Astana - a city of peace and hope

Astana hosted such large international forums as the OSCE Summit in 2010, that allowed to form a "Eurasian vector" in the organization's development, kazpravda.kz reported.

As known the OSCE summits in general are very rare events in the political arena. Before the talks in Astana, the summit was held in Istanbul in 1999, so there was an 11-year break. The Heads of State and Government praised Kazakhstan's chairmanship mission in the organization and Nursultan Nazarbayev's contribution to the process.

The next political project - the chairmanship in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) - allowed continuing the policy in the light of interaction between East and West. Astana hosted the 38th session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers.

Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, economic forums, gathering the best minds of the world, and large-scale sporting events are held in Astana. Another important international initiative of Kazakhstan is EXPO 2017 in Astana. It is a unique platform for testing new ideas, promotion of know-how, experience swap and nurturing of new-generation professionals.

Recently, first in Kazakhstan solar battery production has opened in Astana. Soon there will be the city of the future where new technologies become widely used. After the exhibition, the facilities and pavilions will be given to research laboratories, centers and institutes.

In 2017, a light tram railway will be launched and a new station will be constructed. In general, Astana administration allotted 113 hectares for construction of the EXPO town.

N. Nazarbayev's decision to move the capital boosted development of the whole Kazakhstan. Astana has become a crossroad of civilizations, religions and cultures.

Today, Astana is called the Central Asian phenomenon. Over the years, the city has expanded its territory by three times, and its population has tripled. Thousands of new companies are working successfully here, the production was revived too.

In 1999 UNESCO awarded a medal and the "City of Peace" title to Astana. In April 2008, in Moscow competition "The best city of the CIS" Astana won nine prizes out of sixteen!

Every year Astana becomes more and more attractive to Kazakhstanis and foreign guests. Its most outstanding sights are Akorda, the Palace of Peace and Harmony, the Palace of Independence, "Khan Shatyr" shopping mall, the National Opera and the media center, the Palace of schoolchildren and mosques.

In 2008, at the 10th birthday of Astana, the President started his congratulatory speech with these words: "I was driving here today, looking at the city. And I thought: have we really done it?"

It means that the most ambitious goals are achievable if there is a political will, cohesion and willingness to work.