The GLOCAL exhibition has opened at the National Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan to mark United Nations Day. The photo exhibition and multimedia showcase, titled «GLOCAL: Global Goals. Local Lives», was jointly organized by the United Nations in Kazakhstan and the National Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan. It features 30 photographic portraits and video interviews.
The exhibition introduces visitors to the people behind the Sustainable Development Goals and the changes they are bringing to their communities.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, UN Resident Coordinator in Kazakhstan Sarango Radnaragcha said: «The central idea of the exhibition we are opening today is to show how global commitments translate into concrete action at the local level. Sustainable development is not something that can simply be delivered to people as a finished product. We achieve it together with people. On this United Nations Day, let us celebrate not only the ideals that unite us, but also the people who are turning those ideals into reality».
Yerzhan Ashikbayev, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, emphasized the importance of every Sustainable Development Goal.
«Every goal matters, from eradicating poverty to strengthening international cooperation. These goals also encompass urban development, healthcare and environmental protection. All of these factors have a direct impact on the lives of every individual», he said.
The exhibition brings together inspiring stories of people from different generations across Astana, Almaty, Shymkent and Kyzylorda, as well as the Karaganda, Akmola, Turkistan and Mangystau regions. Their stories highlight innovation, perseverance and the drive for change. The youngest participants are just 17 years old. They include a young inventor developing a technology to transform airborne pollutants into pigments for printer cartridges, and an entrepreneur who produces drinking water from atmospheric air using solar energy.
The exhibition also features a range of other compelling stories. Among them is a specialist who helped train more than 5,000 healthcare workers in human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination; a refugee woman from Afghanistan who revived her tailoring business and took part in Eurasian Fashion Week; a craftswoman from the Mangystau region who taught traditional handicrafts to 145 rural residents, including people with disabilities; and a military doctor who served with the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, demonstrating Kazakhstan’s contribution to international peace and security. These achievements illustrate how individual initiative, knowledge, opportunity and collaboration can transform the lives of individuals and entire communities. The people featured in the exhibition also spoke at the opening ceremony, sharing their experiences and perspectives.
The exhibition will run until 4 November 2026.
The name GLOCAL combines the English words «global» and «local».
