King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium visited Almaty on October 14 during a state visit to Kazakhstan. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.
The royal couple was personally welcomed by the city mayor, Darhan Satybaldy. During the trip, they toured key sites of the city, learning about its cultural and scientific life.
Institute of Nuclear Physics
In the city, the king and queen visited the Institute of Nuclear Physics. There, they were told about the cyclotron from the Belgian company IBA, which is used to produce radioisotopes for medical diagnostics, including the detection of oncological diseases.
Kazakh Horse Traditions
The program also included an introduction to Kazakh horse traditions. The royal couple was shown horses and treated to a performance. In addition, Philippe and Mathilde tried their hand at archery.
Akimat Warnings
Most Almaty residents learned about the visit of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium from the akimat's warnings about possible road closures on October 14.
Notably, on the morning of October 14, the Almaty Museum of Arts announced a temporary change in its schedule, with the museum closed to visitors until 17:00. In the evening, the royal family shared photos from the institution. The museum also hosted a dance performance, Clay Bodies, by artist Ula Sickle. It became part of the Almaty Museum of Arts' collaboration with KANAL-Centre Pompidou in Brussels.
Economic Ties
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Belgium is among the largest investors in Kazakhstan's economy, having invested more than $14.5 billion over 20 years. Belgian companies operate in energy, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and logistics.
Earlier, Kursiv LifeStyle showed where the royal couple visited in Astana. Photos against the backdrop of Baiterek appeared on social media.