The awards ceremony for the winners of the "Ulttyk Kitap" national competition, organized by the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan, took place at the Presidential Center in Astana. The event was part of National Book Day, established at the initiative of Head of State Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.
The ceremony opened with a congratulatory speech by Arman Kyrykbayev, Assistant to the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
"The Head of State consistently pays special attention to promoting a culture of reading in society. As is known, in 2024, at the third meeting of the National Kurultai, the President launched the "Reading Nation" initiative. On his direct instructions, National Book Day was established on April 23 last year," noted Arman Kyrykbayev.
He also announced that in the next two weeks, the Head of State will sign a special decree aimed at broadly promoting a culture of reading and fostering an intellectual nation. The event was also attended by members of Parliament, renowned poets and writers, government and public figures, and library directors.
The "Ulttyk Kitap" national competition aims to support local authors, develop publishing, and promote high-quality Kazakh literature. This year, the competition received 155 applications from 32 publishing houses. Participants submitted works by local authors published within the past two years.
Winners were selected in nine categories, including "Best Children's Book," "Best Comic," "Best Non-Fiction," "Best Detective," "Best Satire," "Best Illustrated Book," "Best Translated Book," "Best Fantasy Book," and "Best Publishing House." A "Book of the Year" award was also selected. Gulmira Amandykova was nominated for her adapted version of Abai Kunanbayuly's edifying words, "Testament to Descendants." All winners received cash prizes.
The "Ulttyk Kitap" competition has become an important platform for recognizing the achievements of domestic authors and publishers, as well as another step in strengthening the culture of reading and increasing public interest in national literature.
The ceremony also included the awarding of the "Mädeniet salasynyã üzdögö" badge and the "Kürmet" certificate of honor to librarians and publishing industry representatives from Kazakhstan's regions.