On April 13, 2026 at the Almaty Creative venue, the AlmaU Creative Forum officially opened. This three-day forum brings together students, experts, and representatives of the creative industry. The forum is dedicated to the fifth anniversary of the Media and Film School of AlmaU.“The forum was initially designed as a platform covering key areas of the creative industry: Workshop Day, Industry Day, and Science Day. We aimed to bring together students, young professionals, and everyone who is just beginning their journey in the creative field. For five years, the Media and Film School of AlmaU has consistently prioritized practice-oriented education and the creation of opportunities for students’ professional growth,” said the Dean of the Media and Film School of AlmaU, Anara Sekeyeva.The first day, Workshop Day, was dedicated to hands-on learning, knowledge exchange, and discussions of current trends in media, public relations, and digital content. The program included a series of workshops and discussions featuring practicing industry professionals.Under the topic “The Director and Rental: How Technical Thinking Shapes the Visual Style of a Film,” director and head of ANG Rental, Artem Gantsev, delivered a presentation.During the session “From Idea to Frame: How to Create Professional Content with Any Equipment,” director, creator, and blogger Dimash Aubakirov, together with Tomas Toleukhan, deputy head of yume.rent and director of photography, shared their insights. The session was moderated by Botakoz Askarova, Director of the Media and Film School Lab.“My main advice is to be able to defend your vision. Very often, clients do not possess the same level of visual literacy that a creator does. It is important to understand this and not be afraid to propose your own solutions. In the long run, it is precisely the executed work that will shape your style: new clients will come to you saying, ‘I want something like this.’ And that ultimately works in your favor,” said Dimash Aubakirov.In a panel discussion dedicated to creative collaborations in public relations, moderated by Aidana Aitbay, Director of Communications and Promotion at the Media and Film School of AlmaU, Gaukhar Kerimova, Head of Public Relations and Environmental, Social, and Governance at Home Credit Bank, spoke about cooperation between production teams, brands, and communication specialists in implementing joint projects.Particular attention was given to the promotion of film and media content. During a session on film marketing, digital producer Bakyt Tursynova examined key tools for developing a promotional strategy, including performance indicators, concept development, public relations, target audience, promotional lines, and timelines.A block dedicated to creator development focused on current trends on the TikTok platform, including niche selection, audience engagement, and growth opportunities in 2026. “There is still a lot of untapped space in the travel niche, as many creators tend to burn out and leave it quickly. At the same time, there is a stereotype that travel content requires large budgets. In reality, a journey begins the moment you step out of your home. This niche remains open, and new creators are constantly emerging in it,” said travel creator Asset Murzabayev. “Videos can gain millions of views but fail to convert into followers. That is when I started breaking content into parts: the first showing the process, and the second revealing the result later. This format improved audience retention and significantly increased follower growth,” said artist and TikTok creator Assel Sabyrzhankyzy. “I would recommend maintaining a balance between entertaining and meaningful content. People usually come to social media to relax, so it is important not to overwhelm them with overly complex topics. Series-based formats work particularly well, as they help retain attention and build audience habits,” shared TikTok creator Aisha Baidildayeva. The final part of the program was a discussion on the role of artificial intelligence in film and media, addressing both the opportunities of AI use and the potential challenges for the professional community. The session featured media artist and neural designer at Prizma AI Studio, Riz Yessentayev, as well as serial entrepreneur specializing in AI-driven business transformation, Nick McFly. “The production of video content using artificial intelligence has radically changed the economics of the industry. Today, creating a music video with AI costs around 400 dollars, whereas 15 years ago similar production would have been valued at hundreds of thousands of dollars. Excluding human resources, costs have decreased dramatically, making the technology accessible to a much broader range of creators,” said Nick McFly. The first day of the AlmaU Creative Forum demonstrated strong interest in practical learning and актуal topics in the creative industries, bringing participants together around experience sharing and actionable insights.

Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Singapore Askar Kuttykadam, held a working meeting with the Director-General of the Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs for International Organization Ms. Ng Boon Yian.The Kazakh diplomat emphasized that, in accordance with the new Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan adopted at the National Referendum on 15 March 2026, the country respects the principles and norms of international law, pursues a foreign policy of peace and cooperation with interested states, non-interference in their internal affairs, and the peaceful settlement of international disputes.In this regard, the sides expressed satisfaction with the strong commitment of both Kazakhstan and Singapore to the ideals of multilateralism and international law, as well as the need to consolidate the efforts of middle and small states in the face of global challenges.The Kazakh diplomat outlined Astana’s key approaches to the issue of United Nations reform, including the modernization of the Security Council with due regard to the interests of countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, as stated by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in his address to the General Debate of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly in New York in September 2025.It was emphasized that the Kazakh side seeks to make a practical contribution to the transformation and strengthening of the UN system by advancing various international initiatives. Among them are the establishment in 2025 in Almaty of a UN Regional Centre for Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan, proposals to create an Asia-Pacific Centre for Digital Solutions for Sustainable Development within the framework of the UN ESCAP, and the International Agency for Biological Safety.Particular attention during the talks was given to the initiative of Head of State Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on the establishment of an International Water Organization under the auspices of the United Nations. The Singaporean side was once again invited to participate in the discussion of this important idea within the upcoming consultations scheduled for April 23, 2026 in Astana on the margins of the Regional Ecological Summit.During the meeting, the sides positively assessed the state of Kazakh-Singaporean cooperation on the international arena, including mutual support for each other’s initiatives and candidacies. In light of the upcoming fifth round of inter-ministerial political consultations in Astana at the end of April 2026 and other high-level planned events, the sides aligned their positions on current priorities and the candidacies of the two countries in the governing bodies of a number of UN system institutions.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa-singapore/press/news/details/1200141?lang=kk

In the Miryulyubovsky rural district, as part of the environmental campaign Taza Kazakhstan, an event was held for the improvement and sanitary cleaning of the territory.During the campaign, participants carried out cosmetic repairs, put memorial objects in order, and cleaned the adjacent territory of the akimat. Special attention was paid to maintaining cleanliness and preserving historical and cultural heritage.Such initiatives contribute to the formation of an environmental culture, increase residents' responsibility for the state of the environment, and contribute to creating comfortable living conditions.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/vko-samar-mirolubovka/press/news/details/1200158?lang=kk

Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mod/press/news/details/1200127?lang=kk

April 13, 2026, Toronto – Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Alibek Kuantyrov, paid a working visit to Toronto, during which he discussed issues of trade, economic, and investment cooperation between Kazakhstan and Canada.The central event of the visit was a roundtable titled “Kazakhstan-Canada Business Dialogue: Unlocking Cross-Sectoral Opportunities” co-chaired by A.Kuantyrov and the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development and Trade. The event brought together more than 25 Canadian companies interested in entering the Kazakh market.In his remarks, A.Kuantyrov provided participants with a detailed overview of the country’s key macroeconomic indicators and presented Kazakhstan’s investment opportunities, highlighting its role as an important regional transport and logistics hub. Canadian participants expressed strong interest in Kazakhstan, noting its impressive economic growth and technological development.In addition, during the visit, A.Kuantyrov held meetings with a number of Canadian companies, as well as with Ontario’s Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, Victor Fedeli. The parties noted the growing momentum in bilateral cooperation, including with the Province of Ontario. In particular, the Deputy Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan welcomed the outcomes of last year’s Ontario business mission to Astana. At the conclusion of the meeting, A.Kuantyrov invited V.Fedeli to visit Kazakhstan at a time convenient for him.Overall, A.Kuantyrov’s visit to Toronto once again confirmed the mutual interest of both sides in expanding economic partnership, with a focus on implementing joint investment projects in key sectors of the economy. Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa-ottawa/press/news/details/1200101?lang=kk