Girls in National Costumes Become Stars of Kazakhstan Pavilion at COP31

At the 31st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31), being held in Antalya, Türkiye, Kazakhstan’s national pavilion is attracting visitors not only with its business programme, but also with a vibrant showcase of the country’s national culture.

Two young women dressed in traditional Kazakh costumes, who welcome visitors to the pavilion, have caused quite a stir among participants of the international climate summit. For the fifth day in a row, conference guests, representatives of foreign delegations and neighbouring pavilions have been stopping to take photos with them. So many people want to capture a memorable photo that queues have even formed outside the Kazakhstan pavilion.

The stars of these numerous photographs are Kazakh students Raikhan Vilyamis and Aizere Makhanbet, who are working as volunteers at the national pavilion.

Raikhan is originally from Almaty. She is currently a second-year master’s student in Antalya, studying Turkish Language and Literature. Aizere is from Uralsk and is a second-year undergraduate student majoring in Political Science and International Relations.

Thanks to the young women, COP31 visitors are not only discovering Kazakhstan’s pavilion but are also showing growing interest in the country’s national culture.

Their traditional attire has become one of the most recognisable features of the pavilion, drawing the attention even of conference participants who are simply passing by.

Kazakhstan’s national pavilion at COP31 showcases the country’s natural heritage, modern environmental projects and technologies of the future. The interactive AI guides Ümit and Amur, portrayed as Turanian tigers, have attracted particular interest. The exhibition also features projects in forest restoration, waste recycling, methane emissions reduction and the development of green energy. Special attention is also given to preserving the ecosystems of the Caspian and Aral Seas, as well as to digital solutions for climate monitoring.

As part of COP31, the Kazakh delegation has signed a number of agreements worth approximately USD 1.2 billion, aimed at developing renewable energy and modernising gas infrastructure. The agreements provide for the construction of wind power plants in the Turkistan and Kostanay regions, as well as the introduction of smart gas metering systems.

A total of 38 events are scheduled to take place at Kazakhstan’s pavilion from 9 to 20 November, focusing on climate finance, carbon market development, the circular economy, green technologies and international cooperation.