Turkmen art historian, publicist and journalist Yulia Dzhumayeva has won the 2026 Friedrich Schiller International Literary Competition, held in Germany. She took first place in the «Short Prose» category. The competition was organized by the International Literary Association «Creative Tribune» (MLATT / ILACT). This was reported by the IIC of Turkmenistan.

This year, the creative competition brought together authors from 34 countries. Participants submitted works in Russian, German and English. The entries were evaluated by a jury chaired by Natalie Bisso, head of the German branch of the SPSA and a poet. The selection of winners took into account originality of concept, depth of thematic exploration and level of artistic skill.

The main themes of the competition were humanistic values, friendship between peoples and the connection between generations — ideas that occupy an important place in Friedrich Schiller's literary legacy.

Yulia Dzhumayeva submitted her short story «The Lonely Stream», dedicated to love and devotion, for the jury's consideration. Through artistic storytelling, the author explores the distinctive features of the Turkmen people's cultural heritage, introducing international audiences to national customs, folklore and traditional musical instruments. The work also reflects the creative legacy of the outstanding poet and thinker Magtymguly Pyragy.

According to the competition results, the Turkmen author's work will be included in the MLATT Anthology and published in international literary publications.

This award adds to Yulia Dzhumayeva's list of international achievements. In 2024, she became a laureate of the Dmitry Simonov Literary Competition, held in Novosibirsk, and in 2025, she received recognition at the Walt Whitman Competition in Germany.