The "Reading Nation" National Marathon has attracted over 100,000 participants within just five days of the registration launch. Enrollment on the marathon's official platform commenced on September 2, 2026; current registration figures already account for more than 10% of the target benchmark established by the organizers.
The highest level of engagement was recorded in the Aktobe region, where 44,000 people joined the initiative. This is followed by the Zhetysu region with 16,000 participants and the W Kazakhstan region with 10,000.
Seven strategic streams of the marathon
The marathon is organized into seven distinct streams designed to engage various demographic cohorts, professional groups, and communities. The "Reading School" track secured the highest participation with 51,148 registrants, followed by the "Reading Educator" category with 23,435 participants.
The "Reading College" stream has garnered 11,061 participants, "Reading Intellectual" attracted 8,332, and "Reading University" reached 4,692 registrations. The "Reading Civil Servant" track has united 3,181 participants, while the most specialized category, "Reading Dynasty," comprises 1,716 individuals.
Statements from the organizers
Ayan Sakoshev, Executive Director of the "Reading Nation" Public Foundation, noted that the high initial engagement is of particular strategic importance to the organizers. According to Mr. Sakoshev, these figures represent a broad spectrum of society, including primary and secondary students, educators, families, university students, civil servants, and active readers from various professional fields.
Mr. Sakoshev emphasized that the interest in reading serves as a unifying factor across different generations and regions of Kazakhstan. He added that the organizing committee continues to monitor high levels of regional activity and anticipates a further influx of participants during the remaining days of the registration period.
Registration for the marathon will remain open till September 15, 2026. This initiative is designed to promote reading as a fundamental component of education, intellectual development, and the cultivation of a modern cultural environment.
The organizers invite students, educators, civil servants, families, and all stakeholders who share the values of literacy and lifelong learning to join the marathon before the registration period concludes.
