ISTC PARTICIPATES IN EUROPE DAYS IN KAZAKHSTAN AND THE EUROPE PROJECTS FAIR

On 31 May 2017 in the framework of the Europe Day celebration a European classical music concert and EU Projects Fair were held in Astana. The annual event aimed to promote European values and to send a message of friendship and cooperation to the numerous friends of Europe in Kazakhstan.

 Ambassador Traian Hristea, Head of the EU Delegation to Kazakhstan, and Kazakhstan Deputy Foreign Minister Roman Vassilenko delivered welcoming speeches.

“This is a significant month”, said Ambassador Hristea in his remarks, “as recently the EU once more extended its support to the International Science and Technology Center based in Astana and ratified its statuary agreement. As a founder of the ISTC, the European Union has provided continued financial support for the Centre to carry out its core mission of ensuring the non-proliferation. Since 1994 we funded over 900 ISTC research projects involving thousands of scientists in the post-Soviet countries.”

The event was attended by high government representatives, members of the diplomatic corps, businessmen and residents of capital city. As visitors entered the splendid new building of the Astana ballet at the foyer they saw a special exhibition introducing the EU funded projects. The images displayed in this exhibition illustrated the EU presence in Kazakhstan in a very convincing and impressive way: from the Erasmus Plus programs of the leading Kazakhstan universities to the EU project on Enhancing Criminal Justice in Kazakhstan or the Green Economy project.

The ISTC team presented EU CBRN CoE Project 53 Strengthening the National Legal Framework and Provision of Specialized Training on Bio-Safety and Bio-Security in Central Asian Countries and P CBRN CoE Project 60 Support to the CBNR Center of Excellence in Eastern and Central Africa in Nuclear Security. Leaflets on the Regional Radiological Emergency Response Exercise “SUNKAR” were also disseminated among interested visitors of the ISTC stand. ( http://www.istc.int/en/p60 )

For more information about Project 53 please see the project’s official website: http://coe-project53.istc.int/en/