Finalists announced for Russian “Reading Region” competition

The finalists in the Russian “Reading Region” competition have been announced.

20 regions have made it through to the final round and will compete to win the title of “Literary Flagship of Russia”: Astrakhan, Volgorod, Kirov, Kostroma, Kursk, Murmansk, Novgorod, Orlovsk, Saratov, Tversk and Ulyanovsk Provinces; Khabarovsk Territory; Moscow and St Petersburg; Nenets Autonomous District; Chuvash, Bashkortostan, Buryatia, Mari El and Sakha (Yakutia) Republics.

To get to this stage of the competition, the regions have had to demonstrate a high level of infrastructure to encourage and support reading and literary traditions, as well as present a range of original literary projects over the last two years.

Kursk Province, for example, introduced special reading tents in parks and the new, easy to use, “QR-library” information system, while Khabarovsk Territory hosted book exhibitions, literature festivals, parades, flashmobs and events with well-known authors and poets.

83 of Russia’s 85 regions took part in the competition, which forms part of the 2015 “Year of Literature” in Russia. The winner will be announced at a special ceremony on 27 November.

Source: Lenta (in Russian)