On October 25th, 2022, on the occasion of the Republic Day of Kazakhstan, the essay competition “Let’s discover Kazakhstan” award ceremony was hosted at the Diplomatic Club in Bucharest, Romania, and attended by the organizers, sponsors, and awarded participants. The ceremony debuted with the speeches of Mr. Flavius CABA-MARIA, President of MEPEI, and H.E. Mr. Nurbakh RUSTEMOV, Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to Romania. EuroDefense Romania was represented by Prof. Liviu MUREȘAN.

The project “Let’s discover Kazakhstan”, carried out together by MEPEI and EuroDefense Romania, with the support of the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan to Romania and sponsored by Rompetrol, is an achievement in the bilateral ties, as it assumes a direct process of mutual understanding and awareness.

In the international contemporary context, the aim is to achieve even more results, as a relationship with a strong basis is consolidated. For the future, strengthening trade, investment, and economic relations, in particular by encouraging mutual participation in investments in joint projects and by organizing and attracting companies to business forums in both countries, in order to promote the economic climate and cooperation opportunities, are objectives to strive for.

Thus, to raise awareness about the significance of these bilateral ties, the competition was addressed to Romanian students, from both domestic and foreign universities. As such, the main criteria for evaluating the papers were originality, academic rules, and timely.

Further, a book comprising the majority of the essays will be published, which will be written in both Romanian and English languages, to appeal to a larger audience and to promote knowledge about this important topic.

The listed winners and the titles of the winning papers are as follows, in alphabetical order:

First prize Euro 1000:

• Andrei-Cosmin POPA, PhD student, Faculty of History, University of Bucharest – “The history of the Romanian-Kazakh relations 1992-2022”.

Second prize Euro 500 for each of them:

• Lăcrămioara IVAZ, M.A., Lund University – “International state branding – Kazakhstan’s role in sustaining inter-faith diplomacy”.
• Virginia Maria MILEA, Student, Faculty of Aeronautical Management at the “Henri Coandă” Air Force Academy in Brașov – “Climate Change Challenges in 2022 Kazakhstan”.

Third prize Euro 300 for each of them:

• Andra-Ștefania CHIRIȚĂ, M.A. Intercultural Management, UNESCO Programme, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Bucharest – “Kazakhstan – The road from ethnic identity to national identity”.
• Andrei DODOȚ, Student, Military Technical Academy – “The impact of cryptocurrencies in the digitization process of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Crypto-boom in Kazakhstan. Changing attitude towards mining”.
• Liliana-Maria TIVADAR, M.A., Faculty of History and Philosophy, ‘Babeș-Bolyai’ University of Cluj-Napoca – “New Kazakhstan: The Road to Democracy”.

Special mention (in alphabetical order) – Euro 100 for each of them:

• Vlad ADAMESCU, M.A., European and International Public Policies, London School of Economics and Political Science – “New Kazakhstan and new paths in its foreign policy”.
• Lucian-Florin CRĂCIUN, M.A., University of Bucharest – “The economic-social impact of democracy in Kazakhstan”.
• Raluca CROITORU, M.A. of Geopolitics and Business, Bucharest University of Economic Studies – “New reforms of Kazakhstan that brought the welfare of the population after the expression of the independence”.
• Teofan-Dimitrie DRĂGHICI, Student, National University of Political Studies and Public Administration – “Energy infrastructure of the new Kazakhstan”.
• Marcel-Vlăduț DUMITRAȘCU, M.A. of Diplomacy and Negotiations – “Let’s discover Kazakhstan”.
• Angela GONCEAR, Student, Constanta Maritime University – “The challenges and perspectives in the changing world for The New Kazakhstan”
• Andrei PĂTRANĂ, M.A., Economic Diplomacy, Bucharest University of Economic Studies – “Kazakhstan beyond its neighbours”.
• Constantin ROȘCA, Student, Law School, University of Bucharest – “Kazakhstan: Political and Economic Perspectives in the Past, Present and Future”.
• Theodora-Maria TĂNASE, M.A., National School of Political and Administrative Studies – “A brief look into the history of Kazakhstan: a road with multiple challenges on its way to democracy”.
• Constantin-Teodor VULPE, M.A., “Babeș-Bolyai” University of Cluj-Napoca, National University of Political Studies and Public Administration – “The symbols of new Kazakhstan”.

During this ceremony, winners of the competition were awarded certificates of honour and cash prizes. Therefore, due to the interest of the Romanian youth in the competition, the organizers decided to hold this competition annually.