В Атырау
-2 
International forum on the occasion of the inauguration of the International Decade of Cultures Rapprochement 2013-2022, which was declared on the initiative of Kazakhstan by the UN General Assembly in December 2012, will be held in Astana on August 23, Kazakhstan's Foreign Ministry press service said on Thursday.
The event will be held in the Palace of Independence in Astana.
"The forum, that is held by Kazakhstan jointly with UNESCO, intends to be a starting point for activation of international community's efforts on developing intercultural dialogue within the framework of International Decade of Cultures Rapprochement," the Ministry reported.
The main purpose of the forum is joining the representatives of international political, academic and business communities, as well as civil society and NGOs to discuss issues, connected with the formation of new global agenda for further development of intercultural dialogue and cultural diversity for peace and sustainability in the framework of International Decade of Cultures Rapprochement.
The heads of international organization and famous personalities, which are members of High Panel on Peace and Dialogue among Cultures, as well as experts on ethics and cross cultural communication, education and cultural heritage from over 30 countries of the world will participate in the event.
In the list of honorary guests of the Forum are Director-General of UNESCO Irina Bokova, , the UN High-Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, the Director General of the ISESCO Abdulaziz Othman Al-Twaijri, the Director General of TURKSOY Dusen Kaseinov, UN Special Rapporteur on the right to education Kishore Sing, secretary general of Latin Culture Academy Candido Mendes, the Nobel Prize in Literature 1986, writer Wole Soyinka, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador and the Chairman of Maimonides Foundation Nasser David Khalili, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador, famous artist and former Ecuador's Minister of Foreign Trade Ivonne A-Baki, Trend reports.
From Kazakhstan the event will be attended by Deputies of Kazakhstan's Parliament, members of Kazakhstan National Commission for UNESCO and ISESKO, and several prominent scientists, workers of culture and art of the country.
Within the framework of the project the ceremony will be held on presenting a special diploma of UNESCO on assigning the Alakol reserve the status of Biosphere Reserve of UNESCO.
Alakol became the second Kazakh reserve, which was included to UNESCO's World Biosphere Reserve Network.