Halyk Fund served as an expert source in a Country & Town House publication about Kazakhstan
British lifestyle magazine Country & Town House has published a feature-length original article on contemporary Kazakhstan. The piece was written by British author and journalist Caroline Eden, who has authored several books on Central Asia and specialises in topics such as culture, travel, and regional identity.
The publication focuses on Almaty and Astana as two facets of a changing Kazakhstan: revived Soviet-era historic cafés, contemporary art institutions, new architecture, signature cuisine rooted in pre-Islamic nomadic traditions, as well as Kazakh Riesling from the Assa Valley. The author portrays Kazakhstan as a country in motion and invites readers to view Almaty and Astana as one of the most unusual cultural destinations in Eurasia.
An expert voice on climate
A separate section of the article is dedicated to Astana’s climate and the role of the green belt surrounding the capital in shaping the urban environment. One of the expert contributors consulted by the British author on this topic was Saginbek Shunkeev, a representative of the Halyk Charitable Fund. Halyk Fund was the only charitable organisation from Kazakhstan cited in the publication
“In the past, Astana experienced very strong winds. At that time, the green belt project was launched: trees began to be planted around the city as a buffer zone. Today, climatic conditions have already changed noticeably,” he told Caroline Eden.
The article also presents the results of many years of greening the capital: since the late 1990s, more than 100,000 hectares of forest plantations have been established around Astana, contributing to reduced wind speeds, fewer blizzards, and the development of a more resilient urban ecosystem.
Thus, in the article, the Halyk Fund appears as one of the expert sources on long-term climate resilience and environmental development in Kazakhstan.
“Halyk Ormany”: continuing systematic environmental work
The historic greening programme of the capital is now being continued through the “Halyk Ormany” initiative, which the Halyk Charitable Fund is implementing jointly with the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
The project aims to restore the country’s forest resources and develop long-term environmental initiatives that bring together the state, business, and society. To date, more than 1 million seedlings have been planted across approximately 240 hectares in several regions of Kazakhstan as part of the project.
“It is important for us that international authors are drawing attention not only to Kazakhstan’s tourism image, but also to the long-term environmental initiatives being implemented in the country. Greening and forest restoration projects represent systematic work that has been carried out in Kazakhstan for many years. ‘Halyk Ormany’ continues this tradition, bringing together the state, business, and society around a shared environmental agenda,” the foundation’s director noted.
Read the full article in Country & Town House magazine.
About the publication
Country & Town House has been published since 2007 and is considered one of the well-known British lifestyle and travel magazines. It is also certified under the B Corp standard, awarded to companies that meet high requirements in social and environmental responsibility.
The publication of an in-depth feature on Kazakhstan in such an international outlet is further evidence of growing interest among foreign audiences in the country, its cultural identity, and its environmental initiatives. At the same time, Kazakh institutions are increasingly becoming full participants in the international expert dialogue on sustainable development.
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