Culture
A book about the great Turkmen poet Dovletmammet Azadi was presented in Ankara
07.11.2025On 6 November, the TURKSOY General Secretariat building in Ankara hosted the presentation of the Turkish-language book ‘Wagzy-Azat’ (‘Advice from Azadi’), dedicated to the 330th anniversary of the birth of Turkmen thinker and poet Dovletmammet Azadi. This was reported by the news agency ‘Turkmenistan: Golden age’. The event was held as part of Turkmen Literature and Creativity Week in Turkey, organised by the Embassy of Turkmenistan in cooperation with TURKSOY. The presentation was attended by diplomats, representatives of Turkish ministries, writers, public figures, the Turkmen diaspora, students and the media. The book, prepared by Dr Soner Saglam, is dedicated to the life and work of the great poet and philosopher and contributes to the promotion of Turkmenistan's cultural heritage in the Turkic world. Participants in the event noted that Azadi's work is an important part of the common Turkic spiritual culture and strengthens friendship between peoples with common historical roots. The presentation took place in a solemn atmosphere, demonstrating the successful cultural cooperation between Turkmenistan and TURKSOY.
Turkmen books added to the collection of the Nation’s Library of Turkey
07.11.2025On 5 November, a ceremony was held in Ankara to transfer books by the President of Turkmenistan, Serdar Berdimuhamedov, and the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, to the Nation’s Library of the Presidential Complex of the Republic of Turkey. This was reported by the news agency ‘Turkmenistan: Golden age’. The event was organised by the Embassy of Turkmenistan in conjunction with the International Organisation of Turkic Culture (TURKSOY) as part of Turkmen Literature and Creativity Week. The ceremony was attended by Turkish government and public figures, scientists, writers, representatives of culture and the media. The donated books reflect the philosophical and humanistic ideas that underpin the politics and cultural heritage of Turkmenistan and contribute to the development of intercultural dialogue between Turkmenistan and Turkey. Speakers noted that the gift symbolises the strong fraternal relations between the two countries and their common historical and cultural roots. In addition, the library received publications on Turkmen history, literature, art and traditions, demonstrating the continuity of national values and Turkmenistan's contribution to world culture.
Turkmen Literature and Creativity Week started in Istanbul
05.11.2025On 3 November, the opening of Turkmen Literature and Creativity Week was held at the Turkish Literature Foundation in Istanbul. The event was organised by the Embassy of Turkmenistan in Turkey in conjunction with the International Organisation of Turkic Culture (TURKSOY), according to the news agency ‘Turkmenistan: Golden age’. The ceremony was attended by representatives of Turkish government and public circles, renowned scientists, writers, cultural figures and the media. As part of the opening, a collection of poems entitled ‘Women and Words in the Turkic World’ was presented, published to mark the 85th anniversary of the Hero of Turkmenistan, People’s Writer of Turkmenistan and winner of the Magtymguly International Prize, Amangozel Shagulyeva. In their speeches, TURKSOY Secretary General Sultan Raev and People's Artist of Turkmenistan Saragt Babayev noted the importance of cultural dialogue and strengthening humanitarian ties between Turkmenistan and Turkey. The celebration took place in a warm atmosphere and became another step in the development of cooperation between the two countries. On the same day, a photo exhibition dedicated to the 30th anniversary of Turkmenistan's permanent neutrality and the declaration of 2025 as the International Year of Peace and Trust opened at the Consulate General of Turkmenistan in Istanbul. Cultural events, exhibitions, creative meetings and poetry evenings aimed at promoting Turkmen literature and art are planned in Ankara and Istanbul throughout the week.
A concert was held in Ashgabat to mark the 80th anniversary of the United Nations
30.10.2025The Magtymguly National Music and Drama Theatre hosted a concert entitled ‘Music of Peace and Hope’ dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the United Nations. The event was organised by the UN Office in Turkmenistan with the support of the Ministry of Culture. This was reported by the news website Turkmenportal. UN Resident Coordinator Dmitry Shlapachenko emphasised the importance of the values of peace, equality and solidarity, thanking the government and UN agencies for their joint work on the Sustainable Development Goals. The concert featured performances by the State Choir and Symphony Orchestra of Turkmenistan and the Ashgabat Music Schools Children's Choir. The concert featured performances of ‘Heal the World,’ ‘The Song of Peace,’ ‘What a Wonderful World,’ ‘May There Always Be Sunshine,’ the UNICEF lullaby, and an excerpt from Vivaldi's ‘The Four Seasons: Winter.’ Some of the performances were accompanied by sign language. The evening ended with a joint performance of ‘We are the World.’
Ancient civilizations of Turkmenistan will be showcased at an exhibition in Italy
21.10.2025The exhibition ‘Ancient Civilisations of Turkmenistan’ will open to the public for the first time at the Capitoline Museum in Rome. The exhibition will run from 25 October 2025 to 12 April 2026. This was reported by the online news resource TerraNews. Italian visitors will be presented with archaeological finds related to the cultures of Margiana and Parthia. The exhibition will feature items from Margiana (3rd–2nd millennium BC), located in south-eastern Turkmenistan, as well as from Parthia, including artefacts from the Nisa archaeological complex (2nd century BC – 1st century AD) in the central-southern part of the country. Among the exhibits are gold necklaces with semi-precious stones from Gonur Depe, clay heads of rulers and warriors, as well as ivory rhytons from the Hellenistic period. All items are provided by the State Museum of the State Cultural Centre of Turkmenistan. The exhibition is organised by Roma Capitale, the Department of Culture and the Capitoline Cultural Heritage Office, with the support of the Foreign Affairs Ministry and the Ministry of Culture of Turkmenistan.
Turkmen film ‘Daragt’ wins award at film festival in Tajikistan
21.10.2025The Turkmen film ‘Daragt’ (‘Tree of Destiny’), directed by Sahysalyh Bayramov, was awarded the Special Jury Prize at the 2nd ‘Tojik Somoni’ International Film Festival, held from 15 to 20 October in Dushanbe. This was reported by the IIC of Turkmenistan. The film, shot at the Oguzhan ‘Turkmenfilm’ studio, was presented in the festival's competition programme. The jury, which included experts from Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, highly praised the film for its profound exploration of the themes of loyalty and family values. The film tells the story of a Turkmen woman, Nazik, who sees her husband off to the front during the Great Patriotic War and, despite years of waiting, remains hopeful that he will return. The plot is based on real events and eyewitness accounts. The award was a recognition of the attention paid in Turkmenistan to the preservation of spiritual and family traditions. Directors from more than 20 countries took part in the festival, which was timed to coincide with Tajik Cinema Day. The festival also featured the film ‘Composer’ by director Maksat Gylyjov, produced by ‘Turkmenfilm’ with the support of the Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov Charitable Foundation for Assistance to Children in Need of Guardianship. The Oguzhan ‘Turkmenfilm’ studio remains the leading producer of feature films in the country, presenting viewers with new films that reflect the history, culture and modern life of Turkmenistan.
Turkmenistan has presented cultural exhibits to the Asian Culture Centre in Seoul
19.10.2025On 17 October, the Embassy of Turkmenistan in the Republic of Korea hosted a ceremony to transfer cultural exhibits provided by the Ministry of Culture of Turkmenistan to the National Asian Culture Center of the Republic of Korea. This was reported by the press service of the Turkmen diplomatic mission. The event was attended by Begench Durdyev, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Turkmenistan to the Republic of Korea, and Kim Sang-wook, Director of the National Asian Culture Center. The donated exhibits include items of traditional applied art, books and publications on the culture and history of the Turkmen people. Among them are works by the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov. The collection will be presented at the celebrations marking the 10th anniversary of the founding of the National Asian Culture Center, scheduled for 25 November. After the ceremony, the parties discussed the further development of cultural cooperation, including the exchange of exhibitions and the organisation of joint events.
Turkmenistan and Romania develop dialogue in the field of art
19.10.2025A meeting was held in Bucharest between Annamammet Annayev, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Turkmenistan to Romania, and Anna Ungureanu, conductor of the ‘Madrigal-Marin Constantin’ National Chamber Choir. This was reported by IIC Turkmenistan. The negotiations, which were held in the choir's building, were devoted to the development of cultural cooperation in the field of music and art. The parties discussed the implementation of joint projects aimed at promoting the musical and spiritual heritage of Turkmenistan and Romania. The Romanian side presented the Ambassador with a collection of choral works from Central Asian countries, which included the National Anthem of Turkmenistan. The participants of the meeting noted the importance of this contact for strengthening cultural and humanitarian ties between Central Asia and Europe. Following the negotiations, the parties confirmed their intention to continue active cultural dialogue, emphasising that art and music serve as an important bridge of friendship between peoples.
Turkmenistan presented the distinctive features of its culture in Azerbaijan
17.10.2025The Days of Turkmenistan Culture were successfully held in Azerbaijan, becoming an important step in strengthening friendly ties between the two countries based on common historical and spiritual traditions. This was reported by IIC Turkmenistan. The programme included exhibitions, concerts and meetings of cultural figures. The main events took place in Baku and ended with a grand concert in the city of Ganja. The Turkmen delegation presented exhibitions of decorative and applied arts — carpets, jewellery, national clothing — and discussed prospects for cooperation between cultural and scientific institutions. The highlight of the festival was a concert in Ganja, where the audience enthusiastically welcomed the performances of Turkmen artists, who performed folk dances, vocal numbers and pieces on national instruments. Compositions reflecting the unity of the musical traditions of the Turkic world attracted particular attention. The Culture Days became part of the programme to expand humanitarian ties and confirmed the desire of Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan to develop cooperation within the framework of the Organisation of Turkic States.
TRT Avaz presented films about Magtymguly and the city of Arkadag in Ashgabat
15.10.2025In Ashgabat, the premiere screening of TRT Avaz documentaries ‘The Wise Turkmen Magtymguly’ and ‘City of the future Arkadag’ was held at the cinema. The screening was timed to coincide with the 34th anniversary of Turkmenistan's independence and the 30th anniversary of the country's neutrality, according to the news agency ‘Turkmenistan: Golden age’. The films, produced by the Turkish international television channel, combine the historical heritage and modern development of Turkmenistan. The film about the poet Magtymguly reveals the spiritual world of the Turkmen people, while the film about the ‘smart’ city of Arkadag demonstrates the harmonious combination of history and modern technology. The premiere was attended by the Turkish Ambassador to Turkmenistan Ahmet Demirok, representatives of diplomatic missions, employees of ‘Turkmenfilm’, journalists and students. The Head of TRT's representative office in Turkmenistan, Ugur Sami Gezer, emphasised that the channel's goal is to use cinema to unite the country's past and future and to introduce the international audience to the cultural and social life of Turkmenistan. Both films are part of the ‘Atavatan Turkmenistan’ project, which has previously produced films about Ashgabat, Merv and Koneurgench, as well as short documentaries about the spiritual and cultural values of the region. Annasahet Kakayev, Deputy Chairman of the State Committee of Turkmenistan for Television, Radio Broadcasting, and Cinematography, noted the importance of further cooperation with TRT, including joint projects, exchange of experience and internships for young Turkmen specialists. TRT Avaz's motto, ‘Unity in Language, Thought, and Action,’ reflects the desire to preserve and promote the cultural heritage of the Turkic world.
Turkmen film ‘Kitap’ wins special prize at film festival in Aktau
09.10.2025The ‘Korkut Ata’ International Film Festival of Turkic World, which brought together directors, actors and producers from Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Hungary and Kazakhstan, has come to an end in Aktau. This was reported by the news agency ‘Turkmenistan: Golden age’. The special jury prize went to the film ‘Kitap’ (‘Book’) by Turkmen director Hekim Alovov. The film, produced by the ‘Türkmenfilm’ studio, tells the story of the value of spiritual heritage: the main character once exchanged a camel for a book, which became a symbol of eternal values for him. The film is based on the story of the same name by Nurmyrat Saryhanov and was first shown in Ashgabat in 2024. The festival included a TURKSOY Cinema Summit dedicated to cooperation in the field of cinema. Participants discussed opportunities for international co-production, joint projects and strengthening cultural ties through the art of cinema. Sahysalyh Bayramov, Deputy Chairman of ‘Türkmenfilm’, spoke about the importance of cinema as a carrier of spiritual heritage.
Turkmenistan presented its initiatives and culture at a reception in Vienna
08.10.2025On 2 October, a ceremony was held at the ‘Grand Hotel Wien’ in Vienna to mark the 34th anniversary of Turkmenistan's independence and the declaration of 2025 as the International Year of Peace and Trust. This was reported by the news website Turkmenportal. The event was organised by the Embassy of Turkmenistan in Austria with the support of the Austrian-Turkmen Society. The reception was attended by representatives of the Austrian Foreign Affairs Ministry, the Vienna City Hall, the diplomatic corps, international organisations, as well as heads of Austrian departments, businesses, Turkmen students and the media. Hemra Amannazarov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Turkmenistan to the Republic of Austria, spoke about the country's achievements during its years of independence and the development of bilateral cooperation in the political, economic and cultural spheres. Representatives of Austria emphasised the importance of friendship and mutual understanding in relations with Turkmenistan. Neda Berger, President of the Austrian-Turkmen Society, noted the significance of Turkmenistan's neutrality, confirmed by the UN, and compared it with Austria's experience. The evening was accompanied by a musical programme by Turkmen performers, an exhibition of national art and a tasting of Turkmen cuisine.
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