AWARD CEREMONY OF THE GRAFFITI FESTIVAL HELD AT AMANZHOLOV UNIVERSITY

Today, at Sarsen Amanzholov East Kazakhstan University, the award ceremony for the youth graffiti festival took place. The event was initiated by the regional prosecutor’s office with the support of community activists, entrepreneurs, and local government authorities.

The festival, held on October 30, 2025, transformed city walls into a living canvas filled with meaning and energy. The participants’ works were more than street art elements — they reflected young people’s perspective on social values, legal culture, and modern life. Each graffiti served as a manifesto of a generation seeking to express an active civic position through creativity.

The works were judged by a professional panel, including Gulnar Bekberdinova, member of the Union of Artists of the Republic of Kazakhstan; an art teacher from the “Zhuldyz” Children’s School of Arts in East Kazakhstan; Elena Mashkina, art teacher and member of the International Union of Art Educators in Kazakhstan; and Oksana Artimenko, art teacher at the “Zhuldyz” Children’s School of Arts in Ust-Kamenogorsk.

During the ceremony, the Commissioner for Children’s Rights, Oksana Kalenova, noted that the competition was not just an artistic event but also an important social message:

“Thanks to the active involvement of teachers and students of Sarsen Amanzholov East Kazakhstan University, projects aimed at protecting the rights of children and youth, promoting a healthy lifestyle, and preventing negative phenomena such as drug addiction and gambling are successfully implemented in the region. Today we saw how young people used the power of art to say, ‘We choose life!’ Their works show that youth care about what is happening around them and are ready to speak about important social issues through creativity,” she emphasized.

The Deputy Prosecutor of East Kazakhstan Region, Erlan Bulanbaev, also addressed the participants, stating that the festival became a new form of dialogue between the state and youth:

“We decided to engage young people through a creative platform, using the language of modern culture. Initially, we expected modest results, but within just a few days, we saw the sincere interest and participation of those who care about the future of our society,” he said.

As a result of the competition, first-year students of the Sarsen Amanzholov College, Zulfiya Vakhitova and Roman Ivanov, were awarded certificates of appreciation for active participation. Ayazhan Serikova and Sauykh Orazai were named winners in the “Best Social Message” category.

The graffiti festival became not only a platform for creative expression but also an important step in developing youth civic responsibility, combining art, social values, and the idea of social partnership.