Aigul Ahmetgaleeva (Mullagalieva) becomes the winner of the contest named after Mahmud Kashgari

Competition of short stories, conducted by the International Organization of Turkic Culture (TURKSOY) and the Union of Writers of Eurasia (Turkey) among the prose writers of the Turkic world, was held in 2014 for the third time. For the first time the competition was held in 2009, the 1000th anniversary of Mahmud of Kashgari, the author of the informative dictionary of Turkic languages "Assembly of Turkic dialects" (Sofa Lugat al-Turk), whose name bears this writer's contest. In 2014, their works submitted for the contest writers from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Iran, Iraq, Kosovo, subjects of Russia - Tatarstan, Bashkortostan, Chuvashia, Dagestan and Crimea.

Awards for winners of the third contest of short stories named after Mahmud Kashgari were awarded December 8, 2014 in Baku, Azerbaijan, at the Song Theatre named after R.Beybutov. Laureate of the first prize became the Kazakh writer Nurgali Orazov, the second prize received a writer from Tatarstan Aigul Ahmetgaleeva (Mullagalieva), the third prize was awarded to Azer Alpai from Azerbaijan. Awards to the winners were presented by Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism of Azerbaijan Vagif Aliyev.

The ceremony was also attended by Secretary General of TURKSOY Dyusen Kaseinov, First Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Turkey Nihat Gul, heads of diplomatic missions in Baku, famous persons from the world of literature and art.

The Secretary-General of TURKSOY Dyusen Kaseinov stressed the importance of the contest, which promotes the growth of writers and encourages their initiatives. He noted that the contest was held in 13 different regions from Macedonia to Yakutia, from the Crimea to Kirkuk. Short stories, having received nominations would be published. "This competition has become not only a great literary festival, which brings us to the spiritual angle, but is also a tribute to the "father of Turkish literature"- Mahmud of Kashgari," said D. K. Kaseinov.

Press Service RT Ministry of Culture with the support of TURKSOY