Queen Elizabeth II receives Kyrgyz shyrdak as gift

Bishkek, Nov.21, 2019. /Kabar/. In London, Ambassador of Kyrgyzstan Edil Baisalov presented credentials to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, he himself said in his Facebook account. During the ceremony at Buckingham Palace, Ambassador Baisalov conveyed to Her Majesty the feelings of admiration and warm wishes on behalf of Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov, as well as the Government and the people of Kyrgyzstan. The newly arrived Kyrgyz ambassador also presented a Kyrgyz shyrdak to Elizabeth II as a symbol of the ancient traditions of applied art of the Kyrgyz people. During the audience, Ambassador Baisalov told the British monarch about the current situation in Kyrgyzstan, and expressed the high interest of the Kyrgyz side in giving a new impetus to the development of bilateral relations with Great Britain. Baisalov assured the head of the United Kingdom that he would make every effort in his new post to fully strengthen friendship and cooperation between Kyrgyzstan and Great Britain. Queen Elizabeth II wished the new ambassador success in implementing his plans. The ceremony of presenting credentials to Queen Elizabeth II took place in Buckingham Palace in accordance with the traditions of the British Protocol. At the end of the ceremony, the Embassy hosted a reception at the Royal Society of Arts. A shyrdak is a stitched, and often colourful felt floor-covering, usually handmade in Central Asia. Kazakhs and Kyrgyz alike traditionally make shyrdaks, but especially in Kyrgyzstan, the tradition is still alive, and many of the products are sold to tourists.