“Children’s literature is future of nation”

Almaty, November 27, 2009 (Khabar) - IV plenum of board of Union of Kazakhstani Writers has been held under such a slogan. The members of the meeting have discussed studying and problems of children's literature. Decisions adopted at the end of the plenum will be sent to the government. According to the writers today few writers work for little children, because of the low fees, many authors have changed the genre. And those who are published, can not boast with a respectable circulation. For example, today's volumes of books for children is less than 2 000 copies.

Sultan Kaliuly, poet:
- 1000 copies of them are distributed free to libraries of the republic. And there are more than 8 thousand libraries in the republic. And one thousand is very little amount for libraries. So the first question is increasing of circulation. We must find ways to settle this issue.

Children's literature is the future of the country, say the writers because book is an integral part of upbringing of young Kazakhstanis.

Nurlan Orazalin, chairman of Union of Kazakhstani Writers:
- Do the levels of works included in the textbooks of literature answer the requirements of social development, public trend of 21 century, or not? This question is put on the agenda of today's plenum.

Kadyr Mirza-Ali, people’s writer of Kazakhstan:
- Situation of children's literature in Kazakhstan is not very good as we lost half our staff for a simple reason - no fees. The writers must earn money and live but children lack books. We say that they do not know the native language, and where they learn their native language if they have no books.

A special resolution has been taken on a number of issues raised at the plenary session. It will be sent to the government soon.