The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan hosted a solemn award ceremony for the winners of the 9th annual international contest “Kazakhstan Through the Eyes of Foreign Media”, DKnews.kz reports
This year, the jury recognized the works of journalists from Azerbaijan, Brazil, Egypt, Spain, Italy, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Japan as the best in various categories.
As part of the selection process, 80 submissions from 30 countries were considered, exceeding last year’s number of entries. In their works, the winners Elena Kosolapova (Azerbaijan), Milton Atanazio (Brazil), Fatma Badawy (Egypt), Yolanda Garcia (Spain), Daniela Bricca (Italy), Ermek Aktanov (Kyrgyzstan), Ravichandran Rajamanickam (Malaysia, 2023 winner), Alexandr Gasyuk (Russia), and Katsuhiro Asagiri (Japan) highlighted various aspects of our country, including foreign policy, investment potential, culture, and tourism.
The ceremony was attended by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Roman Vassilenko, along with co-organizers and media partner of the competition including President of Kazakhstan’s Chief Editors Club Bibigul Jexenbay, President of the Association of National Sports Islambek Salzhanov, Chairman of the Board of JSC “National Company “Kazakh Tourism” Kairat Sadvakassov, representatives of the national TV channel “Jibek Joly” and CICA, as well as the diplomatic corps.
In his welcoming remarks, Deputy Minister Vassilenko congratulated the laureates of the competition, noting the high level of all the submitted works, and the constantly growing number of applications from journalists worldwide, which indicates an increasing interest of the foreign media community in Kazakhstan.
“The timing of the trip to Kazakhstan aptly coincided with the long-awaited event of the year – the 5th World Nomad Games (WNG), aimed at popularizing nomadic culture and traditional sports, strengthening cultural and humanitarian ties, and showcasing Kazakhstan’s tourism potential on the global stage,” said the Deputy Minister.
Bibigul Jexenbay mentioned that the activity of journalists in providing full-fledged objective information is very important, adding that the materials published in foreign media about Kazakhstan contribute to promoting our country in various areas and attracting tourists.
Islambek Salzhanov emphasized that this year, on the eve of the Games, the contest has a special nomination dedicated to national sports. “With the support of the Head of State, the sphere of national sports has been dynamically developing in recent years. An example of this is the hosting of the Games in Astana, which starts tomorrow. The Nomad Games have aroused great interest in the media, which gives a new impetus to the popularization of nomadic culture and traditions both in Kazakhstan and around the world,” he said.
Commenting on the Games in Kazakhstan Sadvakassov noted: “It’s fascinating to see how international audiences view this event – not just as a sports competition, but as a platform for disciplines that could potentially be included in the Olympic Games in the future. In this regard, we must engage more young people in our national traditions, ensuring that our rich nomadic culture resonates far and wide.”
In turn, the contest winners and representatives of the foreign diplomatic corps expressed their gratitude to the organizers for the warm welcome and shared their impressions of Kazakhstan, noting that this event contributes to the rapprochement of cultures and peoples.
The Ambassador of Spain to Kazakhstan Luis Francisco Martinez Montes expressed his admiration for the transformation of Astana and the changes that have taken place in the capital in a short period of time, wishing further success in the development of Kazakhstan.
To enhance cultural interaction and get to know the country better, the winners of the contest were assisted in organizing visits to key cultural and historical sites in Astana, Almaty, and the Mangystau region, as well as meetings with representatives of Kazakh society and experts in culture and tourism.
This annual competition held among foreign journalists helps to increase foreign public interest in the current trends of our country’s development, popularize the rich natural and cultural heritage, reveal the potential and increase the attractiveness of Kazakhstan for foreign investors and tourists from around the world.
