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Khabar News -
May 1, 2003

The President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev has conducted some meetings in his Almaty residence. He has met with the Prince Karim Aga Khan, scientists and architects

The development organization founded by the imam of Shiite Moslems, His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan in 1967 is one of the largest international private organizations that cooperate with the UN, UN International Drug Control Programme, and the World Bank. Kazakhstan had supported Aga Khan’s idea to establish the University of Central Asia in the Republic. In August 2000 Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Imamat of Ismailits signed a special agreement regarding the school. The Kazakhstani branch of this University is situated in the town of Tekeli. Khan’s organization assigned 15 million dollars for the development of the University. At today’s meeting with President Nursultan Nazarbayev they discussed further development of the University and regional problems.

- We started with the program of extended education – this program is for those people, for specialists who already work, and posses a profession, said Prince Karim Aga Khan, President of Aga Khan’s Development Organization.

His organization also pays much attention to the development of musical art. This dedication was made evident by a visit of well-known cellist Yo Yo Ma to Kazakhstan, which was arranged by the organization. Aga Khan said this was also part of the University’s educational programme. Also the President discussed the questions of education and development of Kazakhstani scientific literature with the scientists Aliya Beisenova and Serik Kirabayev. They discussed the ecologic problems and the foundation of geographical atlases. An architect Shota Valikhanov told the President about the development of Astana’s architecture. He suggested some models of monuments and buildings.