The first meeting of the “From Thought to Habit: IQ_STEPS” intellectual marathon, organized by the University Library, was held at our university.

The marathon is being conducted within the framework of the presidential initiative “A Reading Nation Is an Intellectual Nation.”

The main purpose of the marathon is to foster a culture of reading among students, increase their interest in literature, develop their critical thinking and worldview, and turn reading into an everyday habit.

The first meeting of the six-month marathon, which features 12 literary works and 12 steps, was dedicated to the “Words of Edification” by the great Kazakh poet and thinker Abay Kunanbayuly.

During the meeting, the students discussed the main ideas and philosophical concepts expressed in Abay’s “Words of Edification.” The participants explored the poet’s reflections on morality, knowledge, work, character, upbringing, science, and wisdom, analyzing the meaning and significance of each word.

The relevance of the issues raised by Abay to contemporary society was also highlighted during the discussion. By relating the poet’s instructive ideas to modern life, the students shared their own views and opinions.

In the future, other thought-provoking literary works will be discussed as part of the marathon, allowing participants to explore their content and key themes in greater depth.