“Reading Nation” marathon and KITAP platform enter into a digital partnership

Kazakhstan is expanding the digital capabilities of the national “Reading Nation” marathon, aimed at promoting a culture of reading. To this end, the Public Foundation “Reading Nation” and Bilim Group Ltd. signed a Memorandum of Cooperation.

Under the Memorandum, the digital reading platform KITAP will serve as the digital partner of the “Reading Nation” marathon and support a number of initiatives aimed at expanding project participants’ access to e-books and audiobooks.

The main objective of the cooperation is to combine traditional reading with modern digital technologies, make books available to the people of Kazakhstan in a variety of formats, and contribute to the development of a sustainable reading culture.

“Our goal is to elevate reading from the level of an individual habit to that of a shared cultural value of society. To achieve this, it is important to give readers the opportunity to choose the format that best suits their needs. The partnership with the KITAP platform will strengthen this area of the ‘Reading Nation’ marathon and expand access to e-books and audiobooks,” said Bakytzhan Turlybekov.

As part of the cooperation, marathon participants will have access to e-books, audiobooks and other digital content on the KITAP platform. In addition to reading and listening, the platform provides tools designed to support the state language, including an integrated Kazakh-Russian dictionary that provides translations and definitions of words and expressions directly within the text of a book. An integrated AI chat feature enables users to discuss the material they have read, ask questions about its content, and engage with books more deeply, including for educational purposes.

The personalised recommendation system selects books based on readers’ preferences, while reading statistics help users track their progress and maintain a regular reading habit. The parties are also considering the development of special book selections and digital offerings for project participants.

“Digital technologies open up new opportunities to bring books closer to readers. The integration of the KITAP platform into the ‘Reading Nation’ marathon will enable us to offer readers convenient tools for engaging with e-books and audiobooks and complement the traditional reading experience with modern formats. Our top priority is to make relevant content convenient and accessible to everyone who wants to read,” said Alexander Savchenko.

The “Reading Nation” marathon is a national initiative aimed at promoting a culture of reading in Kazakhstan, fostering sustainable reading habits, and increasing citizens’ interest in books.

According to the parties, combining traditional reading with digital technologies will not only expand readers’ access to books but also create new opportunities for the development of a reading culture in Kazakhstan.