ECG: Cultural extravaganza enchants Burabay, Kazakhstan

In the splendid setting of Burabay, Kazakhstan, a series of notabl events unfolded between September 25 and 30, 2023. Four significant gatherings, each with its unique cultural and artistic appeal, graced the resort area, making it a cultural epicenter for a diverse array of talents and creativity.

Organized by the British non-profit organization, the Eurasian Creative Guild (London), and buoyed by the support and participation of establishments such as Rixos Borovoe, House by the Lake, Wyndham Garden Burabay, Park Hotel Kokshetau, Park House, as well as the volunteer and technical support from the Higher Pedagogical College of Shchuchinsk, these events have left an indelible mark on the cultural landscape of the region.

The array of festivals encompassed the “III Voices of Friends: Poetry & Art,” the “XII Open Eurasian Literary Festival and Book Forum,” the “Burabay Film Festival of Social Cinema (II BISFF),” and the “Discovery Travel Forum,” an ode to the creative industries in tourism.

This year’s edition witnessed a remarkable gathering of over 60 poets, prose writers, artists, musicians, and filmmakers hailing from 18 different countries. It is, by all accounts, the largest Eurasian Creative Guild festival in the past three years, and potentially the most substantial cultural gathering in the history of the Burabay region. Delegates from across the globe, including representatives from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Great Britain, Poland, Lithuania, Israel, Russia, Finland, Australia, Uzbekistan, USA, Georgia, Bulgaria, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Pakistan, Germany, and Belarus, convened to celebrate culture and creativity.

The festival’s activities kicked off in the city of Schuchinsk at the ECG HORIZONS Burabay creative residence. A spirited introductory meeting was held on Monday, September 25, providing festival participants with an overview of the vibrant events that lay ahead.

Subsequently, the festival’s program unfurled, encompassing over 25 personal presentations, an art exhibition, a captivating art performance, the traditional “Voices of Eurasia” creative marathon, film screenings, and insightful panel discussions with accomplished directors. The official opening ceremony took place at the Rixos Borovoe hotel on September 26, where attendees were treated to the marvels of the art exhibition. ECG Executive Director Taina Kaunis welcomed the guests and introduced the remarkable works of artists Katerina Kudryavtseva and Anastasia Kalinovskaya from Russia. Additionally, the collaboration between writer Andrey Grodzinsky from Uzbekistan and Yulia Ward from the USA was highlighted. A gripping art performance titled “Graphics in one gesture” by Anastasia Kalinovskaya captivated the audience.

During the inauguration, ECG Vice-Chairman Marat Akhmedjanov extended his warm greetings to all participants, setting the stage for an exciting cultural rendezvous. The event also featured addresses from Olesya Baimova, the deputy of the maslikhat of the Burabay region, and Supreme Cossack Yuri Zakharov, Chairman of the international non-governmental organization “World Union of Cossack Atamans.”

Following the opening ceremony, delegates dispersed to venues such as the Lake House and Park Hotel Kokshetau hotels, where the majority of the speakers’ presentations occurred. These establishments served as vibrant hubs of creativity throughout the festival period.

In a week brimming with cultural exchange and artistic celebration, the Eurasian Creative Guild (London) festival in Burabay, Kazakhstan, reached its zenith on September 27, 2023. The festival’s linchpin event, the Voices of Eurasia marathon, unfolded in grandeur at the House by the Lake hotel. Anna Lari, the director of the festivals department and co-founder of ECG, assumed the role of moderator for this captivating affair. Each delegate took the stage, introducing themselves and sharing their creative output with their peers. Colleagues then critically assessed the performances and works, awarding points that would ultimately decide the fate of some competitors.

Following this creative marathon, festival participants gathered at the creative residence ECG HORIZONS Burabay, a moment marked by the ceremonial raising of flags from Great Britain, Kazakhstan, Israel, and, for the first time, Armenia. This tradition, initiated last year, serves as a symbol of international collaboration. The event was punctuated by the unveiling of a new plaque on the Remembrance Wall within the residence. This wall is dedicated to preserving the memory of departed members of the Guild and individuals who significantly influenced their work. This year, a plaque was dedicated in memory of the late Guardian of the Guild, the remarkable writer Torgyn Zholdasbekkyzy. Baktygul Makhanbetova, a literary agent, delivered a heartfelt eulogy in her memory, moving those present to tears.

At the residence, a presentation of the “Elish and Superheroes” project unfolded, a unique endeavour aimed at creating the first comic book museum dedicated to the theme of autism and inclusion. This charitable project is set to become one of the Guild’s flagship initiatives for 2023-2024. The presentation allowed all guests to delve into the future museum’s concept, and some delegates made charitable contributions directly at the event.

The most vibrant day of the festival was September 28th, with a flurry of activity in the first half. The assembly hall of the Higher Pedagogical College in Shchuchinsk hosted the screening of festival films, accompanied by engaging panel discussions with the directors. Renowned British director and illustrator Timur Akhmedjhanov moderated the discussions, offering the audience a unique opportunity to engage with directors such as Soheil Lawn and Carrie-Anne Kendall from Great Britain, along with the winner of the Eurasian Film Festival in London, Kazakh director Zhorabek Musabaev.

Concurrently, the House by the Lake hotel served as the focal point for the Discovery Travel Forum, convening experts in the tourism and creative industries from Poland, Great Britain, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and the USA. This round table discussion on tourism development in the Burabay region, featuring presentations by experts Marina Bashmanova from Kyrgyzstan and Andrew Wachtel from the USA, prompted significant reflection on key aspects of doing business.

In the tranquil setting of Park Hotel Kokshetau, the day drew to a close with final presentations from the speakers and the third annual assembly “Blue Diamonds of Eurasia.” This assembly featured participants from a special edition of OCA Magazine, “OCA People,” which annually publishes interviews with 40 notable figures in the culture and art of Eurasia.

The festival’s culmination and most eagerly anticipated event was the Award Ceremony of the “Voices of Friends: Poetry & Art” festival and competition, alongside the “XII Open Eurasia: Super Cup 2023.” This year, the format was unique, with the best of the best, the finalists from previous years, vying for top honors. The following is a list of the winners.

Winners of the “XII Open Eurasia: Super Cup 2023”

Winners of the “XII Open Eurasia: Super Cup 2023”

1st place – Lusine Aleksanyan (Armenia)  2nd place – Murat Uali (Kazakhstan)

3rd place – Sergey Listvin (Lithuania) and Olga Shpakovich (Russia)

The winners in the “Short Prose” category were:

1st place – Nurlan Toksanov (Kazakhstan)  2nd place – Nina Yagolnitser (Israel)

3rd place – Rimma Ulchina (Israel)

In the “Non-Fiction” category the winners were:

1st place – Marcel Salimov (Russia)

2nd place – Lyudmila Voevodina (Lithuania)

3rd place – Irina Sapir (Israel)

 The winners in the “Children’s Prose” category were:

1st place – Marina Alyasova (Kazakhstan)    2nd place – Lyubov Mosley (USA) and Afsana Lachin (Azerbaijan)   3rd place – Vitaly Lozovich (Russia)  

The winners in the “Translation” category were:

1st place – Bakhtygul Makhanbetova (Kazakhstan)  2nd place – Oleg Kunitsky (Belarus)

3rd place – Yesenzhan Abubakirov (Kyrgyzstan)  

Winners of the “Voices of Friends: Poetry & Art” competition:

In the category “Poetry”:

1st place – Andrey Grodzinsky (Uzbekistan)    2nd place – Elena Makarova (Uzbekistan)

3rd place – Alexander Kazarnovsky (Israel) and Gennady Gorovoy (Israel)  

Winners in the Painting category:

1st place – Sergey Babyakov (Kazakhstan)    2nd place – Anastasia Kalinovskaya (Russia)

3rd place – Raisa Belenkaya (Great Britain) and Larisa Pak (Kyrgyzstan)   

Winners in the Illustration category:

1st place – Andrey Gurgish (Kazakhstan)  2nd place – Oksana Gordiiko (Ukraine)

3rd place – Anton Farutin (Russia) 

Winners in the Photography category: 

1st place – Maria Muchinskaya (Belarus)   2nd place – Tatyana Ivanova (Bulgaria)

3rd place – Maria Priznyakova (Russia)

For attaining the highest number of views on the ECG Youtube channel, the esteemed poetess Elvira Zhusupbekova has earned her place in the anthology “Voices of Friends: Poetry & Art,” securing the Audience Choice Award.

Recognitions weren’t reserved solely for the competition victors; the contributions of the delegates were honoured with medals. In this vein, Azim Akmatov, son of the distinguished Kyrgyz literary figure Kazat Akmatov, graciously presented medals, generously contributed by Askar Aitmatov, son of the renowned luminary of the Eurasian and Kyrgyzstan literary world, Chingiz Aitmatov. This medal was instituted in commemoration of the writer’s 95th birthday.

Medals from the Chingiz Aitmatov Issyk-Kul Forum Foundation were awarded to:

Theatre producer, composer: Warren Wills (Australia)

Journalist and writer:  Kuchkar Narkabilov (Uzbekistan)

Artist and public figure: Natalie Bays (United Kingdom)

And the head of the Polish-British organisation “Poezja London”; Adam Semeniuk, presented medals named after Barbara Yurkowska-Nawrocka:

• Medals named after Barbara Yurkovska-Nawrocka were received by:
• Elena Bezrukova (Kazakhstan)
• Mikhail Kunitsky Belarus)
• Lenar Shaekh (Russia-Republic of Tatarstan)
• Raza Syed (UK)
• Daria Belkina (Kazakhstan)
• Clara Kabylgazina (Kazakhstan)
• Paulina Gable – Kravets (Israel)
• Saltanat Khamzeeva (Kazakhstan)
• Shamsia Zhubatova (Kazakhstan)
• Munaydar Balmolda (Kazakhstan)
• Andrey Grodzinsky (Uzbekistan)
• Anna Lari (Great Britain)
• Temirbek Dzholdobaev (Kyrgyzstan)
• Natalya Korshun (Russia)
• Marcel Salimov (Russia-Republic of Bashkortostan)
• Lara Prodan (USA)
• Olga Egorova (Russia)
• Dilorom Nishanova (USA)
• Aizharkyn Kozhabekova (Kyrgyzstan)
• Asel Ayapova (Kyrgyzstan)
• Vlada Vityazeva (Georgia)
• Indira Laktaeva (USA)
• Marina Bashmanova (Kyrgyzstan)
• Bayangaly Alimzhanov (Kazakhstan)
• Katerina Kudryavtseva (Russia)

Certificates named after Barbara Yurkovska-Nawrocka were received by:

• Tigran Afyan
• Marat Akhmedjhanov
• Sanzhar Dusenov

In a week filled with cultural vibrancy and artistic celebration, the Deputy Akim of Burabay District, Zhangeldy Meiramuly Tulegenov, extended a warm welcome to festival participants in Burabay, Kazakhstan.

In a grand ceremony, Svetlana Yudina and Saltanat Khamzeeva were honoured with inclusion into the highest governing body of ECG, known as the Council of Guardians. Furthermore, Kuralay Avutova, the founder and author of the women’s educational program Inspire, was elevated to the esteemed rank of ambassador. The splendid gala evening concluded on a harmonious note with a musical interlude by Warren Wills.

On September 29th, foreign visitors had the opportunity to immerse themselves in the rich tapestry of Kazakh culture. At the ECG HORIZONS residence, a presentation delving into the world of Kazakh literature was expertly moderated by Baktygul Makhanbetova. There was also a showcase of the public organization “Novis” and the creative community of the Burabay region. A jubilant celebration awaited the guests as Alexander Kazarnovsky, a member of the Council of Guardians from Israel, enchanted all with the vibrant atmosphere of the upcoming Jewish national tradition of Sukkot. In the evening, a gala concert regaled the audience with the artistic talents of journalist, singer, and producer Marina Bashmanova from Kyrgyzstan, composer Warren Wills from Australia, and the vocal and choreographic ensemble “Zvonnitsa-Heritage” from Petropavlovsk.

September 30th marked the grand finale with the closing ceremony of the second international film festival BISFF. The festival culminated with a screening of the film “Heavenly Team” by Belarusian director Vladimir Alenikov at the festival’s partner venue in the village of Burabay, the Wyndham Garden Burabay hotel. The audience not only savoured the film but also appreciated the new venue. Greetings from Krzysztof Pus Zanussi, the legendary figure of Polish cinema and a Cannes Festival winner, along with Ovidio Salazar, a British director and jury member of several international festivals, added to the prestigious aura of the event.

A splendid conclusion to the entire festival was the unveiling of a mural on the Memory Wall of the ECG HORIZONS (Burabay) residence, gracefully executed by the British Ambassador to the Republic of Kazakhstan, Casey Leach. Madam Ambassador underscored the significance of hosting such events and extended her best wishes for future success to the participants. The mural, a collaborative creation by talented British artists Natalie Bays, Charlotte Trover, Kerry-Ann Kendall, and Hannah Davis, ingeniously symbolized the unifying power of Eurasia. It depicted a tea set adorned with national patterns from various countries, encapsulating the shared appreciation for the same night sky that graces us all, regardless of our geographical origins. Each participant, including Madam Ambassador, left their “star” in the mural’s night sky.

The Eurasian Creative Guild (London) extends its gratitude to the festival’s general partners, including Rixos Borovoe, House by the Lake, Wyndham Garden Burabay, Park Hotel Kokshetau, Park House Kokshetau, as well as the Higher Pedagogical College of Shchuchinsk. Special recognition is due to the dedicated volunteer teams of the cities of Shchuchinsk and Burabay, in addition to the Central Asian Book Publishing House.

Over the span of 12 years, the Eurasian Creative Guild (London) has united more than 11,000 participants from 83 countries, solidifying its status as the largest and most esteemed platform for promoting creative talents from Eurasian nations. In 2024, the festival is poised to make its mark in the UK, Israel, Serbia, and Kazakhstan. Stay tuned for updates on our social media channels.