ArmInfo reporter Marianna Mkrtchyan winner of `Tourism` category of  Kazakh MFA contest 

ArmInfo.Over 100 media representatives and bloggers from over 30 countries  participated in the 10th anniversary competition of the Ministry of  Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, "Kazakhstan through the Eyes of  Foreign Media."

Following a review of the competition entries, the jury selected  ArmInfo correspondent Marianna Mkrtchyan's essay, "Burabay National  Park - Contemplating Beauty in Harmony with Oneself," as the best in  the "Tourism" category (https://arminfo.info/full_news.php?id=86091).

Regarding such a high rating from the professional jury, Marianna  Mkrtchyan said that this was her first time participating in  competitions of this level, and that winning in the tourism category  was a pleasant surprise. "Competitions like these provide an  opportunity to test your abilities and, if possible, discover the  country in a new way." "And Kazakhstan is attractive to me primarily  because it's never the same. Every trip is a discovery of a new side  of this country," she noted.

According to the press service of the Kazakh Ministry of Foreign  Affairs, this competition recognizes the achievements of foreign  journalists who have contributed to the creative delivery of reliable  and objective information about Kazakhstan to a broad international  audience. This serves as one component of actively encouraging  international public interest in Kazakhstan's current development  trends, promoting its rich natural and cultural heritage and  revealing the region's potential and appeal to foreign investors and  tourists from around the world.

To deepen cultural interaction and foster a closer acquaintance with  the country, the winners in each category will be awarded a trip to  Kazakhstan, visiting the cities of Astana, Almaty, Shymkent, and the  Turkestan region, where they will be introduced to the country's rich  cultural and historical heritage. In addition to the proposed  program, the competition laureates will be given the opportunity to  experience the spirit of the steppe nomadic civilization and  participate in exclusive interviews with representatives of the  public sector, Kazakh experts and journalists, as well as Kazakhstani  scientists and cultural figures.

This year's competition winners also include Muhammad Ali Pasha  (Pakistan) in the "Digitalization" category; Derya Soysal (Belgium)  in the "Economy" category; Arukhan Akpanbetova (Uzbekistan) in the  "Culture, History, and Traditions of the Kazakh People" category; and  Matt Fitzgerald (USA) in the "Sports" category.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan has been holding this  competition since 2014. This year, the competition's partners were  JSC National Company Kazakh Tourism, JSC Otandastar Fund, Astana  International Financial Center (AIFC), Astana Hub, and Verny Capital  LLP.