At TURKSOY's theatre festival in Andijan, Turkmenistan's “The White Horse” wins best play on peace and friendship

The 4th TURKSOY International Theatre Festival has ended in Andijan, Uzbekistan, the 2026 Cultural Capital of the Turkic World. Opened on 19 October, it brought together seven companies — about 200 artists — from Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan, judged by six jurors from TURKSOY member countries.

“The White Horse” by Turkmenistan's Main Academic Drama Theatre named after Great Saparmurat Turkmenbashi won the award for Best Play on the Theme of Peace, Humanism and Friendship. It was written by Baba Annanov, People's Artist of Turkmenistan and the USSR and a film director, and staged by Mekan Jumabayev. People's Artists Gulyalek Akmyradova and Mayagul Annayeva play the leads; the play premiered in Ashgabat during the National Turkmen Horse Day celebrations.

The festival's Grand Prix went to Kyrgyzstan's Sultan Ibraimov Osh National Academic Drama Theatre for “A Song of Destiny”.