Stories
The Safavid Dynasty – Azerbaijani heritage

The Safavid Dynasty – Azerbaijani heritage

The Safavids are often associated in Western minds with the 17th-century architectural wonders of Isfahan, Iran. But their roots were Azerbaijani and throughout their long rule, the language used by their bureaucracy was a form of Azerbaijani Turkish.

Stories
Country Life Vlog: Azerbaijani Cottagecore YouTube Channel’s Popularity Explained

Country Life Vlog: Azerbaijani Cottagecore YouTube Channel’s Popularity Explained

What started as a lowkey cooking video channel at the end of 2019 became the most famous channel showcasing the Azerbaijani countryside and introducing national dishes to the worldwide audience.

Stories
Women’s March in Kazakhstan: Feminists vs the Mayor of Almaty

Women’s March in Kazakhstan: Feminists vs the Mayor of Almaty

Kazakhstani women refuse to be silenced by the government, standing as a quintessential definition of the International Women’s Day.

Country Life Vlog: Azerbaijani Cottagecore YouTube Channel’s Popularity Explained

Country Life Vlog: Azerbaijani Cottagecore YouTube Channel’s Popularity Explained

What started as a lowkey cooking video channel at the end of 2019 became the most famous channel showcasing the Azerbaijani countryside and introducing national dishes to the worldwide audience.

50

Number of wooden mosques in Georgia’s Adjara district

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$150-$300

The fine for graffitiing on administrative buildings in Tbilisi, Georgia

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5000km

The annual journey Omid, the Siberian Crane takes

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16kg

The weight of the Lelo Burti ball

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3200

The number of contenders Azerbaijani film Hadis was chosen from to be shown at 2023 Annecy International Animated Film Festival

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Politics & Economy

Baku Said to Be Preparing to Reopen Tehran Embassy After Attack

After closing following the January 2023 armed attack, Azerbaijan is preparing to reopen its embassy in Tehran, signalling a potential thaw in relations between the two countries.

Politics & Economy

Armenia and Azerbaijan Ponder Return of Non-Enclave Gazakh Villages

Last weekend, Azerbaijan’s Deputy Prime Minister, Shahin Mustafayev, called for the immediate return of those non-enclave villages controlled by Yerevan in the Gazakh region of Azerbaijan. On Tuesday, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan addressed the issue during a live press conference.

Politics & Economy

Georgia: Amid Tension with the West, Tbilisi Makes it Easier for Georgians to Head East

Visa-free travel to China an outgrowth of budding ‘strategic partnership.’

Saiga Steaks: Kazakhstan to Cull Thousands of Once-Endangered Antelope as Numbers Rebound
Central Asia, Stories

Saiga Steaks: Kazakhstan to Cull Thousands of Once-Endangered Antelope as Numbers Rebound

Due to the once-endangered saiga antelope population increasing tenfold, the Kazakh government plans to cull 337,000 to protect farmers from agricultural damage caused by the animal’s grazing habits.

Uzbekistan’s Tourism Villages
Central Asia, Stories

Uzbekistan’s Tourism Villages

Uzbekistan’s tourism village scheme is highlighting best practice in community-based tourism by supporting the rural tourism industry, with one village, Sentob, winning the 2023 UNWTO award for Best Tourism Village.

Are Glamping Yurts Yet Another Cultural Appropriation in The West?
Central Asia, Opinion

Are Glamping Yurts Yet Another Cultural Appropriation in The West?

Traditional housing used among many Central Asian nations today is utilized as an eco-friendly glamping option in the Western world. This is not the first instance when the heritage of the oppressed and underrepresented ethnic groups is used for profit. Yet who is to say what makes it cultural appropriation?

Caspian Region Gets New UNESCO Listings
Caucasus, Central Asia, Culture

Caspian Region Gets New UNESCO Listings

On September 18, Unesco unveiled 27 new World Heritage features including three in the Caspian Region countries, plus the extension of another in Azerbaijan.

How Kazakhstan Is Reviving the Aral Sea that the Soviet Union Destroyed
Central Asia, Stories

How Kazakhstan Is Reviving the Aral Sea that the Soviet Union Destroyed

Kazakhstan is leading the charge in reviving the Aral Sea, which while once a vital ecosystem, now remains a stark reminder of environmental consequences.

In Kazakhstan, the Fight Against Animal Cruelty is Far from Over
Stories

In Kazakhstan, the Fight Against Animal Cruelty is Far from Over

Despite new laws regarding animal abuse, incidents continue to make headlines in Kazakhstan, but what more is being done to prevent these horrific acts of cruelty?

Opinion

The Latest Misogynist Remarks from Kazakh Politicians

As the government in Kazakhstan is reviewing a new bill with harsher sentences and penalties for domestic violence, Kazakh politicians continue to shock the public with their misogyny.

Opinion

Zhana Adamdar: Tokayev’s New People?

The rally against violence organized by the youth movement Zhana Adamdar on 25 November received a lot of backlash from Kazakhstan’s civil society and activists, calling the movement pro-governmental and the rally performative activism.

Opinion

Decolonialism in Kazakhstan: Why Now?

Kazakhstan has been an independent state for almost 32 years. However, never before were its citizens so focused on their own history, traditions, and language. Now, with the rising popularity of the academic term “decolonialism” in the country’s everyday life, Kazakhstan is going through its own metamorphosis.

Kazakhstan: Will The New Amendments to the Law “On Mass Media” Infringe Media Freedom Even More?

Kazakhstan: Will The New Amendments to the Law “On Mass Media” Infringe Media Freedom Even More?

RFE/RL’s lawsuit against the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, a potential ban on foreign media, and discrimination against journalists—Kazakhstani media’s troublesome reality.