ASU News

The "Open Book" literary competition is dedicated to the memory of the outstanding Adyghe (Circassian) writer, scholar, and public figure  Mukhadin Kandur . The project, aimed at strengthening cultural ties and discovering new names in contemporary literature, was supported by the Presidential Grants Fund. Zarema Stash, a lecturer at the Institute of Law at Adyghe State University, won third place in the Prose category for her short story "Islamey. "

The competition received approximately 70 applications from authors from Russia, Turkey, Jordan, and Israel, working on the theme of Adyghe (Circassian) culture, history, and identity. The jury was chaired by  Svetlana Vasilenko, First Secretary of the Board of the Union of Russian Writers, novelist, and screenwriter .

The project's final events took place in Sochi from November 13 to 16. The winners and runners-up were awarded prizes in the concert hall of the Lazarevsky Center for National Cultures named after K. Mazlumyan.

"I was delighted to receive this prestigious award in such a competition, which has become a platform not only for literary creativity but also for fostering intercultural connections. I am confident that the competition's laureates, who have inherited this carefully preserved cultural heritage, will carry it with dignity throughout their lives and will certainly enhance it," noted Zarema Stash .

The works of the competition winners were published in the collection “The Light of Sincerity and Kindness”.