Kazakhstan has launched a nationwide reading marathon, "10 Readers of the Year," whose winners will each receive 10 million tenge, the website infohub.kz reports.
According to the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan, participants must read 15 works from the list for their category and then pass a selection process. The winners' names will be announced in spring 2027.
Participation in the project is free. The organizers have prepared a list of 345 works and divided participants into seven categories: schoolchildren, college students, university students, teachers, three-generation family dynasties, civil servants and other citizens. A separate track, "Parasat," has been set up for members of the political and intellectual community.
The marathon will run until March 2027 and will cover 195 districts and 87 cities. After the regional selection round, about 4,000 prize-winners will be chosen, of whom 200 people from 20 regions will advance to the national final.
Finalists will face an in-person interview and a public presentation. They will have to demonstrate knowledge of the books they have read and the ability to analyze literature. A commission will select ten winners, each of whom will be awarded the title "Reader of the Year" and a prize of 10 million tenge.
The awards ceremony will be held on April 23, 2027, National Book Day. Last year the marathon was held as a pilot in three regions. According to the ministry, it drew about 190,000 participants at the time.
Earlier, Kursiv wrote that Kazakhstanis could earn 600,000 tenge by reading books.