Copy of Программа фестиваля 2026

7–8 July 2026
SmartPoint Event Space, Amphitheatre Hall, 2nd floor
280 Baizakov St., Almaty, Kazakhstan

6 JULY 2026. DAY ZERO

Rahat Palace Hotel, Grand Ballroom
29/6 Satpayev St.

18:00 – 18:20

Arrival of participants and welcome from the organisers
18:20 – 19:20

Participant icebreaker. Quiz “Caravan of Knowledge: from A to AI”

Peremena.media (Kazakhstan) and Yido Media (Kyrgyzstan)
19:20 – 20:00

Interviews with festival participants
20:00 – 21:00

Dinner

7 JULY 2026. DAY 1

Disinformation · International cooperation · Safety and security
Hosts: Marat Sadykov, Aisuluu Tekimbayeva
SmartPoint Event Space, Amphitheatre Hall, 2nd floor (280 Baizakov St., Almaty)

08:30 – 09:00

Registration and welcome coffee
09:00 – 09:15

Musical opening of the festival

Kuishi, “Shezhireli Qulaq Kui” project

(traditional Kazakh instrumental music)
09:15 – 09:40

Opening of Day One. Welcome remarks

Vadim Sadonshoev, Director of the CARAVAN project
Aleshka Simkic, Ambassador of the European Union to Kazakhstan
David Dieudonné, Director of Programmes, Internews Europe
09:40 – 10:20

CARAVAN Voices: stories that inspire (Storytelling session)

Medina Samidinova, “Bashta Kyrgyzcha” project (Kyrgyzstan)
Numon Umarov, “Equal Rights” project (Tajikistan)
Olga Goray, “How Are You, Village?” project (Kazakhstan)
Muslimzhon Mirzazhonov, “The Lives of Women Migrants” project (Uzbekistan)

Moderator: Liliya Gaisina, journalist, media expert (Tajikistan)
10:20 – 10:40

Coffee break
10:40 – 12:00

The information environment of Central Asia: where are we in 2026? (Panel discussion)

Argen Baktybek uulu, fact-checker at NEGE media (Kyrgyzstan)
Diya Batenova, editor at Peremena.media, co-author of "Big Break 2.0" (Kazakhstan)
Shahodat Saibnazarova, head of the “Ravzana” NGO (Tajikistan)
Lola Islamova, chair of the board of MJDC (Uzbekistan)
Representative of StratCom EU (Belgium, online)

Moderator: Bella Orynbet – journalist, media trainer (Kazakhstan)
12:00 – 12:10

Interactive audience game “Stand Up If…”
12:10 – 13:10

Central Asia Without Borders: stories of the most successful joint media projects (Lightning talks)

“Third Places” project (Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan)
“Accessible City” project (Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan)
“Fighting HIV Stigma and Disinformation” project (Tajikistan, Uzbekistan)
“Evidence-Based Medicine” project (Tajikistan–Kazakhstan)
“Accessible Law” project (Kazakhstan, Tajikistan)
“By the Rules of Uyat” project (Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan)
“Voices of the Brave” project (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan)

Moderator: Liliya Gaisina, journalist, media expert (Tajikistan)
13:10 – 14:30

Lunch break
14:30 – 15:50

Parallel workshops

Workshop 1. How to create images, video and audio using AI

Marat Sadykov, media expert, multimedia producer, Internews (Kazakhstan). Amphitheatre Hall, SmartPoint, 2nd floor

Workshop 2. What digital security means for a journalist in 2026

Artem Tarasov, digital and physical security expert, Internews (Kyrgyzstan). Freedom Hall, SmartPoint, 2nd floor
15:50 – 16:10

Kahoot: Plus MediaVibe

Yido Media, (Kyrgyzstan)
16:10 – 16:30

Coffee break
16:30 – 17:40

Journalism in wartime: the experience of cooperation between Central Asia and Ukraine (Panel discussion)

Dmitry Lozhnikov, head of “Tandyr Media” (Kyrgyzstan)
Lukpan Akhmedyarov, co-founder of “Prosto Journalistika” (Kazakhstan)
Karlygash Yezhenova, editor-in-chief of Exclusive.kz (Kazakhstan)
Asel Shamilova, journalist and fact-checker at MediaHub (Kyrgyzstan)
Grigory Pyrlik, independent journalist and analyst at the Ukrainian International Strategy Center (Ukraine)

Moderator: Adil Turdukulov, investigative journalist (Kyrgyzstan)
17:40 – 18:00

Reflections on Day One: key ideas and takeaways
19:00 – 21:00

Dinner for participants

8 JULY 2026. DAY 2

Freedom of speech · Media sustainability · The future of media
Hosts: Ismail Karypov, Dina Zhansagimova
SmartPoint Event Space, Amphitheatre Hall, 2nd floor (280 Baizakov St., Almaty)

09:00 – 09:20

Participant registration
09:20 – 09:30

Getting started: Day Two warm-up
09:30 – 10:00

Media in an era of change: developments in Central Asia and Europe’s experience (Expert session)

Dainius Radzevičius, media expert (Lithuania)
Olga Didenko, media lawyer, Internews (Kazakhstan)
10:00 – 11:10

When the space narrows: the future of independent journalism (Panel discussion)

Dainius Radzevičius, media expert (Lithuania)
Gulmira Birzhanova, Legal Media Centre (Kazakhstan)
Begaim Usenova, Media Policy Institute (Kyrgyzstan)
Gulnora Amirshoeva, online outlet “Vecherka” (Tajikistan)
Lola Islamova, chair of the board of MJDC (Uzbekistan)

Moderator: Olga Didenko, media lawyer, Internews (Kazakhstan)
11:10 – 11:30

Coffee break
11:30 – 13:00

Parallel workshops

Workshop 1: AI in journalism: how to hand all the routine over to AI bots and make life easier

Alexey Terekhov, media expert (Lithuania). Amphitheatre Hall, SmartPoint, 2nd floor

Workshop 2: AI in journalism: vibe coding and news automation

Askhat Yerkimbay, media expert, Internews (Kazakhstan). Freedom Hall, SmartPoint, 2nd floor
13:00 – 14:20

Lunch break
14:20 – 14:30

Interactive game “Living Scale”
14:30 – 15:10

Sustainable media in Central Asia: business models that work (Expert session)

Vitaly Volyanyuk, media expert, DigitalBusiness.kz (Kazakhstan)
15:10 – 16:10

Towards sustainable funding models: the experience of CARAVAN projects (Panel discussion)

Karlygash Yezhenova, editor-in-chief of Exclusive.kz (Kazakhstan)
Nurzhamal Dzhanibekova, journalist at Bashta Media (Kyrgyzstan)
Botirzhon Shermukhammad, founder of Migrant.uz (Uzbekistan)
Manizha Anvari, executive director of the “Asia-Plus” media group (Tajikistan)

Moderator: Vitaly Volyanyuk, media expert, DigitalBusiness.kz (Kazakhstan)
16:10 – 16:30

Coffee break
16:30 – 17:10

CARAVAN Voices: stories that inspire (Storytelling session)

Annas Bagdat, “Shezhireli Qulaq Kui” project (Kazakhstan)
Nazira Dzhusupova, “Teksherdim” project (Kyrgyzstan)
Jamshed Marupov, “Ecoheroines” project (Tajikistan)
Saida Sulaimanova, “O‘ylaTekshir” project (Uzbekistan)

Moderator: Marat Sadykov, media expert, multimedia producer, Internews (Kazakhstan)
17:10 – 17:30

Kahoot: A Caravan Trip Through the Festival

Yido Media (Kyrgyzstan)
17:30 – 18:30

Closing of the festival

Lea Tries, Project Manager, European Union
Saida Maniyeva, Regional Programme Manager, Internews
Vadim Sadonshoev, Director of the CARAVAN project
Video presentation
19:30 – 22:00

Gala dinner and the Secret Caravan

“SmArt.Space” Hall, SmartPoint, 1st floor

8 JULY 2026. PARALLEL PROGRAMME
FESTIVAL FILM SCREENINGS

Hosts: Vadim Sadonshoev, Aisuluu Tekimbayeva
“SmArt.Space” Hall, SmartPoint, 1st floor

10:00 – 11:40

Screening and discussion of the documentary film “The Solitary String”

Author: Annas Bagdat, playwright, producer (Kazakhstan)

Duration: 28 minutes
Language – Kazakh (English subtitles)
11:50 – 13:00

Screening and discussion of the documentary film “The Exiled”

Authors: Nazira Darimbet, Leila Saralayeva, independent journalists (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine)

Duration: 34 minutes
Language – Russian
14:30 – 15:30

Screening and discussion of the documentary film “Alatau: Following The Disappearing Glaciers”

Author: Venera Baizhigitova, journalist (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan)

Duration: 38 minutes
Language – Russian (English subtitles)
15:40 – 17:00

Screening and discussion of mini-documentary films about the “third places” of Bishkek and Almaty

Authors: Tynymgul Eshieva, Alesya Nugayeva, Rada Valentina kyzy, Zhanar Shakieva (Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan)

Duration: 60 minutes
Language – Kyrgyz, Kazakh and Russian

Arrival of participants and welcome from the organisers

Participant icebreaker. Quiz “Caravan of Knowledge: from A to AI”

Interviews with festival participants

Dinner

Registration and welcome coffee

Musical opening of the festival

Opening of Day One. Welcome remarks

CARAVAN Voices: stories that inspire (Storytelling session)

Coffee break

The information environment of Central Asia: where are we in 2026? (Panel discussion)

Interactive audience game “Stand Up If…”

Central Asia Without Borders: stories of the most successful joint media projects (Lightning talks)

Lunch break

Parallel workshops

Kahoot: Plus MediaVibe

Coffee break

Journalism in wartime: the experience of cooperation between Central Asia and Ukraine (Panel discussion)

Reflections on Day One: key ideas and takeaways

Dinner for participants

Participant registration

Getting started: Day Two warm-up

Media in an era of change: developments in Central Asia and Europe’s experience (Expert session)

When the space narrows: the future of independent journalism (Panel discussion)

Coffee break

Parallel workshops

Lunch break

Interactive game “Living Scale”

Sustainable media in Central Asia: business models that work (Expert session)

Towards sustainable funding models: the experience of CARAVAN projects (Panel discussion)

Coffee break

CARAVAN Voices: stories that inspire (Storytelling session)

Kahoot: A Caravan Trip Through the Festival

Closing of the festival

Gala dinner and the Secret Caravan

Screening and discussion of the documentary film “The Solitary String”

Screening and discussion of the documentary film “The Exiled”

Screening and discussion of the documentary film “Alatau: Following The Disappearing Glaciers”

Screening and discussion of mini-documentary films about the “third places” of Bishkek and Almaty