Aida Balayeva, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan, met with Rebecca Fenton, Director of the Smithsonian Institution Festival, and Brian Raphael Falcon, Co-Founder of the Southwest Folklife Alliance.
During the meeting, the parties discussed prospects for expanding Kazakh-American cooperation. Aida Balayeva noted the high level of interaction between Kazakhstan and the Smithsonian Institution and emphasized the importance of its activities in promoting Kazakh culture and national heritage in the United States.
"During his September visit, the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan met with the leadership of the Smithsonian Institution and expressed support for the further development of joint work aimed, in particular, at promoting Kazakh culture and Kazakhstan's cultural heritage internationally," the Deputy Prime Minister said.
Aida Balayeva identified exhibitions of Kazakh artists and traditional craftsmen, joint research in history, music, and fine arts, and the exchange of scientific and educational experience between the two countries as promising areas of cooperation. The Deputy Prime Minister also proposed expanding bilateral cultural exchanges and holding US Culture Days in Kazakhstan. The American side expressed its readiness to introduce the cultural diversity of the United States to Kazakhstani audiences.
The parties paid special attention to the upcoming trip of a Kazakh museum delegation to the United States. It is planned to include the heads of the country's leading museums. The program includes an introduction to the activities of the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Asian Art, an exchange of professional experiences, and a discussion of prospects for joint initiatives.
The parties also discussed the participation of the Kazakh ethno-folklore group HasSak in a festival in Tucson and their concert in Washington, D.C., dedicated to the 250th anniversary of US independence. Special attention was paid to Kazakhstan's preparations for the Smithsonian Folklife Festival 2027, which will showcase the country's traditions, music, crafts, and living cultural heritage. In conclusion, the parties expressed confidence that the meeting would give new impetus to cooperation between Kazakhstan and the Smithsonian Institution and would enable a transition from individual initiatives to the implementation of long-term, systemic projects.