Kazakhstan has asked the UNESCO World Heritage Centre for a preliminary assessment of a nomination combining the Zharkent Mosque and the Ascension Cathedral. The request was announced by the press service of the Ministry of Culture and Information following a meeting between Minister Arman Kyrykbaev and UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany in Paris, infohub.kz reports.
The nomination is titled "Sacred Wooden Architecture of Zhetisu: Heritage of Intercultural Dialogue and Sustainability." The request was submitted at the initiative of President Qasym-Jomart Toqaev. For now, the process concerns only a preliminary assessment: no decision has been made on inscribing the sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
At the meeting, Kyrykbaev and El-Enany discussed preparations for new nominations and Kazakhstan's continued cooperation with UNESCO. They also addressed the work of the organization's regional office in Almaty and its role in cooperation with Central Asian countries. The minister thanked UNESCO's leadership and secretariat for supporting the celebration of the 100th anniversary of opera singer Yermek Serkebaev, a People's Artist of the USSR. At Kazakhstan's initiative, the singer's centenary was included among the anniversaries to be marked with UNESCO's participation in 2026.
After the meeting, a gala concert titled "Voice of the Era," dedicated to Serkebaev, was held at the organization's headquarters. Among the guests were Lazar Eloundou Assomo, director of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, members of the diplomatic corps, and the singer's family and friends.
"It is a great honor for us to mark Yermek Serkebaev's anniversary at UNESCO headquarters. Yermek Bekmukhamedovich performed in nearly 50 countries, including on stages in France. Tonight's event continues his creative dialogue with an international audience," Kyrykbaev said. He also noted the president's attention to cooperation with UNESCO and to promoting Kazakhstan's cultural heritage.
Works from Kazakh and world opera classics, including pieces from Serkebaev's repertoire, were performed by soloists, the choir and the symphony orchestra of the Abai Kazakh National Opera and Ballet Theatre. The singer's niece, violinist Zhamilya Serkebaeva, also took the stage.
An anniversary concert had earlier been held in Astana. Toqaev sent a congratulatory message to its participants, noting Serkebaev's contribution to the development of Kazakh art.
Earlier, Kursiv reported that five rock mosques in Mangystau had been added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. It was the first inclusion of a Kazakh cultural heritage site on the list in 22 years.