By Aibarshyn Akhmetkali/ Katsuhiro Asagiri
Astana, Kazakhstan (INPS Japan/The Astana Times) — Eight foreign journalists, winners of the ninth annual contest “Kazakhstan through the Eyes of Foreign Media,” were awarded at the Kazakh Foreign Ministry in Astana on Sept. 7. ｜JAPANESE｜
Launched in 2014, the contest celebrates outstanding text and video materials from foreign media outlets globally. The contest, now in its ninth year, has gathered media representatives covering diverse themes about Kazakhstan, from history, culture, and education to tourism, national cuisine, international relations, and Kazakhstan’s investment potential.
Kazakh Deputy Foreign Minister Roman Vassilenko congratulated winners on the occasion.
“I remember when we first launched the ‘Kazakhstan through the Eyes of Foreign Media’ contest in 2014, the excitement was undeniable. Each year, as we read the submissions, we are reminded of how much there is to discover about Kazakhstan. The eight journalists and content creators who have emerged as winners have brought fresh perspectives on our country, covering a wide array of topics ranging from Kazakhstan’s expanding global engagement and development of strategic bilateral relations to our rich cultural heritage in national sports and tourism,” said Vassilenko.
With around 80 journalists from 30 countries, the contest has seen a significant rise in the number of entries compared to previous years, according to him.
“The rise reflects the growing global interests of mass media in Kazakhstan and our expanding role on the world stage. This growing attention is a testament to President Tokayev’s effective foreign policy, which is grounded in the principles of peaceful, balanced and pragmatic diplomacy,” added Vassilenko.
Katsuhiro Asagiri, a Japanese journalist and President of INPS Japan who is an awardee from the Asia-Pacific region, stated that his interest in Kazakhstan stems from two important themes his news agency has been pursuing in collaboration with Soka Gakkai International（SGI） since 2009: (1) the significant role Kazakhstan plays in international nuclear disarmament, and (2) the promotion of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including interfaith dialogue.
“These two themes prompted me to visit Kazakhstan for the first time in August 2016 to cover events related to the commemoration of the closure of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site on the 29th. Since then, except during the COVID-19 period, the Kazakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs and SGI have co-hosted side events related to nuclear disarmament—such as those concerning the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, Humanitarian Aspects of the use of Nuclear Weapons, Nuclear Weapon Free Zones, and the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons—almost every year in Astana, at the United Nations, in Vienna, and other locations. As a result, the number of articles INPS Japan has distributed about Kazakhstan has exceeded 100 in total,” said President Asagiri.
“Through my reports on these two important initiatives, at least 10% of Japanese people have become more aware of the very significant initiative led by Kazakhstan to aim for a world without nuclear weapons, as well as another highly important initiative—the ‘Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions,’ which is held in Astana every three years (the next one is in 2025),” said Asagiri. Soka Gakkai, as one of the largest faith based organizations in Japan has been participating in the congress since 2018.
Egyptian journalist Fatma Badawy won as a representative from the Middle East and Africa region for her article on the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. She expressed gratitude for the recognition.
“I’m so happy and so proud to take this prize today. That’s the first time I took it and that’s the third time I visited Kazakhstan. I publish many articles every day about Kazakhstan,” said Badawy.
Her own fascination with Kazakhstan’s rich history and culture became a source of inspiration for writing about the country.
“I like this country so much. It’s a historic country. I write many articles about tourism here in Kazakhstan, as well as folklore, arts, and culture,” she said.
For Brazilian journalist Milton Atanazio, the day held special significance as it coincided with Brazil’s Independence Day.
“I congratulate Kazakhstan and Brazil for the excellent environment in bilateral relations that grows day by day, strengthening our foreign trade and our diplomatic and bilateral relations,” said Atanazio.
- From Europe: The video report about Kazakhstan on the Italian TV channel Rai by Daniela Bricca was deemed the most outstanding.
- From the CIS and Eurasia: Elena Kosolapova’s report “Middle Corridor: Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan revive the Great Silk Road” on CBC TV Azerbaijan received special attention.
- Kazakh Tourism Nomination: Spanish journalist Yolanda Garcia won with a series of works in “La Voz de Galicia”.
- CICA Nomination: Alexander Gasyuk’s work published in “Rossiyskaya Gazeta” attracted attention.
- New National Sports Nomination: Ermek Aktanov won with a series of issues on the national radio “Birinchi Radio”.
Starting with the awards ceremony on September 7, the awardees visited various parts of Kazakhstan—including Astana, Almaty, and the Mangystau region—from the 7th to the 13th to deepen cultural exchange and understanding of Kazakhstan. Additionally, on the 8th and 9th, they watched the 5th World Nomad Games (International Nomadic Sports Competition), which was held in Astana with 2,500 competitors from 89 countries around the world. At INPS Japan, President Asagiri, who is himself an awardee, accompanied the other awardees and recorded the entire itinerary on video, so we plan to report on the details of each program as they become available.”
INPS Japan/The Astana Times
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