“A Reading Nation” – A Noble Initiative Bringing Together Knowledge and Spirituality

On October 27, 2026, a cultural and educational book fair entitled “A Reading Nation” was held at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University within the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 4 – “Quality Education”.

During the Third Session of the National Kurultai, the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, emphasized the importance of fostering a reading culture in society, stating: “First and foremost, we must encourage young people to read books. This is how we will become a nation of avid readers.”

In line with the initiative put forward by the Head of State, the cultural and educational event featured publications from domestic publishing houses, including “Qasym Kitap” and “Otbasy Khrestomatiyasy”. The book fair showcased a diverse selection of philosophical, literary, historical, psychological, and spiritual-educational works.

The event was organized with the participation of:

• Mira Baltimova – Candidate of Philological Sciences, Associate Professor;
• Azamat Zhamashev – Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Associate Professor;
• Ramazan Yerkebulanuly – Doctoral student at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University;
• Ilyas Kadyr – Doctoral student at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University.

Held at the university named after the great thinker Abu Nasr Al-Farabi, this meaningful initiative aimed to promote reading culture among young people, enhance their critical and analytical thinking skills, and strengthen their interest in quality education.

The initiative also contributes to the implementation of UN Sustainable Development Goal 4 by promoting quality education, lifelong learning opportunities, and the development of an intellectually empowered society.

Books are the path to wisdom, and education is the foundation of a prosperous future!

A reading nation is a thinking nation. And a thinking nation builds its future on knowledge, wisdom, and spiritual values!