Al Farabi Kazakh National University (KazNU) has hosted the 21st National Japanese Language Speech Contest in March 2019 attracting almost 100 participants and supporters from all over Kazakhstan. This is a part of KazNU efforts to increase interest not only in learning Japanese Language but also in boosting cultural and academic exchanges with Japan.
This competition is held annually since 1998 and it attracts the best university students from different universities specializing in Japanese studies. The Contest-2019 was organized by KazNU in collaboration with the Kazakhstan Association of Japanese Language Teachers, Embassy of Japan in the Republic of Kazakhstan. Sponsors: Association of Japanese in the Republic of Kazakhstan; Association of Japanese Businessmen in the Republic of Kazakhstan; Kazakhstan-Japan Center for Human Resource Development; Japanese Foundation; with support: 3A network; REGIONS.INC; University of Tsukuba; LLP “New & Rare Resources”; Administration of Kashihara; Sony Electronics; Association “Japanese Terracoy”; and Kazakh-Japanese Silk Road Association (KJSRA).
The competition was attended by students of Gumilev Eurasian National University, Kazakhstan-Japan Center for Human Resource Development, Abylay Khan Kazakh University, Ichikawa Japanese House in Almaty. KazNU was represented by four students of the Department of the Far East, Faculty of Oriental Studies.
In the competition among the fourteen participants, students from KazNU showed strong results. The first place was awarded to a presentation on the topic: “Is it possible to divide people into good and bad?” (Baltabay Sandugash, a third-year student of the Far East department of KazNU), The third place was awarded to a presentation: “The ban on strange names,” (Tapenova Gulden, a third-year student of the Far East Department, KazNU), and the fourth place to the speech: “An Unexpected Compliment” (Basilbek Madi, a third-year student of the Far East Department, KazNU). In addition, a special prize went to Kurmanseit Batyrkhan (a third-year student of the Far East Department, KazNU). Bakytkeldy Saulet (KazNU) won the sympathy of the competition commission with a presentation on the theme: “Missing feelings”.
His Excellency Tatsuhiko Kasai, the Ambassador of Japan to Kazakhstan greeted all participants of the competition and congratulated all winners with the excellent presentations.
Professor Nataliya Yem, the head of Far East Department at KazNU highlighted that the National Japanese Language Speech Contest showed great interest to the Japanese language and culture among students in Kazakhstan.
The photo is courtesy of Rafis Abazov, Ban Ki-Moon Institute for Sustainable Development at KazNU.