Ten Words, One Journey: Italian Official Explores Kazakhstan in New Book

Marco Alberti, Italy's former ambassador to Kazakhstan, has unveiled his new book, "Kazakhstan in 10 Words," in Astana. The publication is a personal narrative reflecting on his years in the country from 2021 to 2024, emphasizing his lived experiences over a purely factual account of Kazakhstan.

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I did not want to write a book about Kazakhstan, but about how I lived in Kazakhstan

Alberti stated that his intention was not to write a book *about* Kazakhstan, but rather *about how he lived* in Kazakhstan. He stressed the importance of experiencing places deeply, distinguishing between a tourist who forgets and a traveler who remembers. This philosophy guides the book's structure, which is built around ten evocative words suggested by his Kazakh friends and colleagues.

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In life, you need to be not just a tourist, but a traveler. A tourist forgets, while a traveler remembers.

Words such as "steppe," "horse," "yurt," "sky," "wind," and "hospitality" serve as thematic anchors. Alberti sought to engage with each concept firsthand, visiting yurts, exploring the steppe, and immersing himself in Kazakh horse culture. He noted that much of the manuscript was written during his extensive travels between Kazakh cities, highlighting the nomadic aspect of his diplomatic life.

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I asked my colleagues and friends to tell me one word about Kazakhstan that characterizes their country. Each of these words I wanted to live here in Kazakhstan.

"For me, the trip to Kazakhstan was like being a nomad because diplomats are nomads in a land of nomads," Alberti remarked. He described the Kazakh steppe not just as a landscape but as a "way of being in nature," cherishing moments of profound darkness and silence rarely found in Europe. The book is intended to allow readers to experience Kazakhstan through his eyes, rather than serving as a conventional guidebook.

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I wrote it on planes between Aktobe and Astana, Astana and Atyrau, and many other cities