Following the publication of “Mille Meraviglie” in Kazakh, the Italian Embassy in Astana and the Italian Cultural Institute in Almaty supported the publication of “Marco Polo”, also in Kazakh, by the publishing house Steppe & World, a book translated directly from Italian by a team of translators selected by the Cultural Institute. Both volumes are part of a multi-year programme conceived together with the publisher Steppe & World. The idea is to systematically support our children’s literature, starting with the project of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation dedicated to the famous character Geronimo Stilton, which has been enthusiastically received in Kazakhstan.
Geronimo Stilton was present in several foreign languages, including Kazakh, at the Turin International Book Fair, where the Italian Foreign Ministry had set up its own pavilion at the instigation of the Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Antonio Tajani. In fact, publishing is Italy’s leading creative industry.
As chosen to celebrate the seventh centenary of the explorer’s death, “Marco Polo” was presented on 14 September by Italian Cultural Institute Director Edoardo Crisafulli and publisher Raisa Sairan Kadyr at the KITAB Festival in Almaty, a book festival that takes place every year outdoors. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the KITAB Festival, which boasts the following numbers: around 50,000 participants; presentation of 50 books; participation of around 70 publishing houses. At the Steppe & World stand, both volumes published with the support of the Italian Foreign Ministry were on sale, copies of which were sold out.
Steppe & World, founded in 2019, is a publishing house that also collaborates with the Goethe Institute and the Alliance, both of which are present in Almaty. Its mission is to expand the catalogue of Kazakh language books as much as possible. Presentations of both volumes in various Kazakh schools are planned in the coming months. The Italian Cultural Institute in Almaty has also negotiated with the MELOMAN bookshop chain (six branches in Almaty) to set up an Italian corner, with translated Italian books.
