It was yesterday aired by Roman Vasilenko, the chairman of RK MFA’s committee for international information, at a briefing. The project has three sponsors: Austrian embassy in Kazakhstan, “Austrian airlines” and RK football federation. The quiz game “Vienna – the heart of Europe” is open to every Kazakhstan citizen; the winner will be given 2 round trip air tickets for Astana-Vienna flight and free accommodation at a Vienna hotel from September 6th to 10th. Moreover the winner and his/her accompanying person can attend a football match of Kazakhstan and Austrian teams in Vienna on September 7th.

R.Vasilenko described RK chairmanship in the OSCE as an excellent opportunity for our republic to establish closer contacts with European political, economic and cultural space. Within its international mission Kazakhstan chairmanship focuses on popularization of such values as peacefulness, tolerance and nondiscrimination. Similar ideas are close to the sport: the healthy way of life, fair play, equality of all team members irrespective of their ethnic background, language, race or belief.

-These ideas prompted us to draw attention of Kazakhstanis to the significance of positive interaction between Kazakhstan, Austria and the OSCE, between diplomacy and sport through this quiz game, - the diplomat said.

Why Vienna? This wonderful city hosts the OSCE secretariat and, in a sense, this year it is the closest European capital to us. September 7th it will see the first match of Euro 2012 Qualifying between Austrian and Kazakhstan football teams.

The leading Kazakhstan’s sports and sociopolitical media, internet portals and the site of Kazakhstan’s football federation www.kff.kz offer 15 questions to be answered by August 16th.

-The game is hoped to promote the rapprochement of Kazakhstan and Austria, boost Kazakhstan chairmanship in the OSCE and a healthy way of life, - R.Vasilenko said in conclusion.

Laura Tusupbekova