On first official visit to Kazakhstan, OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Christophe Kamp discusses integration of diversity and multilingual education

OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Christophe Kamp visited Astana and Almaty, Kazakhstan, from 14 to 20 September 2025.

In Astana, the High Commissioner discussed matters related to his mandate with government officials, including Chairman of the Senate Maulen Ashimbayev, Culture and Information Minister Aida Balayeva, Public Education Minister Gani Beisembayev, Deputy Foreign Minister Arman Issetov and Head of the Secretariat of the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan Marat Azilkhanov. The discussions highlighted Kazakhstan's openness to international engagement and its proactive approach to maintaining inter-ethnic harmony and promoting inclusive policies.

In his speech to the VIII Congress of the Leaders of World and Traditional Religions in Astana, chaired by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Kamp said: "Every act of inclusion is an early investment in peace. Youth exchange and the participation of women belonging to minorities are not side projects; they are core infrastructure for security."

The High Commissioner also delivered guest lectures on "Language, Identity and Social Cohesion: The OSCE HCNM Perspective on Integration Policy" at Nazarbayev University in Astana and KIMEP University in Almaty, engaging students and academia in discussions about integration policies within Kazakhstan's diverse society.

Kamp visited Rozybakiev Gymnasium No. 153, a Uyghur school in Almaty, where he met with the principals and staff of Uyghur schools in Almaty, and the Almaty and Zhetysu regions, to discuss experiences and lessons learned from multilingual education in Kazakhstan.

He also met with representatives of the Almaty City Secretariat of the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan and ethnic cultural associations. The High Commissioner commended the Assembly of the People as an exemplary institutional framework for inter-ethnic dialogue, noting its unique role in facilitating engagement between the state and diverse ethnic communities while providing structured channels for minority participation in national discourse.