Concept Summary

Kazakhstan’s interactive pavilion gave guests the opportunity to experience the country’s past, present and future. Pre-historic rock engravings and Scythian animal motifs in the entrance area documented a thousands of-years-old nomad culture. The pre-show decrypted the heritage of humankind in impressive video, image and sound installations that demonstrated how we are all linked by our DNA. The lower main area featured an atmospheric and multi-sensory installation showcasing the country’s rich natural environments, biodiversity and cultural heritage. Visitors swayed in the wind with the grass on the ‘Great Steppe’, explored sacred sites and artefacts with the help of authentic exhibits and tactile surface installations, examined the land’s rich natural assets in the lab and enjoyed an interactive experience of the country’s flora and fauna. After the excursion into the past it was time to take the staircase to the upper level, past a fascinating lenticular image bridging the ancient and modern worlds. The next exhibition area provided an innovative mixed media presentation of present-day Nur-Sultan city that brought the essence of Eurasia to life in a day-long cycle. In the next ‘Future Now’ area, with its spaceship-like design, visitors got to see a kinetic art installation and an impressive interactive table informing them about the country’s projects and challenges. The highlight and endpoint of the journey was the final Main Show, which introduced visitors to an impressive vision of living in the future. Against the backdrop of an animated flight through space and time as a 270° projection, an acrobat interacted with a robotic arm in a multimedia show.