Department Administration
General Information
The Department of Culture, Language Development, and Archives of the Abai Region was established on July 18, 2022. The institution is a state body of the Republic of Kazakhstan responsible for the leadership and state support in the fields of culture, preservation and development of the cultural heritage of the region's ethnic groups, protection of historical and cultural monuments, expansion of the socio-communicative and unifying functions of the state language, and preservation of linguistic diversity.
Location: 110 Dostoevsky St., Semey city, Abai Region, Republic of Kazakhstan.
E-mail: madeniet.kense@akimatabai.gov.kz
Leadership
Zhanzhigit Omarkhan — Head of the Department.
Born on April 4, 1988, in the Tarbagatay district of the East Kazakhstan region. He graduated from Shakarim State University (Journalism, Law) and the Kazakh Innovative Humanitarian Law University (State and Local Administration). He holds a Master's degree in Social Sciences from the L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University.
He began his career in 2009 as a correspondent for the "Astana" TV channel. Over the years, he served as a press secretary for the Ministries of Agriculture, Transport, and Industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan, as well as the press secretary for the Akim of the East Kazakhstan region. Prior to this appointment, he headed the press service of the "Baiterek" National Management Holding. He was officially appointed Head of the Department on June 12, 2025.
Key Areas of Activity
- Implementation of state policy in the field of culture;
- Establishment, reorganization, and coordination of state cultural organizations (theaters, circuses, libraries, museums, and archives);
- Organization of regional, national, and international festivals, competitions, and exhibitions;
- Accountability, protection, conservation, and restoration of historical and cultural heritage sites;
- Certification of state cultural organizations within the region;
- Support for talented youth and development of the creative industries;
- Monitoring compliance with language legislation and coordinating the onomastic commission;
- Management, acquisition, and preservation of the National Archive Fund documents.
Structure
Total staff — 24 units (Head — 1, Deputies — 2, Heads of Units — 4, Senior Specialists — 16, Leading Specialist — 1).
| Unit Name | Staff Units | Category |
|---|---|---|
| Leadership | 3 | D-O-1, D-O-2 |
| Culture and Art Unit | 6 | D-O-3, D-O-4, D-O-5 |
| Historical-Cultural Heritage, Archives and Documentation Unit | 5 | D-O-3, D-O-4 |
| Planning, Accounting and State Creative Order Unit | 5 | D-O-3, D-O-4 |
| Language Development and Onomastics Unit | 5 | D-O-3, D-O-4 |
Key Performance Indicators (2024-2025)
| Indicator | 2024 | 2025 | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of cultural objects | 296 | 298 | +2 |
| Major cultural events | 25 | 100+ | +300% |
| Theater performances | 142 | 157 | +15 |
| Theater attendance | 33,100 | 39,564 | +19.5% |
| Library fund | 2.41M | 2.416M | +6k |
| Library readers | 61,200 | 63,532 | +3.8% |
Social Significance & Achievements
The 180th Anniversary of Abai (2025) — The key project of the year. Over 100 events were held, with more than 40,000 participants in the main celebrations.
Achievements: The Abai Theater and "Dariga-ai" youth troupes won Grand Prix at international festivals. In the field of onomastics, 22 streets were renamed, and 22 unnamed streets received new names. To mark the 80th anniversary of Victory, 31 streets were named after WWII veterans.
Achievements and Awards
At the national competition "Advertising - a Reflection of Language Purity," the "Adal as" national products store from Semey city won the Grand Prix for its significant contribution to the development of the state language.
Systematic work is ongoing in the field of onomastics. In accordance with the 2024–2025 Roadmap, 22 streets were renamed, and 22 previously unnamed streets received new names.
Furthermore, in honor of the 80th anniversary of Victory in WWII, two stages of initiatives were implemented to commemorate the names of veterans and Heroes of the Soviet Union:
- First stage: Following approval from the Administration of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, 6 unnamed streets in the Aksuat, Ayagoz, and Kokpekti districts were named after veterans.
- Second stage: 26 veterans' names from Semey city and the Aksuat, Ayagoz, and Urdzhar districts were proposed for commemoration; 25 of these proposals have been successfully approved.