OSCE High Commissioner met with Almaty Akim

The diplomat took an interest in the interaction of more than 120 nationalities living in Almaty and social attitudes towards the idea of trinity of languages proposed by the President of Kazakhstan. In the soviet times Kazakhstan had a few schools with the Kazakh language of instruction. Today there are 48 such schools. 68,000 children study there. Over the previous decade the number of Kazakh kindergartens has also increased. In Almaty universities 42% of students study at the Kazakh departments. Twenty years ago there was only one Kazakh-language TV channel in Almaty. At 11 channels broadcast in Kazakh. The number of Kazakh-language printed media increased as well.

The Government creates favorable conditions for study of the state language. 66% of office management is realized in Kazakh.

The OSCE High Commissioner noted importance on experience exchange between the states on such issues as multilingualism, cooperation of national minorities in legislative bodies, integration in terms of multinational and multi-confessional society. He emphasized that Kazakhstan should enhance work in this direction in the context of its oncoming chairmanship in the OSCE.