To mark the 70th anniversary of Rakhymzhan Otarbayev, Honoured Figure of Kazakhstan, recipient of the Order of Parasat, prominent writer and playwright, the Rakhymzhan Otarbayev Ruhaniyat Foundation is organising a student competition titled “Rakhymzhan Otarbayev: An Artist of Spirit and Word.”
The competition will feature an essay contest and expressive reading competition based on the works of Rakhymzhan Otarbayev.
1. General Provisions
1.1. These Regulations establish the purpose, objectives, procedure and requirements for determining the winners of the student essay and expressive reading competition “Rakhymzhan Otarbayev: An Artist of Spirit and Word,” dedicated to the 70th anniversary of Honoured Figure of Kazakhstan, recipient of the Order of Parasat, prominent writer and playwright Rakhymzhan Otarbayev.
1.2. The competition is organised by the Rakhymzhan Otarbayev Ruhaniyat Foundation.
1.3. The competition is open to first- to fourth-year students of the Department of Journalism and Religious Studies of the Faculty of Humanities and Arts and the Faculty of Multilingual Education of Kh. Dosmukhamedov Atyrau University.
1.4. The working language of the competition is Kazakh.
1.5. Participation in the competition is free of charge and voluntary.
1.6. The competition consists of two rounds.
2. Purpose and Objectives of the Competition
2.1. The main purpose of the competition is to promote Rakhymzhan Otarbayev’s life and creative legacy among young people, and to explore the national spirit, moral values and social issues reflected in his works from the perspective of students.
2.2. The objectives of the competition are to:
* familiarise students with Rakhymzhan Otarbayev’s literary and dramatic legacy;
* increase students’ interest in fiction and literature;
* develop young people’s creative and critical thinking skills;
* identify and support talented students with strong creative abilities;
* develop students’ skills in expressing their ideas in a coherent, literate and artistic manner.
3. Competition Rounds
Round I. Essay Writing
Participants must choose one of the following topics:
1. “Ntional Identity in the Works of Rakhymzhan Otarbayev”
2. “The Fate of One’s Native Land in the Works of Rakhymzhan Otarbayev”
3. “A Writer Who Celebrated the National Spirit”
4. “The World of Rakhymzhan Otarbayev as I See It”
5. “The Works of Rakhymzhan Otarbayev and Contemporary Society”
Essay Requirements
1. The content of the essay must fully correspond to the selected topic.
2. The essay must be 700–800 words in length or 2.5–3 pages typed on a computer with 1.5 line spacing.
3. Formatting requirements:
* Microsoft Word format (.doc);
* paper size – A4;
* font – Times New Roman;
* font size – 14 pt;
* line spacing – 1.5;
* justified text alignment;
* margins – 2 cm on all sides;
* paragraph indentation – 1.25 cm.
4. The first page must include the essay title, participant’s full name, educational institution, field of study, year of study, contact telephone number and email address.
5. Works containing signs of plagiarism or failing to meet the technical requirements will not be admitted to the competition.
6. Works that meet the requirements will be submitted to the judging panel for review.
7. The winner of Round I will be determined by the decision of the judging panel. Participants selected following Round I will advance to Round II.
Round II. Expressive Reading of Rakhymzhan Otarbayev’s Works
As part of the second round, each participant must perform an excerpt of their choice from a prose or dramatic work by Rakhymzhan Otarbayev.
The performance must last 2–3 minutes, and participants must memorise the selected text.
The judging panel will evaluate participants on a 10-point scale, paying particular attention to:
* mastery of expressive literary reading;
* voice modulation and language proficiency;
* ability to interpret the literary text;
* stage presence and conduct;
* stage attire and overall appearance.
4. Participation Procedure
4.1. Each participant may submit only one essay.
4.2. The competition entry must be based on the participant’s own opinions and conclusions, comply with the principles of academic integrity, and be supported by specific examples, excerpts from literary works or reliable sources.
4.3. The essay should incorporate original ideas, an unconventional perspective, figurative language, artistic detail and elements of storytelling, while connecting the ideas of the literary work with issues of contemporary society.
4.4. Participants may submit the following documents:
* an application to participate in the competition;
* an electronic copy of the essay;
* documentation confirming student status.
5. Submission of Creative Works
Submission of applications and competition materials:
16–22 September 2026
Announcement of Round I results:
23 September 2026
Round II:
24 September 2026, 09:00–12:30
Rakhymzhan Otarbayev Classroom
Final results:
24 September 2026, 15:00
Rakhymzhan Otarbayev Classroom
6. Competition Prizes
The winners determined by the decision of the judging panel will receive the following awards:
Grand Prize – a certificate covering 100% of one year’s tuition fee, provided by the Rakhymzhan Otarbayev Ruhaniyat Foundation.
1st, 2nd and 3rd places – diplomas.
Applications to participate in the competition and electronic copies of essays should be sent to Zhurnalistika25@mail.ru with the subject line “Rakhymzhan Otarbayev – 70.”
Contact numbers:
+7 702 330 69 01
+7 708 236 45 88