DESTINATION europe
investment”, noted Head of the EU
Delegation to Kazakhstan Ambassador
Traian Hristea.
On May 31 the core event of Europe
Day celebration was held in Astana - the
Concert of classical music performed by
the State Academic Symphony Orchestra
of Astana. This concert is the central
event within the framework of Europe
Day and was held for the first time on
the stage of the new architectural gem
of the capital - Astana Ballet Theatre.
The goal of the annual concerts is to
present the culture and traditions of
Europe, as well as to draw attention to
the best examples of European classical
music. This year's concert was held in the
jubilee year for the European Union - the
60th anniversary of the Rome Treaties.
The Astana State Academic Symphony
Orchestra, under the direction of the
chief conductor Yernar Nurtazin, has
performed best examples of world
classical music: Greek dances by Nikos
Skalkottas, Ferenz Liszt's Hungarian
Rhapsody, Cesar Frank's Psyche, Valse
Mélancolique by Emīls Dārziņš, Balkan
Rhapsody Vardar by Pancho Vladigerov,
as well as the Suite Rustica No1 by
Fernando Lopes-Graça and others. At
the concert, the works of the Kazakh
composers Yereuil Atqa Yer Salmai by
Aitkali Zhaimov and Voice of Asia by Adil
Bestybaev were also performed. This
year the scenography was enhanced by
background videos, depicting the history
of the European Union, Rome Treaties
and
EU-Kazakhstan
cooperation
chronology.
Head of the EU Delegation to
Kazakhstan, Ambassador Traian Hristea
and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs
of the Republic of Kazakhstan Roman
Vassilenko delivered welcoming remarks.
Ambassador Hristea emphasized that
the EU is and will continue to be a strong,
cooperative and reliable power: “I’m
personally thrilled to mark this jubilee
today, here, in this way, in the spirit of
all that is supposed to be uniting us, with
young and positive energies, music and
values”.
Deputy Minister Vassilenko noted: “The
importance of cultural exchanges, like
today's concert, and of all those events
that take place within the framework
of cultural and people-to-people
cooperation between Kazakhstan and
the European Union, is undeniable. They
make a significant contribution to the
development of Kazakhstan-European
relations at all levels, providing the
citizens of our countries the opportunity
to experience the traditions of other
nations and creating better mutual
understanding between them”.
Among the guests of the concert were
state officials, representatives of
diplomatic corps, business community,
as well as residents and guests of
the capital city Astana. The concert
was hosted by Press Officer of the
EU Delegation to Kazakhstan Elnara
Bainazarova and singer Marat Aitymbai.
Prior to the concert EU projects fair
was held, during which the results and
achievements of EU-funded projects
were presented. These projects cover
various areas of development, including
the green economy, the rule of law,
protection of children rights, tourism,
human rights, education, etc. More than
800 people attended the event.
The celebration continued with the
photo exhibition of famous European
photographer Jean-Marc Caracci Homo
Urbanus Europeanus, in which 65 cities
of Europe are represented. Photoworks
reflect the concept of urban life and the
role of man in it, many elements of the
series are consonant with the modern
appearance of Astana's architecture and
personify the aspiration for the future and
the values of the EU ‘unity in diversity’.
Europe Day 2017 was concluded with
European Film Festival on June 14-
16. This year the audience enjoyed the
best 13 films produced by the European
Union member states, including those
from Czech Republic, Austria, Sweden,
Estonia, Spain, Slovenia, Netherlands,
Germany, France, Lithuania, Romania,
Slovakia, and Latvia.
Among the films, there are winners and
nominees of international film awards,
including the 1987 Oscar nominee for
best foreign language film – My Sweet
Little Village (Czech Republic), the
winner of the European Film Academy
Award and 10 Goya awards – Marshland
(Spain), the winner of the Filmmakers
Union of Romania – Beheaded Rooster,
and others.
During the final day of the festival,
16 June, the film Sea Tomorrow by
Kazakhstani director Katerina Suvorova
was screened. The viewers had an
opportunity to meet with the Director.
The Sea Tomorrow documentary tells
the stories of people living near the Aral
Sea basin. It is the winner of the German
grant of the Robert Bosch Fund. The
film’s premiere was held at the Locarno
Film Festival in August 2016.
The European movie is outstanding for
its bright custom storyline and topical
nature of matters touched. The Film
Festival was a splendid conclusion of the
Europe Day celebration in Kazakhstan,
as well as would allow the public to get
into the European spirit.
Elnara Bainazarova, Press and
Information Officer, Delegation of the
EU to Kazakhstan
supported by EUROBAK