From May 22nd to 27th, London hosted the 7th annual Eurasian Film Festival, an international celebration of Eurasian cinema. Organized by the Silk Road Media and the Eurasian Creative Guild (ECG), the festival is traditionally held in partnership with the Romford Film Festival, uniting filmmakers, audiences, and industry professionals from across the globe. This year,
At the 7th ECG Film Festival, which ended on May 27 in London, several participants from Kazakhstan were awarded prizes. Organized by the Eurasian Creative Guild and serving as a cultural bridge between Eurasia and the British audience, the festival was held at the Lumiere Romford cinema and brought together films and authors from 23
As the renewable energy sector in Central Asia grows, so does the need for a skilled and inclusive workforce to support it. In response, the OSCE and the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC) officially launched the OSCE Regional Task Force on Education for Just and Inclusive Energy Transition (RTEET) in Central Asia with a kick-off
Under the auspices of the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the Astana International Forum 2025 will take place from May 29 to 30, as it continues its mission of fostering cross-border dialogues on international diplomacy and cooperation. Against a backdrop of global disruption and polarization, the Forum will bring together government leaders, business executives, and
During the opening ceremony of the 20th Western China International Fair, Afghanistan’s acting Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, stated that the Islamic Emirate has created a secure environment for investment in Afghanistan, TOLOnews reported. Muttaqi said that foreign traders and investors can confidently conduct business in the country, adding that Afghanistan, with its vast natural
The Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change of Uzbekistan and the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the establishment of the Research Center for Ecology and Environment of Central Asia, which will be located at the Central Asian University of
Between May 19 and 21, the Uzbek city of Termez is hosting the first meeting of the Termez Dialogue on Connectivity between Central and South Asia, entitled “Building a Common Space of Peace, Friendship and Prosperity”. The event was organized by the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of Uzbekistan, the Ministry
Three films from Uzbekistan have been shortlisted for the 7th ECG Film Festival in London, one of the leading British festivals promoting Central Asian cinema. The screenings will take place on May 26 and 27 at the Lumiere Romford Cinema (The Mercury Shopping Centre, London). This year, the festival received over 100 submissions from 23
Representatives of railway companies from China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran, and Türkiye met in Tehran on May 12 to develop multilateral cooperation in establishing a transport corridor passing through their countries. According to Kazakhstan Temir Zholy, the country’s national railway company, in January-April 2025 container traffic along the China-Iran route via Kazakhstan increased by 2.6
The Taliban government has suspended chess in Afghanistan over gambling concerns. It has also suspended the Afghanistan National Chess Federation (ANCF), Chess.com reports. The Afghan online news service Khaama Press reported on Sunday that the country’s Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice has banned chess due to “religious considerations.” Chess-related activities in
Kazakhstan continues its confident cultural offensive on the world stage: two short films and works by an artist from Kazakhstan will participate in the 7th ECG Film Festival in London. The films will be shown on May 26 and 27 at the Lumiere Romford Cinema, The Mercury Shopping Centre. ECG Film Festival promotes films of
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has welcomed Türkiye as its newest regional member, strengthening ADB’s engagement in Central and West Asia. In a ceremony during ADB’s 58th Annual Meeting in Milan, ADB Director General for Central and West Asia Yevgeniy Zhukov said Türkiye’s transition to regional membership would provide the country with development opportunities through
Kyrgyzstan has proposed introducing a single visa-free regime for foreign tourists that will allow visitors to travel freely throughout all countries of Central Asia. The initiative was put forward by Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov during his meeting with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon in March. Japarov said that Central Asian countries need to introduce a single
The 6th meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Central Asia–China format was held in Almaty on April 26, attended by the foreign ministers of Kazakhstan Murat Nurtleu, China Wang Yi, Kyrgyzstan Zheenbek Kulubaev, Tajikistan Sirojiddin Mukhriddin, Uzbekistan Bakhtiyor Saidov, and a representative of Turkmenistan. The meeting focused on strengthening political dialog, expanding trade and economic
Afghanistan’s economy is gradually recovering, but at a slow pace, and the outlook remains uncertain due to fiscal pressures, a widening trade deficit, and persistent poverty and food insecurity, says the World Bank’s latest Afghanistan Development Update. Afghanistan’s GDP is estimated to have grown 2.5 percent in 2024, marking the second consecutive year of economic expansion.
On April 16, Kuwait hosted the Third Meeting of Foreign Ministers of the Strategic Dialogue between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Central Asia. The meeting was attended by the leadership of foreign ministries of Central Asian countries and six countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council — the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab
Lusine Aleksanyan is a maxillofacial surgeon and a young author from Armenia. Her book, “And a Butterfly Soared,” was published in 2024 in the UK, following her victory in a literary competition organized by the Eurasian Creative Guild. Here below is an article about this talented person, originally published by OCA Magazine: The best investment
Taking an additional step towards empowering young women from Central Asia and Afghanistan to play an active role in peacebuilding and conflict resolution, the Young Women 4 Peace: Empowering Central Asian Young Women Initiative arrived in Tashkent, Uzbekistan from 8 to 10 April. Bringing together regional voices and perspectives to promote peace and security through youth leadership
According to a new study by World Weather Attribution (WWA), in March 2025, Central Asia experienced an unusually intense heatwave, with temperatures reaching record highs across the region, reaching 30.8°C in Jalalabad in Kyrgyzstan, 29.4°C in Namangan and 29.1°C in Fergana in Uzbekistan, and minimum temperatures of 18.3°C in Shahdara, making it the hottest March night in
A Regional Workshop was recently held in Tashkent as part of Switzerland’s Blue Peace Central Asia (BPCA) initiative aimed at fostering cooperation among Central Asian countries in the water sector, according to the Swiss Embassy in Uzbekistan. The event brought together delegations from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, as well as representatives of international
