The Secretariat of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) with the support of Akimats of Akmola Region and Burabay District, the Embassy of Tajikistan in Kazakhstan, as well as Burabay Damu LLP under the Administrative Office of the President of Kazakhstan organized a traditional bicycle tour, which this year was held in the Burabay National Park.
The event was timed to coincide with the World Bicycle Day, announced by the UN General Assembly in order to promote the universality of the bicycle as an affordable, reliable and environmentally friendly mode of transport.
The participants of the bicycle tour were CICA Secretary General Ambassador Kairat Sarybay, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Roman Vassilenko, UN Resident Coordinator for Kazakhstan Ms. Michaela Friberg-Storey, as well as other heads and representatives of diplomatic missions accredited in Kazakhstan, and heads of structural units of the Kazakh MFA.
The CICA bicycle tour was first organized in 2022 on the territory of the Green Belt of Astana and brought together about 100 participants. This year, about 80 cycling enthusiasts took part in the event and were offered two distances – 19 and 38 km of the bike route along Lake Burabay.
At the opening ceremony of the event, Deputy Minister Vassilenko expressed appreciation to the CICA Secretariat and personally to the Secretary General of the Organization, and noted that such events are an excellent opportunity for the international community to unite and become stronger.
Akim Asset Muzdybayev, in turn, noted that the bicycle tour is a vivid example of promoting a healthy lifestyle and the tourist potential of the Burabay Resort.
UN Resident Coordinator Michaela Friberg-Storey stressed the value of bicycles for environmental conservation and added that CICA embodies the commitment of countries to multilateralism, peace, international security and development.
“Sport, in addition to promoting healthy lifestyles, is also a means of strengthening friendship and cooperation not only between athletes but also between peoples and nations around the globe,” said Ambassador of Tajikistan Khairullo Ibodzoda in his speech.
CICA Secretary General Ambassador Kairat Sarybay expressed gratitude to those present for their participation and continued support of the Secretariat’s initiatives to hold cultural and sports events and thanked the co-organizers for their assistance in implementing the idea of holding the bicycle tour in the Burabay National Park. He noted that informal meetings under the CICA flag are becoming an established tradition for the diplomatic corps of Astana and contribute to strengthening confidence and friendly relations.
Ambassador Kairat Sarybay recalled the cultural and sports events already held by the Secretariat and announced that on 19-24 July 2023 Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, with the support of the CICA Secretariat, will organize a hiking tour with the participation of the diplomatic corps from Lake Kolsay to Lake Issyk-Kul. It is expected that the event will strengthen cross-border cooperation between the two Central Asian states and will contribute to the development of tourism and investment opportunities.
The sports event continued with a guided tour to the sights of the national park, organized by the Akimats of Akmola Region and Burabay District.
The CICA Secretariat will continue its activities to promote culture and sports in order to strengthen understanding, cooperation and people-to-people contacts, not only to maintain peace, stability and security but also to achieve the common goals of sustainable development under the environmental and human dimensions.
