Capital of Kazakhstan celebrates 15th anniversary

 ASTANA. December 10. KAZINFORM  Fifteen years ago, on December 10, 1997, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev proclaimed Akmola the capital of the Republic of Kazakhstan. 
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On December 10, 1997, the capital of Kazakhstan was moved from Almaty, where it stayed for nearly 70 years, to Astana (at that time Akmola). President Nursultan Nazarbayev signed the relevant decree on October 20, 1997. The parliament of the country approved this decision on the same day. 

Akmola was renamed to Astana on May 6, 1998, by the special Decree of the President. The word 'astana' means 'capital' in Kazakh language.

International presentation of Astana as the new capital had been held on June 10, 1998.

The Day of Astana is celebrated on the 6th of July. This is a public holiday.

In 1999, UNESCO titled Astana "The City of Peace."

Politics and government are the main economic activities in the capital, which also forms a Special Economic Zone. Since the move, Astana has seen one of the world's greatest building projects, as oil money has been spent on government buildings, a massive home for the president, a mosque, and numerous parks and monuments. The project is designed to make the town the centre of not only Kazakhstan, but all of Central Asia.

Astana city hosts such major events as the OSCE summit in 2010 and the 7th Asian Winter Games in 2011. Astana is the venue for the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions.

In August 2013 the capital of the Republic of Kazakhstan will host the 17th World Boxing Championships, and in 2014 - the  81st World Weightlifting Championships.

In addition, in 2017, the city will accept the international specialized exhibition EXPO-2017.

 

 

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