Initiatives such as the new Literature of the Turkic World project – linking Kazakhstan with Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan – suggest a strategic pivot toward regional literary integration.

Kazakhstan’s National Book Day ceremony has honoured outstanding achievements across the country’s publishing and cultural landscape. The event, part of a broader “Book Decade” initiative, saw Minister Aida Balayeva present awards to leading figures and organisations driving the nation’s literary output.

Among the recipients was Bayan Kabylash founder of the Nomad Culture Foundation, who received a nomination as Best Cultural Figure and was awarded the honorary badge Best in the Field of Culture.

Kabylash, a prominent rights professional and co-organiser of international publishing workshops across Central Asia, has positioned the Nomad Culture Foundation as a key bridge between Kazakh publishing and global markets.

Comics Gain Official Recognition

The ceremony also marked a milestone for graphic literature. A comic book published by Mazmundama Publishing – created by illustrator Aisulu Almasbay in collaboration with NomadInk Agency – secured the Best Comics Book Nomination. This recognition signals growing institutional respect for visual storytelling formats within Kazakhstan’s traditionally text-focused literary culture.

Almasbay, a Kyzylorda-born artist and regular participant at international book fairs including Bologna, has built a reputation for blending Kazakh national motifs with fantasy and children’s comics. Her collaboration with NomadInk – a creative agency specialising in illustrated books – reflects an emerging model of cross-sector partnership in Kazakh publishing.

Mazmundama: A Rising Independent Force

Mazmundama Publishing, founded in 2018, has rapidly become one of Kazakhstan’s most prolific independent houses, with nearly 500 titles in its catalogue and 150 new releases in 2024 alone.

While the house is best known for translating world literature into Kazakh, its expansion into comics demonstrates a diversification strategy aimed at younger readerships.

The publisher’s founder, Shyngys Mukan, has been vocal about the challenges facing the sector, noting that Kazakh-language books must compete with cheaper Russian editions and the dopamine-driven economy of social media.

State support, including the “Reading Nation” presidential concept, has helped expand library modernisation and e-resource access, with online readership growing by 30% to 718,000 users.

The View From The Beach

The awards arrive at a pivotal moment for Kazakh publishing. The country ranked 95th out of 102 nations in the 2024 CEOWorld Book Reading Index, with citizens reading an average of just 2.77 books annually.

However, initiatives such as the new Literature of the Turkic World project – linking Kazakhstan with Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan – suggest a strategic pivot toward regional literary integration.

The recognition of figures like Kabylash and houses like Mazmundama indicates an exciting maturing rights environment.

This post first appeared in the TNPS LinkedIn newsfeed.