On February 2-4, 2022,representatives of Aigine CRC held a meeting with the State Secretary S.S.Kasmambetov, Minister of Culture A.K. Jamankulov and other employees of thisministry.

The purpose of the meetings wasto inform high-ranking officials about the situation with the sacred sites of the country and related complex of traditions andrituals that constitute the intangible cultural heritage (ICH) and underlie thecountry’s cultural self-identification.

Religious radicalization, on theone hand, and mass commercialization, on the other, lead to the destruction ofthe ICH of the peoples of the country.  The experience of the Aigine CRCshows that 7-10 years ago this cultural heritage was widespread throughoutthe country, meanwhile now it is preserved and defended by separate groups of traditionalactivists, leaders and scientists.

We are encouraged by the understandingof the problem identified by the officials. Aigine CIC submitted a draftconcept on the protection of sacred sites and related traditions as an ICH for consideration by theMinistry of Culture, Information, Sports and Youth Policy.