From the 5th to 9th of October, the IV International student theatre festival was held in the city of Turkestan (Kazakhstan), organised by the International organisation of turkic culture (TURKSOY) with the support of the International Kazakh-Turkish university named after Hoja Ahmet Yasawy.
On stage, student creative groups from Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Türkiye presented productions exploring national heritage, traditions, and modernity. The work of the teams was evaluated by a competent jury, which included outstanding cultural figures from the participating countries. People's artist of Turkmenistan Ashyrmyrat Gurbanov also took part in the jury.
Welcoming the participants at the opening ceremony, TURKSOY General secretary Sultan Rayev noted:
«The common theatrical language you speak on stage will become the common language of the culture of our tomorrow. Theatre is a compassionate storytelling between people, a healing the hearts of each other through the stories we tell on stage. Every step you take strengthens the bonds of brotherhood between the Turkic peoples».
Students from the theatre arts department of the Turkmen state institute of culture performed the play «Bedew sarpasy», which tells the story of the legendary Ahal-teke horses. The production is based on the books of Hero-Arkadag «Atda wepa-da bar, sapa-da» and «Türkmeniň döwletlilik ýörelgesi». The dramaturgical basis was prepared by university student Shageldi Salyhov, and the director was teacher Merdan Handurdyyev.
Imbued with deep respect for national roots and seyis traditions, the production by representatives of Turkmenistan was awarded in the category «Best theatrical embodiment of a national theme».
The creative group received the International Festival Cup, the Certificate of Honour from the General secretariat of TURKSOY and the International Kazakh-Turkish university named after Hoja Ahmet Yasawy, as well as a Letter of Thanks from the Akimat of the city of Turkestan.
For the young artists, the victory and the high praise for their work became a powerful incentive for new creative achievements and the further popularisation of the traditions of the Turkmen people and their «heavenly» horses.
