The Minister of Culture of Kyrgyzstan discussed bilateral cooperation with representatives of the Austrian government

Mirbek Mambetaliev, the Minister of Culture of Kyrgyzstan, held a meeting with Zepp Shellhorn, the Secretary of State of the Federal Ministry of Europe and International Affairs of Austria, as well as with representatives of the Austrian Department of Cultural Policy.

According to information provided by the press service of the Ministry of Culture, the interlocutors emphasized that, despite the active development of cooperation in the fields of economy and technology, cultural and humanitarian ties remain key in bilateral relations. An important topic of discussion was the results of the official visit of the President of Kyrgyzstan, Sadyr Japarov, to Austria, which took place in November 2024.

During the meeting, emphasis was placed on youth policy, considering that youth makes up more than a third of the population of Kyrgyzstan. This prompted the Kyrgyz side to express interest in the Austrian experience in engaging youth, developing volunteering, and informal education, as well as establishing direct connections between youth organizations of the two countries.

The parties expressed their readiness to expand practical cooperation, including joint cultural and youth initiatives. The possibility of signing cooperation agreements in areas managed by the ministry was also discussed.

The minister noted the importance of preserving and promoting the intangible cultural heritage associated with the World Nomad Games and invited the Austrian delegation to participate in the VI World Nomad Games, scheduled to take place from August 31 to September 6, 2026, on the shores of Lake Issyk-Kul.

In addition, gratitude was expressed to the Austrian side for their support in organizing the "Turkic Week" taking place in Vienna. At the conclusion of the meeting, both sides confirmed their readiness to further strengthen the cultural and humanitarian dialogue and exchanged commemorative gifts.