A Nationwide Poetry Competition «Шабыт берген Алматы!» Launches in Almaty

The competition aims to highlight the historical, cultural, and spiritual significance of Almaty through poetry, encouraging participants to reflect on the city’s past, present, and future, its natural beauty, rich cultural heritage, and contemporary character.

Who can participate

Citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan aged 18 and above are eligible to participate, regardless of their place of residence or occupation.

Competition terms

The competition accepts original poems in Kazakh or Russian dedicated to Almaty. Each participant may submit up to two poems consisting of at least five stanzas. Submitted works must be original, previously unpublished, and must not have received awards in any other literary competitions.

After the submission period closes, all entries will be reviewed by an expert commission and a professional jury comprising distinguished poets, writers, literary scholars, cultural and arts figures, as well as representatives of the public and the media.

Evaluation criteria

• relevance to the competition theme;
• literary and artistic quality;
• originality of the author’s concept;
• richness and expressiveness of language;
• emotional impact on the reader.

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The winners will be announced in September 2026
as part of the Almaty City Day celebrations.

Prize fund

5 Encouragement Awards — 300 000 ₸ each

In addition, the winning and prize-winning poems will be published in a special poetry anthology titled «Шабыт берген Алматы!», and their authors will be invited to the official award ceremony.

The competition will serve as a creative platform for contemporary Kazakhstani poets, helping to discover new literary talents, support gifted authors, contribute to the preservation of the nation’s cultural heritage, promote the development of Kazakh literature, and strengthen Almaty’s image as a city of inspiration, creativity, and culture.