16.09.2024 The Underwater Cultural heritage

Exhibition on underwater cultural heritage, organized by the UNESCO Regional Office in Almaty and the Central State Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan UNESCO, together with the Central State Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan, provides residents of Almaty and guests of the city with a unique opportunity to discover the importance of preserving underwater cultural heritage.
Oceans, seas, lakes and rivers hide under the water an invaluable heritage that remains largely unknown and undervalued. However, the Underwater Cultural heritage (UCH) faces numerous threats such as treasure hunting, looting and commercial exploitation. Environmental degradation and climate change also pose a threat to its conservation, along with technological advances that stimulate coastal development and the exploitation of marine resources.
No one can protect what is unknown. According to the famous Captain Jacques-Yves Cousteau, "We love what we marvel at, and we protect what we love”. Today, these underwater vestiges are threatened by looting and commercial exploitation, industrial trawling, coastal development, exploitation of natural resources and the sea bed. These vestiges are also weakened by global warming, water acidification and pollution.

In 2018, eight countries from both sides of the Mediterranean joined forces to protect and study the common underwater cultural heritage located outside territorial waters on the continental shelf of Italy and Tunisia. This marked the beginning of the largest and most ambitious international mission for the protection of underwater cultural heritage ever conducted under the auspices of UNESCO, which started in 2022.
Researchers from Algeria, Croatia, Egypt, France, Italy, Morocco, Spain and Tunisia collaborated for this international underwater archaeological mission. It took place over 14 days, aboard the French scientific vessel, the Alfred Merlin, on two autonomous projects:

∙   “The Skerki Bank, Tunisian continental shelf”;

∙   “In the footsteps of Ballard-McCann (American expeditions from 1980 – 2000), Italian continental shelf".

Visitors of the exhibition, which will be held from September 16 to 23, 2024 at the Central State Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan, will be able to learn about this and much more.

29.08.2024 The exhibition "Memory of Hiroshima and Nagasaki"

On August 29, 2024 at 14:00 the exhibition "Memory of Hiroshima and Nagasaki" opens, dedicated to the 79th anniversary of one of the most terrible events in the history of mankind - the atomic bombing of the Japanese cities - Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

The exhibition "Memory of Hiroshima and Nagasaki" is organized by the Nagasaki National Peace Memorial Complex with the support of the Embassy of Japan in the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Kazakhstan-Japan Center for Human Resources Development.

As is known, the Republic of Kazakhstan (Semipalatinsk test site), as well as Japan (Hiroshima, Nagasaki) suffered from nuclear weapons. More than 450 nuclear tests were conducted at the Semipalatinsk test site. Hiroshima and Semey became symbols not only of tragedy, but also of the fight against the nuclear threat. We are connected by the common pain of the nuclear past, the common fate of our peoples. People should know and remember the terrible lessons of history. Kazakhstan and Japan, together with other members of the world community, are carrying out activities aimed at ridding humanity of nuclear weapons and strengthening the regime of their non-proliferation. Only a complete refusal to use nuclear weapons can guarantee that the tragedy of Hiroshima and Nagasaki will never happen again anywhere. On August 29, 1991, by the Decree of the President, the Semipalatinsk test site was closed forever.  On this day, conferences, seminars, exhibitions and other events are held to mark the closure of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site and the creation of the public anti-nuclear movement "Nevada-Semipalatinsk".      The main goal of the exhibition is to tell and show people what serious harm nuclear weapons can cause and to call on everyone to maintain peace on Earth.

The exhibition will feature photo stands with evidence of the tragedy and its consequences (in Hiroshima and Nagasaki); video evidence (newsreels, documentaries) about the atomic tragedy and the destruction caused by the bombings; diaries of people who survived the tragedy; paper cranes, popular in the cities of Nagasaki and Hiroshima as a symbol of peace, as well as a speech by an eyewitness of the nuclear bombing ("hibakusha") live from Japan.

The bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki remains one of the most terrible events in the history of mankind. The world first encountered such concepts as the atomic bomb, nuclear weapons, radiation sickness after a monstrous experiment - the atomic bombings of two cities in Japan. Many years have passed since then, but the pain of Hiroshima does not subside in the hearts of people all over the world. "Hundreds of thousands of them appeal to the international community with the call "This must not happen again!"  Since 1955, August 6 has been declared the World Day for the Abolition of Nuclear Weapons. Every year from August 6 to 9, Japan hosts the World Conference against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs, in which the Nevada-Semipalatinsk International Airport has participated on several occasions. These days, the Hiroshima bell rings, which is heard throughout the world. People flock from all corners of the country to pay tribute to the memory of the victims.

This exhibition has been held by the Nagasaki National Peace Memorial Complex since 2005, in different countries. In Kazakhstan, the exhibition is being held for the second time. The first was held in Astana, Semey, Almaty in 2014.

Visitors to the exhibition will be able to honor the memory of those killed in the atomic bombing with a minute of silence, make paper cranes as a sign of sadness and grief, and write their wishes-messages of peace, which will be delivered to Nagasaki for storage in the Peace Memorial Complex.

The exhibition will run until September 12, 2024 (from September 16-28, the exhibition will be held at Narxoz University).

13.09.2024 THE ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE OF HUNGARY

The Central State Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan in cooperation with the Consulate General of Hungary opens a photo exhibition on September 13, at 3 p.m. "THE ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE OF HUNGARY".

An informative photo exhibition introduces visitors to the most important Islamic architectural monuments of Hungary — mosques, minarets, turbe tombs and hammam baths, which are located in 5 Hungarian cities in the city of Pecs, Szigetvar, Eger, Sziklos and Budapest. These monuments reflect the 150-year-old Ottoman period of Hungarian history.

Most of Hungary became part of the Ottoman Empire in 1526, after Suleiman the Magnificent defeated the Hungarian royal army and from 1541, when, during another campaign, the Port captured the capital of the Hungarian Kingdom, Buda. However, Hungary differed from other regions of the Ottoman Empire not only in economic and social, but also in cultural factors of development. The Ottomans never managed to consolidate their power in Hungary during the 150-year period of rule. Neither peaceful methods nor the use of force have led to the victory of Islam in Hungary. There were no mass conversions to the Muslim faith, similar to those in the Balkans, as there was no violent Islamization. The conquerors did not force the Hungarians to adopt their language. Hungary has always had and still has a small Muslim population. The peaceful coexistence of Christians and Muslims became apparent in 1916, when the Hungarian Parliament, which was one of the first in Europe, passed a law giving Islam the status of an officially recognized religion in Hungary. Hungary equally represents the eastern border of Gothic and the northern/western border of Turkish-Islamic architecture.

The exhibition consists of 28 paintings and photographs, which are accompanied by short descriptions in three languages.

01.08.2024 The international exhibition “Chinese Porcelain: Art through the Ages”

The Central State Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Almaty Chamber of Commerce and Investment in partnership with the Organizing Committee of the China Ceramic Journey (Jingdezhen, China) organized the International Exhibition "Chinese Porcelain: Art Through the Ages". The exhibition was officially opened by the Director of the Central Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan Rashida Yerimkyzy, who emphasized the importance of the initiative of our President K. Zh. Tokayev and the Minister of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan Aida Galymovna, aimed at strengthening the cultural exchange between Kazakhstan and China within the new wave "New Chapter of Good-Neighborly Relations".

The welcoming speeches were given by: President of the Organizing Committee of the China Ceramic Journey, Mr. Yi Zhi Ning, Deputy General Manager of Jinyunfeng Ceramics Co., Ms. Song Rongin, Deputy General Manager of Jingchang Yao Ceramics Limited, Ms. Tan Mei, Deputy General Director of the Almaty Chamber of Commerce and Investment – Shara Akylbayeva.

In this regard, the exhibition became an important cultural event for the city of Almaty and our republic, emphasizing friendly ties, cultural exchange and cooperation between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Republic of China.

The exhibition features classical porcelain items from all eras of Chinese history – about 108 items, demonstrating the glorious history and outstanding achievements of Chinese porcelain art. The items include porcelain vases, bowls, enamel and glazed vessels, bronze incense burners and candlesticks from the 10th -14th cc.

The exhibition comprehensively reveals the art of Chinese porcelain in the ancient city of Jingdezhen, known as the "porcelain capital of the world", which is famous for its rich history and cultural heritage.

The exhibition will run until August 14, 2024.