 Ambassador Ordway with interpreter Olga Bolotova at his December 19, 2007 press conference in Astana. | 12/19/2007 On December 19, Ambassador Ordway held his press conference at the U.S. Embassy in Astana in the embassy’s Washington Room. Transcript |
 Ambassador Derek Shearer has a discussion with students of International Relations of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University at the Center for American and Democratic Studies on October 19, 2007. | 10/20/2007 From October 13-20, 2007, U.S. Embassy Astana and Branch Office Almaty hosted the visit of Ambassador Derek Shearer, former Ambassador to Finland and Chevalier Professor of Diplomacy and World Affairs at Occidental College in Los Angeles. Ambassador Shearer spoke to large and enthusiastic groups of students of international relations at universities in Almaty, Astana, and Karaganda. His topics were "Globalization and the U.S. War on Terror - U.S. Foreign Policy After 9/11" and the 2008 U.S. presidential election. The students asked a variety of tough and thoughtful questions regarding U.S. foreign policy during the Bush administration and about the current U.S. presidential campaign. Ambassador Shearer's events for alumni and students were so popular and lively, that they were "standing room only." More.. |
 Holly Wise makes presentation on CSR concept to business representatives in Atyrau, October 11, 2007. | 10/13/2007 From Oct. 7-13, 2007, U.S. Embassy Branch Almaty hosted the visit of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) expert Holly Wise to Kazakhstan. The speaker shared her knowledge and experiences on CSR and public-private sector partnerships with the business commmunity, NGOs, universities, and journalists in Almaty, Astana, and Atyrau. One of the highlights of the program included a visit to Eurasian National University in Astana, which has an innovative M.A. program in Environmental Management and Engineering, co-sponsored by AES, Eurasia Foundation, and USAID. More.. |
 Ambassador Ordway makes opening remarks. | 09/25/2007 On September 25 in Astana, the United States Embassy and the Museum of Contemporary Art presented a photo exhibit The Landmarks of New York. The Landmarks of New York is a ground-breaking exhibition of 81 black and white photographs with descriptive text depicting outstanding New York City landmarks. The exhibit will travel to 45 countries between 2005 and 2008 throughout Southeast Asia, Central Asia, Eurasia, Europe, the Pacific, the Middle and Near East, and Central and South America. More.. |
 Dr. Stuart W. Shulman with participants of “Web 2.0 - Library 2.0: Citizen-Powered Information” workshop on September 13, 2007 in Almaty. | 09/14/2007 |
 Ambassador Ordway and Kazakhstani Deputy Foreign Minister Erzhan Kazykhanov address the guests, U.S. Embassy Atrium, June 28, 2007. | 06/29/2007 |
 Eugenie Russo performs at Astana's Presidential Cultural Center, June 19, 2007. | 06/21/2007 |
 Kazakhstani Deputy Foreign Minister Erzhan Kazykhanov and Assistant Secretary John Rood at the Third Meeting of the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism on June 11, 2007. |  | 06/12/2007 |
 Assistant Secretary Boucher greets exchange program alumni at Ambassador Ordway's residence in Astana on June 6, 2007. | | 06/07/2007 |
 Ambassador Ronald Neumann. | |
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05/22/2007
 Ambassador Ordway at the May 22, 2007 press conference in Almaty. Photo courtesy of Serik Kovlanbaev. | | Ambassador Ordway's May 22, 2007 Press ConferenceAmbassador Ordway held his second press conference of 2007 at the Kazakhstani Press Club in Almaty. He discussed United States policies regarding amendments to Kazakhstan's constitution, the $84 million Bota Foundation, the Russia-Turkmenistan-Kazakhstan gas pipeline, Kazakhstan's aspirations to chair the OSCE, the fourth Kazakhstani detainee at held at the Guantanamo Bay Detention Center, whether the Manas base in Kyrgyzstan should be closed, priorities of bilateral relations, and rumors about the next Kazakhstani ambassador to the U.S. Transcript |
05/04/2007
 Ambassador Ordway and editor-in-chief of Mysl magazine Seidakhmet Kuttyкadam at the Politon Discussion Club, Astana, May 4, 2007. | | Ambassador Ordway Commemorates World Press Freedom Day at Politon Discussion ClubTo commemorate World Press Freedom Day on May 4, Ambassador Ordway joined Seidakhmet Kuttykadam, editor-in-chief of Mysl magazine, moderator Zauresh Battalova, parliamentarian Gadilbek Shalakhmetov, political scientists, and journalists at Astana's Politon Discussion Club for a review of press freedom in Kazakhstan. The ambassador noted the one year anniversary of Politon's first discussion of political reform May 12, 2006, and congratulated the club on becoming a dynamic forum for civil society discussions of issues affecting the lives of Kazakhstanis. Kuttykadam presented an overview of the 15 year history of media development in Kazakhstan. The guests, who represented a wide variety of opinions and political convictions, shared their ideas about the state of media freedom and the draft media law. View Ambassador's remarks in Russian |
04/25/2007
 Ari Roland Jazz Quartet performs in the Palace of Peace and Harmony, Astana, April 25. | | Ari Roland Jazz Quartet Brings Audiences to their Feet in Astana and AlmatyBassist Ari Roland, along with fellow musicians Sacha Perry on keyboard, Chris Byers on sax and Stefan Schutz on drums shared the spirit of hip New York jazz clubs with enthusiastic audiences in Astana and Almaty. The program included standards by the incomparable Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, and Lester Young. The quartet also performed original pieces by Sacha Perry and Chris Byers, pieces that are destined to become jazz classics. In Almaty, the quartet joined other jazz bands at the Almaty International Jazz festival. The repeated demands for encores from the Kazakhstani audiences showed that jazz is still one of the most popular American art forms in Kazakhstan. The musicians also held master classes for students of Almaty’s Youth School of Jazz and the National Music Academy in Astana. View photogallery |
04/18/2007
 Apache dancer David Brush performs the Eagle Dance in Presidential Cultural Center in Astana, April 18. | | Yellow Bird Apache Dancers Surprise and DelightThe Yellow Bird Apache Dancers delighted audiences in Almaty and Astana with a performance that blended the art of storytelling with traditional Apache Indian dances, and musical accompaniment on guitar, flute, tambourine, and drum. Ken Duncan, Sr., the director of the group, cast a spell on the audience with gentle humor and timeless folk wisdom shared by people the world over. Audience members spontaneously shouted out responses to his questions, applauded in unison to his songs, and enthusiastically leapt onstage when he invited them into the dance. The Yellow Bird Apache Dancers are a native American family of experienced professionals who present educational and authentic Apache, Southwest and Northern Plains dances. While in Kazakhstan Yellow Bird also provided seminars to students of the folklore department at Almaty's National Conservatory and students of the Music Academy in Astana. The troupe's performances were sponsored by the U.S. Embassy. View photogallery |
04/18/2007
 Ambassador Ordway addresses fellow speakers and guests at the International Reading Congress in Astana, April 18. | | Ambassador Ordway - Reading as Foundation of DemocracyIn his address, “Reading Advocacy - Democracy in Action” Ambassador Ordway championed reading as the foundation of democracy at an International Reading Congress in Astana on April 18. "Reading is one of the hallmarks of human civilization, and the means whereby we share our cultures, our achievements and ourselves with our friends and neighbors, peoples around the world, and generations yet to come." The congress took place in the Palace of Peace and Harmony and opened with a greeting from President Nazarbayev read by Minister of Culture and Information Yermukhamet Yertysbayev. Prominent academics, librarians, and writers from Kazakhstan, Russia, and the United States discussed the enduring importance of reading and methods of promoting reading in society. Ambassador Ordway brought a diplomatic perspective to the discussion in emphasizing how reading supports democracy in educating citizens to make wise decisions in electing leaders. View Remarks |
04/17/2007
 Ambassador Ordway and Prime Minister Massimov at the opening of the Economic Growth and Competitiveness forum in Astana. | | USAID Holds Competitiveness Conference Attended By Government of KazakhstanUSAID’s Regional Competitiveness Initiative and USAID’s Kazakhstan Small Business Development Project organized the “Economic Growth and Competitiveness” conference on April 17th in Astana. Prime Minister Karim Massimov and Ambassador Ordway opened the forum (View Ambassador's Remarks in Russian). World Economic Forum (WEF) representatives Ms. Ciara Browne and Dr. Margareta Drzeniek explained the WEF 2006 competitiveness ratings. Representatives of several ministries attended and discussed with international experts practical approaches to improving Kazakhstan's competitiveness by focusing on areas of improvement such as innovation, health, education, judicial independence, as well as business sophistication and efficiency. |
04/07/2007
 Deputy Chief of Mission Kevin Milas addresses the guests at the International Education Fair in Almaty. | | Public Affairs Section Organizes International Education FairOn April 6-7, Public Affairs Section (PAS) and the Bilim Educational Advising Center organized the 8th annual International Education Fair in Almaty. The fair brought together approximately 5,000 students to explore opportunities to study in the United States, Germany, France, Lithuania, Japan, and other countries of Eastern and Central Europe. Deputy Chief of Mission Kevin Milas officially opened the two day event. The fair included break-out sessions on U.S. government-sponsored programs to study abroad, internet resources, applying for a student visa, and many other topics. The International Education Fair showed Kazakhstani young people that they have a wide range of options to study abroad at U.S. and other international universities. |
04/05/2007
 Ambassador Gross leads discussion at the Kazakh Institute for Management, Economics, and Strategic Planning (KIMEP) in Almaty. | | Ambassador Gross Addresses Students of Journalism, Political Science, and EconomicsOn April 5, the U.S. Coordinator for International Communications and Information Policy David A. Gross addressed undergraduate and graduate students at the Kazakh Institute for Management, Economics, and Strategic Planning (KIMEP) in Almaty. Ambassador Gross discussed the importance of having an open and transparent regulatory environment for telecommunications, how technology stimulates economic growth, and the importance of freedom of expression. The talk stimulated a lively discussion and questions, and contributed to a better understanding of U.S. telecommunications policy, as well as more general U.S. foreign policy positions. |
03/21/2007
 Richard Amos at the Art Exhibition opening in Almaty. | | African – American Artist Richard Amos Opens Exhibit in AlmatyOn March 21, a colorful exhibition of African - American art opened at the ArtEast Gallery in Almaty. The highlight of the week in the Kazakhstani cultural world, the exhibit attracted more than 500 people during its two-week show. Richard Amos, an American artist from Minnesota, visited Kazakhstan to open the exhibit and lead a series of workshops with 60 disadvantaged young people in Almaty and Astana. During the workshops, Amos demonstrated his approach to creating masks, and was warmly welcomed by young people in both cities. |
03/13/2007
 | ;){kind=small} | Ambassador Ordway Delivers Speech at International Cooperation Conference Organized by Kazakhstani SenateOn March 13 Ambassador Ordway spoke at a conference organized by Kazakhstan's Senate, "International Cooperation of the Republic of Kazakhstan: Reality, Objectives and Prospects". He provided an overview of 15 years of bilateral history and highlighted achievements, common goals, issues, and the 21st century challenges of our strategic partnership. “We in the United States believe that Kazakhstan has the potential to play an even larger role in Central Asia and beyond, with its dynamic economy, and the excellent example it sets in areas such as ethnic and religious tolerance. Kazakhstan is now a strong contributor to the economic development of Central Asia, the Caucasus, and beyond as a result of its strong banking system and it growing potential to invest abroad.” Full text |
03/02/2007
 | | U.S. Embassy and Almaty's Film Archive Screen Historic Kazakhstani DocumentariesOn March 2, the U.S. Embassy in Astana, in cooperation with Almaty’s Central State Archive of Film and Photo Documents, screened nine historical documentaries culled from the more than 100,000 meters of film negatives and magnetic films restored through the U.S. Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation. |
03/02/2007
 Minister of Health Anatoliy Dernavoi and Ambassador John Ordway at the Birth Preparedness School opening in Astana, March 2, 2007. | | Birth Preparedness Schools Enhance U.S.- Kazakhstani Cooperation in Perinatal CareOn March 2, a new phase of a program on safe motherhood was launched in Astana, including the official opening of three birth preparedness schools. The ZdravPlus II program of the U.S. Agency for International Development implements the program, in cooperation the Kazakhstani Ministry of Health and with additional funding support from ExxonMobil. Kazakhstani reporters intently covered the remarks of Minister of Heath Anatoliy Dernavoi, U.S. Ambassador John Ordway, and ExxonMobil representative Patricia Graham. During the ceremony, Minister Dernavoi said that protecting the health of mothers and children is one of the priorities of the Government of Kazakhstan. Ambassador Ordway emphasized U.S.-Kazakhstani cooperative efforts in meeting challenges in the areas of infection control and evidence-based practices during pregnancy and delivery. More.. |
02/28/2007
 Assistant Secretary Boucher speaks to embassy staff in the atrium of the Embassy, February 28, 2007. | | Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs |
02/26/2007
 National Academy of Music student Nazgul Sydybayeva and the academy's Big Band perform Bart Howard's "Fly Me to the Moon." | | U.S. Embassy and Kazakhstani National Academy of Music Held Jazz Concert in Astana Featuring Black History Month CelebrationsA jazz concert in Astana on Feb. 26 brought 700 Kazakhstanis out on a bitterly cold night to tap their feet and clap their hands while listening to impressive performances of jazz standards, including dabbles into ragtime and a nod to pop with a rendition of the old top-forty tune, "Hit the Road, Jack." The concert, performed by the highly professional students of the Astana Academy of Music, was funded by the Public Affairs Section to mark Black History Month in honor of the the 90th birthdays of Ella Fitzgerald and Nat King Cole and the 40th anniversary of the death of John Coltrane. More.. |
02/14/2007
 Ambassador Ordway at February 14th press conference in Astana. | | Press Conference Given by U.S. Ambassador to Kazakhstan John Ordway |
02/08/2007
 Information Resource Officer Mary Nell Bryant at the American Corner in Karaganda. | | Information Resource Officer Mary Nell Bryant Discusses U.S. Government and Law at American Corners in Almaty and KaragandaOn February 1 and 8, the American Corners in Almaty and Karaganda hosted Information Resource Officer Mary Nell Bryant, from Washington, D.C. She delivered lectures on U.S. government and law for 25 teachers of English in Almaty and 120 university students in Karaganda. The audience learned the fundamentals of democracy in the United States, including a historical overview of the U.S. political structure and how the three branches of power provide checks and balance in the government. They also discussed the current political scene and issues in the United States. More.. |
02/05/2007
 Assistant Secretary for Economic, Energy and Business Affairs Daniel S. Sullivan. | | Assistant Secretary for Economic, Energy and Business Affairs |
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