Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the President of Kazakhstan, took part in the opening ceremony of the forum of twin cities of the capital, “25th anniversary of Astana. New perspectives. New opportunities.”, Turanews.kz reports.
In his speech, Tokayev expressed his gratitude to the mayors of twin cities and guests from different countries who arrived in the capital of Kazakhstan. He stressed that this year Astana is celebrating a significant date – its 25th anniversary.
Tokayev said that the initiative of the First President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, to move the capital from Almaty to Astana has turned into a new national idea. He said that it is important to adequately and fairly assess the contribution of Nazarbayev to the development of Kazakhstan.
Tokayev said that the young capital gave a powerful impetus to the prosperity of Independent Kazakhstan, opened the way to renewal and revival. He said that a number of major events have been held in Astana, including the EXPO 2017 world exhibition.
Tokayev emphasized that today Astana serves as a platform for interreligious dialogue and spiritual diplomacy, and that there is every reason to call the capital the cradle of unity and prosperity. He said that this is where the most important decisions are made, and he expressed confidence that this would continue in the future.
The forum of twin cities of the capital is a valuable opportunity for mayors and other officials from sister cities to share ideas and learn from each other. It is also an opportunity to promote Kazakhstan as a destination for investment and tourism.
