“A Nation of Readers”: Students Present The Scent of Wormwood in Comic Book Format

An educational event aimed at fostering a culture of reading and increasing young people's interest in fiction was held at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University as part of the Sustainable Development Programme.

The event was organized by Zhanat Sarsenbay, PhD, Acting Associate Professor of the Department of Kazakh Linguistics named after A. Baitursynuly, Faculty of Philology, and Akkibat Akzhigitova.

During the meeting, students jointly read the novella The Scent of Wormwood by Saiyn Muratbekov and analysed its thematic and artistic content. Particular attention was paid to the harsh realities of the war years, the sorrows of childhood, and the themes of humanity, kindness, compassion, and hope reflected in the work.

The distinctive feature of the event was the students' creative interpretation of the literary work. They adapted the story into a contemporary comic book format, visually recreating its content and key episodes. This activity provided an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the literary text, explore the world of its characters, develop creative skills, and experiment with modern approaches to literary interpretation.

It was especially inspiring to see the students' creativity, intellectual curiosity, and genuine enthusiasm for literature. The fact that young people continue to read books, reflect critically on what they have read, and present literary works in innovative formats gives us confidence in the future of reading culture.

Events organized within the “A Nation of Readers” initiative not only contribute to developing students' reading habits but also strengthen their appreciation of national literary heritage, making reading an integral part of the spiritual and intellectual life of young people.