The premiere of the film “The Road to Turkistan” took place in Almaty. Exploring the impact of the Turkistan Marathon, a running event in Turkic ethno-style, the film introduces the phenomenon of running tourism and the transformation of cities through sports events. The film was directed by Kanat Beissekeyev in collaboration with “Courage to be the First” Corporate Fund, an organiser of the largest running event in Central Asia that is the Almaty Marathon.
Running has so captivated people in Kazakhstan that today they run everywhere — from small villages to mid-sized towns and megacities. We see the same situation in Turkistan, the most ancient city of Kazakhstan with a rich cultural heritage, which becomes very popular every year during the autumn Turkistan Marathon. The marathon is organised by “Courage to be the First” Corporate Fund that is the organiser of the largest running event in Central Asia — the Almaty Marathon. On marathon day, the historical city transforms with thousands of runners and spectators arriving from all corners of Kazakhstan and from other countries.
At the heart of the film story is a group of runners who have embarked on a journey with the ultimate goal of running the marathon. Each of them has a unique story of true strength — dream, overcome, never give up. Running has become a path that unites very different people and is capable of changing their destinies. At the same time, we see how Turkistan prepares to welcome tourist-runners, how the fund expands to new cities and even to new countries thanks to the TAN Association. Running is becoming a common language, and the reasons not to run are disappearing.
Galimzhan Yessenov, Chairman of the Board of Trustees at “Courage to be the First” Corporate Fund
“The Road to Turkistan” explores the way the Turkistan Marathon not only brings people to the city but also has a powerful economic impact, helping local entrepreneurs, stimulating tourism and creating a new wave of interest in tourism within the country. The new film introduces organisers, residents, and runners and shows how sport can transform the urban environment and people."
It is worth noting that the film was directed by Kanat Beissekeyev in collaboration with “Courage to be the First” Corporate Fund. Since 2012, the Fund has been holding sporting events for fans of an active lifestyle in Kazakhstan. The Fund’s history began with the organisation of the Almaty Marathon — the largest running event in Central Asia, which grows annually. The Fund’s portfolio of events also includes other runs of various formats; the nearest one — the Almaty Half Marathon — will take place on 20 April.
This is the third film produced by “Courage to be the First” Corporate Fund in collaboration with the renowned Kazakh director. The first joint film "Where Are You All Running To?" unveiled the behind-the-scenes story of Central Asia’s largest running event — the Almaty Marathon. It’s a fascinating story about the people transforming their beloved city into a running capital. And the documentary "Crystal Man" inspired viewers with the strong spirit of athletes with special needs. The main characters — Assiya and other participants with special needs — joined the Astana Half Marathon together with other runners and clearly demonstrated that everyone is capable of overcoming any difficulties.
The film "The Road to Turkistan" will be available for viewing on YouTube.
On March 29, the annual meeting of the winners of the Shakhmardan Yessenov Foundation’s programs took place in Astana. The event brought together 59 talented young individuals from across the country, including winners of the Research Internships, Yessenov Data Lab, Launch Pad, and other programs.
Participants shared inspiring stories, experiences from internships abroad and advice on career development and education. It was exciting to see them finding like-minded people and becoming part of a strong community. The Foundation’s mission is to develop Kazakhstan’s intellectual potential, and we are happy to witness this vision in action.
Over 2024 the Almaty Marathon has grown to become the largest marathon in Central Asia and has effects far beyond the finish line. The event, one of the select few charitable marathons globally, aims not only to promote health and an active lifestyle but also works to tackle broader societal challenges.
Read more about the Almaty Marathon and its impact on the local communities in BNE Intellinews.
In 2024, the seventh edition of the Almaty Half Marathon took place, organised by the team behind the Almaty Marathon. Founded in 2012 by the businessman and philanthropist Galimzhan Yessenov, and the mastermind of the race, Aizhan Yessim, the Almaty Marathon team has since run over 100 mass participatory sporting events, and the Marathon itself has grown to become the largest running event in Central Asia. Approximately 200,000 people have participated in the races over the years, and 8,000 participants took part in this April’s Almaty Half Marathon.
Late April 2024 saw a milestone event for sport in Central Asia as Virtus, the global sporting federation for athletes with an intellectual impairment, brought the 2024 Virtus World Half Marathon and 10K Road races to Almaty, Kazakhstan. 28 Virtus athletes from 8 countries competed in the events.
