The Ambassador of Kazakhstan: A woman of great experience graces LSC’s campus

2/14/08

By Heather Perkins
Special to the Critic

Kazakhstani Ambassador, Byrganym Aitmova, put her knowledge about her country’s growth out for students and professors alike to hear in the Alexander Twilight Theatre.

The country of Kazakhstan has been independent of Soviet Russia for 16 years now, keeping the same president that had been elected over that time, turning more and more towards a stronger democracy. The country is multinational, multicultural, and multireligious. They respect all religions, but do not support any, and avoid the more aggressive ones, Aitmova said.

“We are like a smart animal, we try to be milked from all the good mothers, so we try to be well partnered in Asia, and of course we’re good a partner, advanced partner in Europe too. It keeps us more movement into our high, high development,” Aitmova said, in regards to the country’s development.

Kazakhstan has relations with countries all around the world, 150 being diplomatic.

When asked about the recent movie “Borat,” Aitmova asked in return how the United States population reacted to the movie. She then responded, “We called it a joke, but no one seen from Kazakhstan. Trust me, believe me.”

Aitmova sent a message back home to her government, urging them to send students to LSC. The country has free higher education, trying to bring in new opportunities for them: education, science, high technologies, striving to be an individual and realize themselves.

“We would like to use alternative sources. We would like to keep our country a green country with a good environment. And you know, three years ago, the president supported the idea to bring all young people to make their country a green country, and millions of trees were planted during these two years.” Everyone wanted to take place in this action, Aitmova said.



Kazakhstan is roughly six times the size of Texas. It is not either pure Asia or pure Europe, Aitmova said. With the country sitting between two giant countries, they share a mix of those around them.

It is one of seven of the biggest oil exporters, as well as having 99 of 105 raw elements from our periodic table in their country. They are fighting terrorism, illegal drugs, and extremist separatism, Aitmova said.

Aitmova is the current Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the United Nations. She started her career as a teacher, speaks a handful of languages, and is married with two children.

“Professor Strokanov showed me,” she said, “I know just without searching that many students, not only in the state, but all over the world, learn and teach, from the books and ideas of lectures from their professors. When I had just one minute to look on the face of your professors, I found they actually had so light a view, so light a presentation of their knowledge. And I am jealous because you are students of this college, not me. And I wish you all the best.”