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single standard for encoding these characters and to spread fonts that have
them around.
The effective language promotion programme gives reason to hope that a
system of government support for Kazakh-language websites will be created
before long. Already, active measures are being taken to promote Web content
in the national language. And there is a whole number of success stories to
inspire further effort.
The national Internet award AWARD.kz (http://www.award.kz), established
in 1999 by an eponymous public association, spotlights the best of Kazakhlanguage
websites, including in specific categories, such as Best Website in
National Language and Best Bilingual Website.
Earlier this year, the public foundation WikiBilim launched a project to raise
the Kazakh profile in Wikipedia (http://kk.wikipedia.org). As of July 2, 2011,
there are 44,702 Kazakh-language entries, submitted by 9,090 contributors,
including 5 with administrator status. The number of corrections totals
321,737. There are plans to hold a nationwide campaign under the motto
“200,000 articles for the country’s 20th independence anniversary.” Further
expansion of Wikipedia’s Kazakh-language content will foster its everyday use,
thus consolidating its role in Kazakhstan and beyond.
The project Kazakh National E-Library (www.kazneb.kz ), run by the National
Research Library in partnership with its smaller counterparts, also seeks to
promote the Kazakh language online. These days, Internet users can have access
to 2,000 complete digitized copies of books in Kazakh, featuring Kazakhstan’s
history, culture, science and literature.
With ICT being one of the most vibrant sectors in Kazakhstan’s modern-day
economy, the number of Internet users in the country is on the rise. In 2011,
for instance, it exceeded 5 million, or 34% of the population. And Kazakhlanguage
Web content is likely to grow further, provided that the government
offers more incentives and public organizations provide their support.
Kazakhstan’s Libraries and Their Role in Creating a Language Environment
Being information and communication centres for their respective communities,
Kazakhstan’s libraries see it as their professional duty to promote the creation
of a tolerant language environment as a factor of national unity.
In their daily work, Kazakh library staffs are guided by UNESCO’s Universal
Declaration on Cultural Diversity, signed in Paris in November 2001, and,
specifically, by its points about “safeguarding the linguistic heritage of
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