences and media outlets, blurring the region under ‘The Stans’. By offering an intimate insight into the experiences of the women we meet, we aim to foster a more nuanced and personal understanding of the region and its plethora of peoples & cultures.

CHALLENGING STEREOTYPES

We feel our documentary is more relevant now than ever before. At a time when the media industry seems rife with misogyny (the growing evidence of gender pay-gaps and the horrifying prevalence of sexual misconduct within film and television is evidence enough of this), there’s a critical need for female-led filmmaking. It is still a frustrating rarity to have women both behind the wheel and behind the camera: only one woman has ever won a Best Director Oscar, and it was only last year when we had the first female nominee for a cinematography Oscar. Similarly, travel documentaries and car TV shows are almost unanimously presented by men, with the latter generally appealing to a male audience despite the fact that 50% of Britain’s drivers are women. These are all trends we set out to challenge. Stories from the press frequently remind us that in Britain, America and much of the Western world, xenophobia is on the rise. In the wake of Brexit, for instance, racialised hate crime spiked by 5% in Britain, and has remained at that higher level since. In stark contrast, Pamiri women, living in an extremely harsh environment, were overwhelmingly open, hospitable and generous to us, despite having little to offer.

In addition, we’ve come across few film or TV depictions of life in Central Asia, and those that do exist tend to take an orientalist attitude to the region, focusing on its Silk Road history. We wanted to take a more contemporary and nuanced approach, looking at the here-and-now of women’s lives across these countries. It is a particularly opportune time to be spotlighting women’s rights in Central Asia, which are at something of a transition point: In 2017 Kyrgyzstan’s youngest female MP, Aida Kasymalieva, headed a campaign to address domestic violence leading to the formation of new laws later that year; in 2016 the #НемолчиKZ (“Don’t Be Silent”) campaign was launched in Kazakhstan to highlight the issue of sexual violence in the country; in Tajikistan the 2014 UN Women’s project ‘Empowering Abandoned Women from Migrants’ Families’ has significantly improved women’s access to job and business skills. Yet today, communities surviving in the Pamiri ‘Bam-i-Dunya’ (‘roof of the world’) are some of the most isolated on our planet with 75% living below the poverty line, and women being disproportionately affected. It’s clear that we aren’t the only women challenging gender stereotypes: with 1.5 million Tajik citizens working abroad, many women are left as single mothers with little financial support, forced to occupy traditionally masculine roles in the community. Yet those who do have husbands in the country might not always be better off – domestic violence is prevalent in the region, with 20% of married women victim to abuse. Of course these women do need support and global attention, but they are by no means weak – they’re unflinching in the face of often immense oppression and unimaginably harsh living conditions. Our own efforts to defy gender stereotypes by undertaking this drive paled into insignificance in the face of the strength and resilience these women displayed – and we hope this comes across in the full film.

CREATING NEW DIALOGUES

Although the central narrative of our documentary is linear – following our route along the M41 from start to finish – it is populated with numerous, changing dialogues as we take detours (figuratively & literally) to converse with women and pursue their stories. It’s fair to say that our experiences along this spectacular road were sculpted almost entirely by our interactions with local women and what we learnt from them. The nature of our dialogues with local women changed thematically as we travelled along the road – themes which we hope to draw a passage through in our film and will outline in the following section. Tashkent, for instance, was one of our first stops – a sparklingly clean city of high-rise buildings and cosmopolitan society. It was here that we met the phenomenally impressive Aziza, a highly successful business woman who articulately discussed the pressures of young marriage that resulted in her having to bring up a baby whilst at university abroad, aged just 22. She also gave us an insight into the recent political history of the country, which was essentially a dictatorship until the death of prime minister Islam Karimov in 2016. Aziza herself was affected by the overbearing state when the government issued her with a crippling fine for hosting an unregistered women’s support group which prompted her to leave the country for some years. Aziza’s account provides a helpful overview of the country’s politics, and she represents one end of the spectrum of female empowerment we came across on our trip. The next stop (the historical city Samarkand) reveals the other end of that spectrum: the city’s ancient yet mesmerizingly beautiful mosaic-tiled mosques are reflective of the religious and social conservatism that still exists in the city. Here we stayed for several days with Sitora, a charismatic but traditional teenager who was the primary carer for her 7 year-old brother suffering from cerebral palsy. Her dreams of being a medic were put under significant strain as she missed classes to look after him, as she struggles under the enormous weight of her familial responsibility. Other girls emphasised their desires to be ‘modern’ and independent, yet told us about the pressure to marry young and the stigma associated with females learning to drive. From Samarkand the road and landscape became increasingly dry as we travelled south to the dusty town of Termez, where the Pamir Highway (M41) officially begins.

The themes of dialogue continue to change as the journey draws on with the middle section of our route, in the Pamir Mountain range, became emotionally and physically. A stretch in the early stages of the Pamir route – the Tavildara Pass – is notorious for its steep, rocky road that climbs crumbling cliff edges flanked by perilous drops. It took us a good 10 hours driving in one day to complete this section, including a wrong turn and a severely punctured tyre. Yet it was amongst these days that we met some of the most resilient women living at the foot of some of Central Asia’s highest peaks, and who have carved lives for themselves in this unforgiving environment. The Wakhan Valley, running alongside the Afghan border, offers yet more challenges – it’s incredibly remote, hard to find food, clean water and shelter, and the sandy tracks proved tricky terrain for the car wheels which continually skidded. From the Wakhan, the road climbed higher still, reaching its 4600m peak along the Ak-Baital pass, leaving our car choked of oxygen and struggling to make it up even small hills. At the road’s highest points, we’d drive a whole day without seeing a single person and the landscape felt almost extra-terrestrial, with open plains of red-sand stretched before a background of looming snowy peaks.

The road and landscape are key context to our dialogue with women in this region. This is an area where food is scarce and supplies expensive – the Pamir Highway is the only road. Jobs are few and far between, huge populations of men have migrated elsewhere in search of work and women are left with the near-impossible task of sustaining families and communities with the absence of males between teenage years and old age. As a result, women often operate machinery in the farms themselves. The interviews we carried out in the Pamir mountains were by no means the most emotional (perhaps a testament to the stoic nature of Pamiri women), but they were some of the most inspiring. Women seemed to be igniting their own micro-revolutions within the confines of their small rural communities. In Gharm, for instance, we met with Dilbar, who took us to a collection of bee houses which she had allocated to local women who use them as a source of income. Many of these women had husbands who had left for Russia but never returned, and the hives were their lifeline, enabling them to support the families their husbands had abandoned.

Women in Central Asia get little media attention at home and internationally, but it is the women living in the isolated villages of the Pamir mountain range that are by far the most poorly represented. Since they are physically so difficult to reach, their experiences have never before been documented and shared to the extent that we plan to do so. The access we had to women and their stories was frankly unprecedented, and we see this part of the narrative as the crux of the film. Encouragingly, the women were willing & supportive when we told them how their footage would be used. Further along the road, in Eastern Tajikistan, Murghab was home to one of our favourite interviews – the ever-charming Ahmedsharipova, a 76 year-old gynaecologist, her career had spanned from Soviet-occupied Tajikistan, through to the civil war and the chaos that ensued. With electricity only available for 5 hours a day in Murghab, she’d delivered countless numbers of babies with the most basic of facilities and nothing but a kerosene lamp to provide light.

The dialogues step-changed in the final leg of our journey, following a loose trajectory of growing female emancipation, culminating in our most “radical” interviews in our final destination – Bishkek. This reflects the trend we noticed from Osh as pockets of women started telling stories about social and sexual liberation. Osh provided a kind of turning point in this sense: in the space of just a few hours we went from chatting with women at an Islamic school for girls about their duties to their husbands, to a discussion of female sexual pleasure with a feminist group based just down the road. Bishkek was the first place the vocabulary of homosexuality was even recognised, and the stories in relation to LGBTQ+ rights were by no means wholly positive. We spoke with a lesbian woman (whose face we didn’t film in order to protect her identity), who had been the victim of sexual abuse as a child and had suffered domestic abuse in her former marriage. She told us we were among just three other people to whom she had disclosed her sexuality. Although she is now engaged to a Kyrgyz woman in the US, there is little legal chance she’ll have the right to migrate there, let alone gain the custody rights for her son to accompany her. To support women like her is Labrys, still the only recognised LGBTQ+ group in Central Asia. Aizhan and the rest of her team at the office do critical work in spearheading the movement for queer rights, despite the threats that work poses in their own lives – Aizhan was kicked out of her university when they found out she was a member of Labrys. Our conversations in Bishkek ranged from tattoos, to female travel, to women in government. It’s on this celebratory dialogue that we plan to conclude our documentary.

The creation of new dialogues with the women we met opened our eyes to new cultures and ways of thinking. More importantly, it enabled common bonds to form between individuals from remarkably different backgrounds: our interviewees ceased to be strangers, but became friends, many of whom we keep in contact with today and are eager to watch the documentary once it’s finished. Growing trust and building a rapport were paramount to ensuring they felt comfortable to open up to us and relaxed in front of the camera. Through chance encounters with local women, picking up local hitchhikers, fitness sessions with locals, cooking, drinking together and homestays, we explored how our experiences diverge but, crucially, we celebrated the shared values among female communities from vastly different cultures. In our documentary we want to combat attitudes of insularity growing within European countries. We want to stress how common bonds can overcome differences in both culture and language, rather than highlighting disparities, ultimately demonstrating that cultural exchange is as powerful as it is enjoyable.

We are currently raising funds for our post-production (primarily editing) costs. If you’re interested in financially sponsoring or sharing our project, please get in touch at catandhan@yahoo.com. We hope to raise the necessary amount to begin the final edit in June 2019.

Text & Photos by Catherine Haigh

SIBERIAN SPLENDOUR: A BRIEF TRIP TO LAKE BAIKAL

1
On the wild steppes of Transbaikalia,
Where people dig for gold in the mountains,
A vagrant, bemoaning his fate,
Is wandering with a bag on his back.

2
He walks through the thick taiga,
Where only a few birds sing,
He carries a tin can on his side,
His feet are strapped in dry skins.

3
He wears a worn-out shirt
And a lot of different patches.
The cap on his head is a convict’s cap
And he wears a grey convict’s uniform.

4
He escaped from prison during a dark night
Where he was imprisoned for defending the truth.
But he could not go any further
In front of him was Lake Baikal.

“По диким степям Забайкалья”
translated as “By the Wild Steppes of Transbaikalia”
Extract of the Russian folk song composed by convicts in Siberia in the 18th Century

For many the thought of Siberia sends shivers down the spine. Meaning “sleeping land” in the Tartar language, this vast area of land, which could itself swallow all fifty states of America with millions of square miles to spare, it is hard to imagine that it housed some of the most notoriously brutal labour camps that Russia had ever sought to construct. Coupled with this land mass’ renowned arctic temperatures, it is not a place most people would wish to find themselves in the middle of the Russian winter.

Before the dawn of mass tourism, you might have found yourself reading in a journal about the harsh, wild and insidious nature that engulfed the small cities in Siberia. It would not have been surprising since the region was mostly famed as a place good only for exiling criminals. So harsh and inhospitable was the terrain that many exiles were imprisoned only by nature – free to roam, but knowing that by leaving the relative safety of towns such as Irkutsk meant only one thing – death. This spiritual barrenland has challenged explorers and exiles alike, with its endless stretches defeating even the hardiest of humankind – except the very few who survived and even those still bore their scars long after.

But Siberia is a land of superlatives – forget that three of the world’s longest rivers flow through it – Lake Baikal tops them all. It is the greatest, deepest and purest of body of water on the planet. At 395 miles long, 49 miles long and just over a mile deep, formed from a natural geological rift, this unique lake has, in more recent times, captured many with its beauty and mysticism.

Home not only to many thousands of unique species of plants and animals, it is also home to the Buryat tribes who follow shamanistic practices that enable them to interact with the spiritual world under altered states of consciousness. This religion also spread across the Silk Roads into Central Asia and China mingling with and becoming adapted into parts of other religions over time. A trip to Baikal is not complete without contemplating the origin and impact it has had on the region.

So, as I landed in Irkutsk, after six hours of the delights of Aeroflot from Moscow, one cool March evening, I was intrigued to see this famed lake. The wonders of modern travel enabled me to make the trip to Lake Baikal just for the weekend. Putting aside the 5-hour time difference to Moscow, I sought to rest and relax before tackling a torturously long 16-hour daytrip the following day that would enable me to reach famed Olkhon island.

This dramatic looking island is the result of millions of years of tectonic movement and today boasts a population of just 1,500 Buryats within its 730 square kilometres of terrain. From the mainland it looked an ideally barren and unforgiving place to situate a Gulag. I waited for a cramped hivus hovercraft to take me over the 800 metres or so distance between the island shore and the mainland. It was here that I got my first glimpse of one of the main reasons I had come to visit at this time of year – the Baikal ice.

Only from the middle of winter in January until April does the whole lake freeze, but it is a phenomenon that bewitches all who visit and walk on her magical ice. Its transparency is striking – even at this “late” stage of the season, parts of the ice, are crystal clear. You walk as though on a mirror, but the clarity means that even though the ice is over a metre thick you tread gingerly. If I were concerned that I might just hit a weak patch and fall through, I needn’t have been. A two ton UAZ-452 Soviet van drove straight onto the ice to pick me up and take the ice road around the northern part of the island.

The wind, which whipped me ferociously as it swept around the cliffs, was calmer as I got out from the truck having driven at almost 90km/hr across the ice. We had arrived at a little rocky outcrop not far from the main village, Khuzir. A couple of other tours, also in their UAZ vans, had turned up to admire the ice and in particular the ice caves where large icicles compete for space and attention above you as you tread deeper inside. It is like an ice kingdom, but a silent, eerie one. Civilisation is almost non-existent and nature is as pure as it can get. You can drink the water that drips form the icicles as the warmer spring temperature causes them to melt. I partook in a small local tradition, that involved pepper vodka, of course, with my guide and then took an additional shot with a broken icicle to provide the “rocks” to my makeshift cocktail.

We continued driving on the ice road. Our driver thought the ice was not clear enough where we were as it has started to melt and go cloudy – apparently two days ago the official tourist season for ice driving came to an end. He seemed as confident as ever that there was at least another week or so that he could drive on the ice, but my guide related stories that had been heard about areas where the ice had thinned and vehicles had sunk.
Lunch was taken near the Three Brothers Rock (Sagaan-Kushun Cape), a natural monument that symbolises the main characters of an old Buryatian legend. Centering around three brothers who once lived on Olkhon Island, according to the legend, their father had supernatural powers and turned them into eagles providing they did not eat meat. The newfound freedom allowed the brothers to fly around the island and enjoy it as they had never before. However, they soon tired and became hungry, whereupon they came across a dead animal and, despite their promises to their father, ate the animal. When their father learned about this he was so angry that he turned them into the three rocks that can be seen today. The irony of this being an idyllic picnic places therefore was not lost on me.

Lunch turned out to be rice with boiled omul fish – a delicacy and local fish to lake Baikal, the fishing of which had recently been severely curtailed amid worries of extinction. “Contraband!” my driver delighted as he served up a prepared meal in a plastic box. It was still warm from the morning’s preparation. Its crumbly flakes were like butter as I made my way through this simple gastronomic delight.

The day ended at the tip of the island having travelled its entire length mostly by ice road. The Khoboy Cape sits at the most northern point of Olkhon island, deriving its name from an old Buryat word meaning “fang” because of its distinctive shape – an out-of-place vertically oriented marble rock, appearing fang-like from the cliffs. Here already, one of the long multi-kilometre cracks had appeared close to the rocks. Occasionally a cracking sound ricocheted across the rocks, reminding me that we really were at the end of the winter. Large slabs of crystal-clear ice, like waves frozen in time, had piled up making their own ice sculptures that I had to tread across and around. Without crampons each one was a slippery danger, but also a mesmerising beauty. Occasionally on the ice underfoot, small frozen bubbles of methane added dabs of white cloudiness amongst the thick ice – it was this that was most reassuring – the ice underfoot really was still solid and thick.

Irkutsk was still nearly 5 hours away, but out there in the wilderness it was hard to remember that a bustling life existed somewhere over the distant horizon. It must have been even harder still for those exiled inhabitants of the Gulags and other camps to remember or believe that such a distant life still existed.

P.S.
The author travelled to Irkutsk from Moscow with Aeroflot (four flights a day), staying in the four star Japanese-styled Hotel Sayen in Irkutsk and travelling to Olkhon with Russia EGuide tours (https://www.russiaeguide.com/one-day-tour-to-olkhon-island.html) – 1pax 28,000 RUB; 4 pax 9,300 RUB pp. Hovercraft 350RUB per person each way. It is recommended to spend at least 3 days for such a tour but if willing to spend a significant time in the car coupled with an early start then a one-day tour will get you to see most of the sights even if you won’t get to experience as much time of life on the island as would be ideal!

by Nick Rowan

A GLIMPSE OF 2050 KYRGYZSTAN

On March 20th, at 8 o, clock in the morning, the huge aircraft landed at Manas airport after the journey of 30 minutes. Kyrgyzstan’s Manas Airline has started its direct flights from Kabul to Bishkek over the last couple of years but this was my first time travelling in a Kyrgyz airline, and I pretty much liked the comfort as well as the hospitality of the staff. The heads of states of Nowruz celebrating countries had already arrived in the capital city of Bishkek. The purpose of my visit was to cover the Grand Nowruz celebrations 2050 along with the 30th anniversary of CASA-1000 (a power project that transfers electricity from Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to Afghanistan and Pakistan). Both of the events were taking place on two consecutive days at two different cities, Bishkek and Osh.

The double-deck aircraft had businessmen, diplomats, tourists, international students, journalists, and people from other professionals. The bilateral relations of Afghanistan with Kyrgyzstan had entered a new phase resulting in the exemption of visas between these two countries. I went straight to the counter where the charming lady immigration officer welcomed me with a smile and stamped my passport to get in. The vast terminal crowded with passengers entering and leaving the country was equipped with modern facilities. The temperature inside the terminal was warmer while Ala Too mountains around Bishkek were still white covered with snow. There were different computer machines and digital screens doing various tasks like updating the flight schedules, issuing receipts for choosing the mode of transportation to the center of the city, changing foreign currencies etc. One of the screens revealed that 1 US Doller was exchanged for 1.25 Kyrgyz Som, thanks to tourism and trade (energy, minerals and organic agricultural products) as the main factors behind this economic growth. Moreover, unlike West, despite technological advancement, Kyrgyzstan restrained itself from the robots; that was the reason that robots did not replace humans.

I checked my name on the screen that a flying car No.996 was waiting for me in the parking area. The flying car had been newly introduced in the country and its usage was not common with some exceptions, and I was enjoying that luxury.

Outside the airport, there was no push and pull of taxi drivers to get the passenger boarded in their taxis. Passengers had already chosen their mode of transportation having the receipts from the terminal. Besides taxis, metro train and electric buses were also taking passengers from the airport to the city center and its adjacent areas.

After sitting in the car, the driver welcomed me and flew the car.
“Sir, I hope you had a comfortable journey.”
“Yes, I had a good journey, thanks.”
After exchanging some words, I came to know that he was not only an informative person but he also spoke fluent English.
“You speak good English,” I asked surprisingly.
“Thank you Sir. Now many people like me in my country know foreign languages because of the tourists from all over the world visiting our country. Over the past couple of years, millions of tourists visited our country. This year it ranked 3rd most favorite destination among the tourists. Our country earns a lot of revenue from tourism.”
Meanwhile, he drew my attention to a 3-D book with moving photos. “I have read your book In the Land of the Tian Shan Mountains. This is one of the great books written on my country. It not only reflected our true image but also helped people from different parts of the world to know about Kyrgyzstan.” I was in the seventh heaven when he put forward the book for my signature. I made a digital signature for him, thanked him and entered into the hotel.

A room on the 50th floor was reserved for me at a seven stars hotel by the name of a famous Kyrgyz writer, Chingiz Aitmatov. This hotel was also equipped with modern technology. At the reception, my thumb prints and voice frequency were taken to work for different functions like opening and closing the room’s door, switching on the light, television, locker etc. After putting my luggage, I went to the mini-swimming pool attached to the room and besides relaxing in the water; I watched the tour of Issyk Kul Lake, world’s second largest alpine lake. The new information I got was that a fun city had opened for tourists inside the lake with restaurants, cafés, and amusement parks for children. After bathing, a briefing session together with lunch was arranged by the organizer about the events’ activities. I attended that session, and then went out to see the city.

The skyscrapers, double-storey roads and metro trains had completely changed the look of the city. Walking in the downtown, there were digital screens at different locations showing the achievements of their female President. Later I realized that she was very popular among the people because of her achievements in the spheres of human rights, economic development and rule of law. Located in the north of the country, the greenest city of Central Asia has been everybody’s favorite as it had opened its lap to everybody and that is the reason that it hosts different ethnicities, religions, and cultures giving it an international look. In the big shopping malls, one could buy branded along with the traditional Kyrgyz goods. Moreover, Macdonald, KFC, Starbucks, and King Burger were crowded with customers mostly students and office workers, and it reminded me the Kyrgyz version of KFC (Kyrgyz Fried Chicken) and King Burger (the two words were replaced giving it the look of real Burger King) where local burgers and food were served more than three decades ago. I went to the main Ala Too square where the legendry hero Manas was sitting proud on his horse with a sword in his hand and a big screen was showing an animated movie about the short history of Kyrgyzstan with tourists gathered to enrich their knowledge. I also visited my alma mater, the OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe) Academy which had become one of the top research and academic institution in the world producing top regional think tanks. After spending a busy day refreshing my youth days’ memories, l returned to the hotel and started preparing for the conference the next day.

The Grand Nowruz event 2050 was arranged at the national park of Ala Archa, located at a distance of about 40 km from Bishkek. Early in the morning, the delegates of the event were carried in metro train. There were diplomats, representatives of international organization, and members of Nowruz celebrating countries. The place for event was arranged in an open area surrounded by mountains, and the splashing sound of the river was energizing the soul. Presidents and Prime Ministers of Nowruz Celebrating Countries delivered their speeches highlighting the importance of regional cooperation, cultural relationships, religious tolerance and multiculturalism. Little Kyrgyz girls smoked the juniper plant around the heads of the states and removed the evil spirits for the coming year. Thereafter, performers of different countries entertained the participants with traditional dances. Every face was happy as they were somewhere inhaling the purest air while most parts of the world are facing extreme level of pollution. The clean air of the country is also one among the reasons that tourists visit to heal themselves from different diseases. For the lunch, various traditional foods from different countries were served on a long table with a moving train on it. After the lunch, the delegates enjoyed trekking in the nearby mountains as it was part of the program under the slogan “Grow Trees and Breathe Clean Air”. There was also a film crew from Hollywood shooting a movie. Because of the natural beauty, Kyrgyzstan has also attracted the attention of international movie makers. At the end of the day, the delegates left for the southern city Osh where the 30th anniversary of CASA-1000 had to begin the next day.

The bullet train took one hour to reach Osh. In the past, Osh city was one of the main cities of Ferghana valley and an important trade market along the Silk Road. Currently it is reviving its old geo-strategic position functioning as a significant energy trade hub between Central Asia and South Asia. On the way, I was seeing many huge solar and wind power plants which not only met the domestic needs but also exported electricity to Afghanistan and Pakistan. Kyrgyzstan also made its place among the top 10 environment friendly countries using entirely renewable energy. In agriculture sector, the country not only increased its production but had also maintained the originality of its agricultural products. That was the reason that the demand for its agricultural products was very high.

The event was arranged on top of Sulayman Mountain, one of the sacred mountains of Kyrgyzstan. CASA-1000 was the theme of the gathering. The project not only completed its 30 years of journey but there was also agreement on proposing the extension of the project to 30 more years with the inclusion of India. Furthermore, the energy experts also gave green signals of more electricity generation through solar and wind energy along with the hydro power to be exported to other South Asian countries.

Kyrgyzstan has progressed a lot over the past three decades. Sustained democracy, gender equality, religious tolerance, minimal crime rate, cultural diversity, tourism, and energy trade are some of the areas giving Kyrgyzstan the title of the most peaceful country.

WWW.OCAMAGAZINE.COM OCA#31 SPRING 2019 Text by Mohammad Idrees

DISCOVER MAGNIFICENT GEORGIA!

THE WELCOME TO GEORGIA – NATIONAL TOURISM AWARDS

Georgia is one of the most beautiful and ancient countries in the world, with its untouched nature, history, mountains and architecture. This small country is a real paradise for all kind of travellers throughout tthe whole year.

Let Tbilisi be the starting point of your unforgettable journey. Georgia’s ancient and vibrant capital, which despite its small size, has a lot to offer, from its historical buildings and monasteries to its quaint cafes and elite restaurants. Backpackers can navigate easily on a budget and one of the best hostels is Pushkini 10 while for more discerning travellers looking for comfort as well as culture, city offers many cozy and beautiful high-end options. There are three hotels we recommend: Ramada Encore Tbilisi – THE BEST VALUE–STANDARD ACCOMMODATION; Radisson Blu Iveria Tbilisi – THE BEST VALUE–PREMIUM ACCOMMODATION; Tbilisi Marriott Hotel – THE BEST HOTEL OF INTERNATIONAL CHAIN IN GEORGIA AWARD. Beside hotels, if you are looking for apartments in Georgia, then the first Airbnb management company THE BEST TOURISTIC START UP, Wehost, will guide you.

Georgian Cuisine and wine making is an integral part of Georgian cultural heritage. Archaeologists agree that cultivation of wine grapes dates back some 8,000 years, which makes Georgia the real cradle of wine! And here are places where you truly can feel the taste of worldwide famous Georgian cuisine and wine: Restaurant of ETHNO TSISKVILI – WINNER OF THE BEST TRADITIONAL GEORGIAN RESTAURANT AWARD; Barbarestan – CONCEPT CAFÉ/RESTAURANT AWARD; Chateau Mukhrani – BEST WINE TOURISM; Baia’s Wine- THE BEST YOUNG WINERY AWARD; Finally, THE BEST WOMAN ENTREPRENEUR IN THE TOURISM INDUSTRY winner, Tinatin Dugashvili, who is the founder of Family type tourist destination in the Kvareli region, Wine Yard N1.

One of the key reasons for tourism is the country’s location: from one side surrounded by Caucasus Mountains and from another side, the Black Sea. For mountain and ski lovers we highly recommend a visit to the beautiful ski resort, Gudauri, which is a prominent skiing destination, and where you can stay in the newly opened, unique design hotel Quadrum Ski & Yoga Resort – CONCEPT ACCOMMODATION AWARD.

Georgia is also well known for its artesian natural springs and its spa-resort – Borjomi, which is the home to the most extensive ecologically-themed amusement park in the Caucasus. In the best location the hotel Borjomi Likani hotel – BEST MOUNTAIN ACCOMMODATION and THE BEST WELLNESS & SPA RESORT – and Crowne Plaza Borjomi will be glad to host you.

If you are an adventure traveller the Altihut 3.014 – BEST ADVENTURE TOURISM -offers tracking, hiking and mountaineering tourism 3,014 meters above sea level. And for sea lovers in the pearl of black sea the first internationally branded hotel Sheraton Batumi – BEST SEA ACCOMMODATION – is waiting for you.

Except sea and magnificent mountains, Georgia has one of the newest tourist destinations, located 143km from Tbilisi – Nazy’s Guest House – BEST COMMUNITY BASED TOURISM. It is a special place to stay in the Pankisi Valley and allows you to engage with the Kist culture.

If you are seeking a peaceful place to rest then the Lopota Lake Resort & Spa (#ICREATE – THE MOST SUCCESSFUL GEORGIAN BRAND IN THE TOURISM INDUSTRY) located in the Kakheti region would be ideal for you.

Aside from all of the historical treasures, Georgia is a country of two incredible festivals. One is heaven for alternative and rock music lovers called Tbilisi Open Air – BEST FESTIVAL OR EVENT.

To make sure that Georgia is indeed the place to plan your next visit to, you can be guided there with the help of an essential travel guide application Travel Guide App – BEST E-TOURISM AWARD. With the help of the app, users can get information about Georgian and European cities, exceptional, tourist attractions or historical monuments.

If you are planning a group event with your colleagues winner of the BEST MICE TOURISM AWARD, Calypso Travel & Events, will provide you premium class service in the tourism and event industry.

And finally, if you are looking for leading incoming tour operator specialised in Cultural, adventurous and tailor-made tours for Groups and Independent Travelers to South Caucasus countries: Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan Caucasus Travel (THE BEST INCOMING TOUR OPERATOR).

Georgia is an utterly charming and highly recommended destination where beyond the mountains wonderfully welcoming and hospitable people will meet you.

Safe travels!

by Nuki Tetradze

INDEPENDENCE DAY OF THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS

The spirit of Soviet times? Look no further than the main Belarusian national celebration – Independence Day of the Republic of Belarus.
The celebration falls on the 3rd of July due to the liberation of Minsk in 1944 from Fascist invaders. Why this date? In 1996 a referendum was conducted by the Belarusian president, Alexander Lukashenko, which was based on the conflict between the Parliament and Mr Lukashenka. In that referendum were raised questions such as the date change of Independence Day, some editions in the Constitution that were supposed to expand the President’s authority, the question of legalizing execution and so on. The majority voted in favour of those suggested questions, and that is why we now celebrate our Independence Day, on the 3d of July.

Originally, the date fell on the 27th of July and the cause for that was the adoption of the Declaration of Sovereignty of Belarus in 1991. But our people made their choice. Belarus became the only former Soviet country whose Independence Day doesn’t have anything to do with the dissolution of USSR.

But one must go back in time, to understand the most important historical events connected with this date. Due to one of the crucial Red Army’s operations called Bagration, the operation to liberate Minsk was carried out on 29th June of 1944 when the troops of the 1st and 3rd Belarusian fronts converged on the city to attack. Next, in cooperation with the 2nd front, the encirclement was completed. On the 3rd of July, the Soviet tankmen broke into the capital and soon the core forces of the 4th German army were captured, about 100 thousand people. There were also those who distinguished themselves during the operation. In the fights near Minsk, senior lieutenant Fedorov’s tank was hit. The tank driver sergeant Bessony’s legs were injured. The situation was such that they couldn’t receive help. Taking their chance, a group of Nazis tried to come up to the tank but Fedorov opened fire, and they all ran back. Then the Nazis dragged a large gun into place and with several shots wedged the turret. Fedorov let the German machine gunner come closer and threw grenades at him, the same way he prevented other attempts to capture the tank. With the onset of darkness, he took the wounded driver out of the machine and managed to escape unnoticed.

Winston Churchill sent his congratulations to do with this event, and others, to the Soviet army. This great event, the liberation of the Belarusian capital Minsk in 1944, is captured in the painting by Belarusian artist Volkov.

But what activities happen during the celebration? Traditionally, the government holds a big parade and an impressive air show is held in the capital. All usually starts in the morning with the President’s speech and with a minute of silence to pay tribute to heroes. Thousands of people, hundreds of machines, parade with the Belarusian army. The Russian army also takes part, which may be a surprise for foreigners.

All around you can see plenty of spectators and most of them are young. Thousands of children from schools are made to come out on that day to fill the streets. In 2017 the spectacle cost Belarus about 2.35 million dollars. Is it worth it? Breathing with the smoke of death machines and watching, you could have an overwhelming feeling inside. The atmosphere itself actually inspires your fear, especially if it is your first time It might look like North Korea or something of that kind but it must be understood that the last war caused severe damage to the Belarusian people; One in four people died in the war which was

a catastrophic disaster for the country and had a large influence on the people’s mindset, culture, literature and art. It gets you thinking of the past and what it brought to our lives. In Belarus this cannot be forgotten so we have been trying to show the world the price of peace and how it is important to stay in peace when it seems that the whole world goes insane. I assure you it costs too much.

After the great morning spectacle, some secular events are held. People of all kinds walk around the centre: families, youngsters, servicemen and drunks. Families usually go to the parks; some might go for a picnic. In every corner there is entertainment. Everything may appear strange to a foreigner because it has a specific atmosphere made by Belarusian culture. Music and singing, the food smell and laughter is everywhere: Minsk centre is full of people like never on any other day of the year.

In late evening there will be a place for another spectacle that is extremely popular as well: an impressive fireworks display. In Minsk they sometimes let them off from different points around the city. Many more Minsk citizens come running to the centre to see the beautiful display.

But for most Belarusians, it is no more than just a free day from work and celebration. Some who come out into the streets to celebrate couldn’t answer you what it is all about and what the story behind the celebration is. Everyone is divided on that day and has different thoughts of their own about it. It seems that Belarus desperately holds on to the past and the road further is unclear, but what unites us most is our silent hopes and prayers for our own young country.

Text by Anatoli Dzerhachou
Photos by Aleksei Gerasimenko

BELT AND ROAD INITIATIVE – CAN YOU PUT A PRICE ON INSURANCE?

With its cost estimated to run into trillions of dollars and main developments spread over 68 countries in three continents, it is quite natural for China’s belt and road initiative to be in the spotlight of all participating countries and business sectors. Asia Insurance Review spoke with ECIS-focused Bermudian Insurance-Linked Securities (ILS) specialist Phoenix CRetro Chief executive Kirill Savrassov about insurance linked securities as a risk transfer option for BRI.

China’s belt and road initiative (BRI) is probably one of the largest infrastructural development projects in modern human history. Phoenix CRetro Reinsurance chief executive Kirill Savrassov said, “Due to its size and geographical diversity, BRI-related projects definitely face numerous challenges and risks, both for the project’s initiator and for all other participants.”

Current estimates for turning this project into a reality vary from $900bn to several trillion, with most of the financial burden and the work being taken on by state-owned enterprises.

OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES FOR ILS

“As there are massive infrastructure investments in both China and many more nations including its neighbouring countries, the (re)insurance industry, including the insurance-linked securities (ILS) community will have its own multi-task opportunities and challenges with regards to the BRI projects,” said Mr. Savrassov.

“ILS, being a natural peak catastrophe protector for critical infrastructure with an effective track record on that in other parts of the world, it is not isolated from such a challenge or opportunity,” Mr. Savrassov said.

Having matured for peak protection for large catastrophe exposures (including infrastructure) in the US, Caribbean, Latin America and Africa, the ILS industry has a major opportunity in the Chinese market. The development and use of ILS solutions for BRI’s sub-projects can ‘rocket boost’ the entire alternative risk transfer area for Asia in general.

ILS CAN BRING IN SIGNIFICANT STABILITY
INTO INVESTMENTS OF BRI

Mr. Savrassov said, “In the case of BRI there is an added benefit of a good time scale and effective results can come to reality much faster than it took for the United States to achieve current level of ILS use. Especially with new domiciles like Singapore and Hong Kong consciously developing the required framework for those activities and Asian investors getting more and more interested in potentially good returns and uncorrelation of ILS to economic cycles.

“Another stimulus is existing investors’ appetite, when ongoing growth of insurance-linked securities as an asset class has unique intra-class diversification capability, any new peril or location opportunity naturally should gain a warm welcome by those, who already have allocations to ILS,” he said.
The belt and road initiative will have huge financing needs and the private sector will have a bigger role to play in this regard anyway.

As things stand today, insurers can participate in BRI projects via both equity and debt financing. Markets also predict that securitisation as a means of additional financing would also be made available soon for regional insurers and other institutional investors, so the current club of insurers, which uses the transfer of risks to the capital markets, will be widening.
Mr. Savrassov said, “Use of such instruments can allow a deeper understanding and therefore significant inflow of investments from Chinese and wider scope of Asian financiers or institutional investors into the BRI projects.

“It is also important to note that the burden of sovereign debt ratings below investable grade for the vast majority of China’s neighbouring countries in many cases makes other than ILS investment simply difficult for asset managers.”

MUCH OF BRI ROUTES PASS THROUGH CORRIDORS EXPOSED TO NATURAL PERILS

China and also several of the countries involved in the BRI projects do face a very obvious existence of real risk of natural perils.
Mr. Savrassov said, “Central Asia, where planned infrastructure projects are not just large investments but also are their tickets to join a global trade and geographic reorientation toward market economies in Western Europe, South and East Asia.”
He said, “Of the countries of the region, at least three of those ‘belt’ corridors are passing through one of the most earthquake-exposed areas of Eurasia, if not globally.

“So with plans like ‘Khorgoz’ on the China-Kazakhstan border near Almaty as the largest dry port in the world, massive road and railways development in Central and Western Asia with different infrastructure improvements, the element of resilience and proper catastrophe protection is critical and strategic for everybody.”

LOW INSURANCE PENETRATION IN THE REGION

A majority of the countries involved in the BRI projects do not have well-developed insurance markets and have low to very low penetration. Also, local issues like reinsurance protectionism in some of the countries and lack of experience in coverage for large-scale projects are also not of much help.

“In the case of devastating catastrophic events, help from international financial institutions/donor nations and ILS solutions (as uncorrelated mechanisms) appear to be some of the very few ways for peak exposure protection and therefore disaster financing,” said Mr. Savrassov.

He said, “Lack of investable grade ratings make other forms of private finance arrangements either expensive or difficult.
“Hence, for the sake of strategic resilience, the assessment of such scenarios and encouragement of ILS as a means of risk transfer represent important points for both China as project originator and participating country in term of overall BRI development.”
ECONOMIC DISPARITY BETWEEN EASTERN AND WESTERN PROVINCES OF CHINA

Mr. Savrassov said, “Another challenge is Chinese government’s plan to use BRI for solving the disparity between eastern and western provinces of the country, whereby Xinjiang, Tibet, Qinghai and Gansu are the four lowest-ranked on the China Economic Research Institute’s Free Market Index.”

He said, “These provinces are characterised by a high concentration of state-owned enterprises and so require heavy state subsidies from central government. Therefore integration of these into regional economies instead of showering with more central money sounds like a good logical solution.
“This could, however, raise some fundamental issues when it comes to natural catastrophes protection. With essential obligation for critical infrastructure the country so far may have limits of insurability for it. That is where the state can face a situation when there is no insurable interest for some key infrastructure elements.”

In 2012, Superstorm Sandy struck the North-Eastern US, which is one of the most economically developed (and hence most insured) areas of the world, only 50% of the overall economic losses there were insured.

Parametric reinsurance and ILS instruments are exact solutions for such issues at the sovereign or provincial government levels.

On the sovereign approach the example of Mexico, one of the oldest sponsors of ILS instruments, which received $50m and $100m in a matter of weeks as pay-outs from parametric CAT bonds following hurricane Patricia and Chiapo earthquake events.

ILS WILL ENHANCE BETTER UNDERSTANDING
OF RISKS AND THEIR MODELLING

Development of wider use of ILS products across the region will also have a positive side effect. Any ILS instrument will require a transparent, well-defined trigger with understanding of risks as well as their calculation.

Kirill Savrassov

Mr. Savrassov said, “There is an excellent quote for our industry, ‘If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it, so you’re unlikely to finance it’, so whichever ILS instrument could be chosen, it will end up with one or the other form of modelling, which in turn will increase disaster resilience, risk management capabilities and will stimulate the use of the whole range of available products from parametric (re)insurance to catastrophe bonds issuance.”

He said there is another popular saying in China that ‘Third-tier companies make products, second-tier companies make technology and first-tier companies make standards’.

Mr. Savrassov said, “That quote, naturally, can be applied for BRI as the project which due to its size and importance can set standards for ILS use with regards to infrastructural projects across entire Asia and beyond, almost immediately putting it on the map as one of the largest new global ILS destinations.”

He said, “We really believe that by turning its attention to potential use of ILS either at central, provincial or partner country levels, China may not only obtain strategic disaster finance solutions but become a driver of the entire risk transfer industry.”

This article first appeared in the February 2019 issue of Asia Insurance Review.

A STRUGGLE FOR DEMOCRACY IN KYRGYZSTAN AND THE EURASIAN UNION

Over the past 27 years of independence, two colour revolutions have taken place in Kyrgyzstan, which as such can hardly be called, because a revolution is determined by a change in the political system but not by the overthrow of some political leaders in order to be replaced by others. Accumulated unsolved problems and mistakes have been passing from one authority to another, where they also continued to accumulate. The problem is that a certain group of people have always benefited from these “mistakes”, and the consequences were felt by ordinary people. So it was with Almazbek Atambayev despite all the expectations and confidence of the people. He tirelessly repeated that he had accomplished his main “mission” for a peaceful and democratic transfer of power. But was this supposed to be his main concern? His “main mission” was fulfilled by ex-President Roza Otunbayeva. Thus, the question arises about the prioritization of A. Atambayev, if there were any besides consolidation of his power after resignation.

However, even here he failed, as his main successor, whom he literally sat on the chair of the presidency started getting rid of all the levers of influence of Atambayev. Almost everyone predicted that S. Zheenbekov would either continue the work of his predecessor his entire term or at least for the first few years until he would really feel power. No one expected such an early manifestation of his own independence. This started by abrupt personnel changes with deliverance from the people of Atambayev. At the moment, the political conflict between the two is obvious, but this is not so much a conflict as there are only one sided attempts to return at least some degree of power whereas even his own party is now de facto controlled by the brother of the current president

Now what can we expect from the “unpredictable” Zheenbekov? In fact, he is not as unpredictable as it turned out with Atambayev, it was more a personal conflict with him, and as rumours circulate, provoked by Atambayev because of his emotionality. Fundamental changes and reforms within the country, as well as in foreign policy should not be expected. However, compared with Atambayev, Zheenbekov has already established better relations with Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkey.

It is necessary to highlight Russia’s position in relation to the new president, and how relations between countries will develop. Russia, although unofficially, supported Zheenbekov during the elections, since he still acted as a guarantor of the policies proposed by Atambayev, and Russia could have no doubts about Atambayev since he proved his loyalty. But after all the events, at this stage they are only analysing Zheenbekov and his actions. Their vector will still be aimed at strengthening ties with him, and Atambayev himself is no longer of their interest.

Zheenbekov, in turn, in addition to pointing to Russia and China during his inauguration as important strategic partners, allowed himself to be frank with his attitude towards Russia and V. Putin. For example, in an interview to “Russia 24”, to the question about EAEU, he said that “Russia is always at the head, it unites and resolves many issues,” and, “When we get together, we sometimes quarrel with each other, everyone roots for its own country, but we always find a common language. Of course, here is the arbitrator Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin.”. This is the personification of respect and attitude as to the “elder brother”.

In general, relations with Russia, as well as with Kazakhstan, are developing at the multilateral level within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Community (EAEU). But what is the EAEU for Kyrgyzstan?

Three years have passed since the accession of Kyrgyzstan to the EAEU, sufficient time for an objective analysis of the positive and negative changes that brought us an accession to the regional economic bloc. The accession was originally due to the political motives prevailing in 2015 for Russia and Kazakhstan, when there was a “parade of devaluations” and the starting point of the Western sanctions against Russia. Strengthening the integration process was dictated by the demand of that time in the vector of development of relations with strategic partners. For Kyrgyzstan, the next step could only be joining the EAEU.

After the collapse of the USSR, this was not the first attempt to strengthen integration within the framework of regional organisations. Many of them were not as successful as expected. The CIS, as an organization, has carried out its main mission of the “civilised divorce” of the post-Soviet space, and is now to a certain degree amorphous, because no large-scale projects have been implemented for a long time due to the difficulty of reaching consensus and a high level of bureaucracy.

The EAEU is another attempt to integrate the region, but here the situation has been a little different. Since 1995, the moment of initiation of plans for a single economic union by N. Nazarbayev, the history of integration has been taking place mainly in the unification of Kazakhstan, Russia and Belarus, which indicates sufficient time to prepare for such a level of union. For Kyrgyzstan, the EAEU is not yet fully operational. Those positive changes, which manifest themselves with the entry into the EAEU, go in parallel with other negative indicators due to the same reason. What are the pros and cons from the EAEU for Kyrgyzstan?

The main advantage is the simplification of the location of our citizens in Russia; within the framework of the EAEU, our citizens have the same rights as citizens of the state of employment. This was one of the main reasons for entry, as there was a possibility that Moscow would ban visa-free entry for labour migrants, which would have had catastrophic damage for a country where 30% of GDP is derived from migrant remittances. In addition, was the creation of the Kyrgyz-Russian Fund, which has already implemented and is implementing 1,630 projects.

Among the disadvantages, one is its own isolation and distancing from the Euro-Atlantic unions. For Kyrgyzstan, it is important to be able to vary between geopolitical vectors and adapt to all changes. And there is a very twofold approach, on the one hand, we live in an era of a new stage of globalisation, where regional and trans-regional blocs are beginning to play an increasing role, and it is important for developing countries to integrate themselves into such kind of alliances as best they can. On the other hand, choosing only one side, we immerse ourselves in an even greater dependence, from which it may well be very difficult to get out of in the future.

Secondly, the main problem that the country will need to solve is the increase in duties in relation to third countries. Kyrgyzstan, in accordance with its obligations to the WTO, had very low customs duties – about 5.1%. Increasing duties may have a bad effect on our economy because of our dependence on re-exporting goods from China to Russia and Kazakhstan. It is true that we need to get rid of this kind of dependency, since for the most part it is speculative in nature and, moreover, quite a lot of corrupt ways are associated with this sector. For example, official statistics that expose China and Kyrgyzstan always differ significantly. The amount of China’s exports to Kyrgyzstan has a difference of almost $3 billion compared to the amount of Kyrgyzstan’s imports from China. This clearly indicates the scale of unregistered trade. However, the problem is that there are too many people involved in this sector (the markets “Dordoi” and “Kara-Suu”) and the profit from unregistered trade, according to various sources, is more than 10% of GDP. Kyrgyzstan has a transition period for adapting to single customs tariffs until 2020, with the possibility to apply its own tariffs. Until that time, while no steps were taken to solve this problem and what will happen after 2020 is still unknown.

Mutual trade between Member States is actively increasing, but this is only to a small extent related to Kyrgyzstan. For example, the country’s foreign trade with the countries of the EAEU from 2014 to 2017 decreased by more than 1.5 times, which for the most part applies to Kazakhstan where trade turnover decreased by exactly 2 times from 1.3 billion to $ 700 million, while with Russia there was a slight increase in exports, but the decline in imports. With other countries participating in the EAEU trade turnover is a tiny share, with Belarus 2.1% and with Armenia there are almost no trade relations, which, in addition, states dependence on trade with Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation.

The question that worried Kyrgyzstan before joining is whether the EAEU will be able to keep the framework of economic integration without excessively politicizing the union. Evidence of the opposite was the conflict that occurred between the presidents of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, which directly turned out into economic protectionism from Kazakhstan, when the borders for the importation of goods from our country were closed. As an excuse, there were references to non-observance of sanitary and veterinary norms, in the solution of which there were promises to help from their own side and still in force was the 2015 Council Decision on the abolition of sanitary and phytosanitary control at the Kyrgyz-Kazakh section of the state border. There was no other way than to apply to the WTO as the Eurasian Court was unable to solve this dispute. Only this multilateral platform has solved the issue and the President of Kazakhstan N.A. Nazarabayev said recently, that Kyrgyzstan complained to all international instances. Nevertheless, for some reasons, Kyrgyzstan did not continue to demand compensation for the damage caused to the Kyrgyz Republic, which was voiced by the IMF. Moreover, we should not forget that under our commitments before WTO we have to pay compensation of almost 250 mln.$ because of the accession to the regional bloc which common custom tariff has exceeded the allowed rate.

In general, it can be seen that joining the EAEU would be the right solution in the long term and would take time to prepare the domestic market and solve existing problems. The EAEU in its essence can be an effective driver for our economy, with its correct application and developed market environment of our country. In many ways, we are to blame for all the problems that are a barrier to an attractive investment climate, export of our products and increase of our competitiveness. Let’s say what kind of investment climate can we talk about when there is political instability, what could be a plan or strategy for the development of a country when the composition of the government changes once a year, and the leaders are more busy with political intrigues inside the country.

It is true that it would still be difficult for us to avoid joining the EAEU in the future. And to talk about the use of the principle of procrastination, as Tajikistan effectively has been doing, is too late. The past cannot be turned back, and the existing problems, if they are not timely solved, can lead to even greater consequences. In the current conditions – it is necessary to achieve equal conditions within the EAEU, taking into account economic interests, while not forgetting that the Kyrgyz Republic is primarily a sovereign state which is a full member of not only the EAEU, but also of the WTO

Consequently, the current president, Sooronbay Zheenbekov, has a huge burden in dealing with the problems that his predecessor left him. First of all, this concerns the position of Kyrgyzstan in the EAEU. With effective government control, the problems that the EAEU brought us can lead our market to adapt, and this can shake up our industries in improving quality and bringing it to conformity to international standards, which can also affect our exports to the EU in the framework of the GSP + from which we are not really getting benefits due to inconsistency of qualities.