Turkmen students from Harbin Engineering University won prizes at the 18th International Collegiate Snow Sculpture Contest, which took place in 2026 in Harbin (PRC). The team took second place with their entry, ‘Pride of Turkmenistan,’ representing the country's national culture and artistic traditions on an international level. This was reported by IIC.

The sculpture was created by Serdarov Didar, Rejepov Ilmyrat, Jorayev Yusupjan, and Amanov Bagtyyar. The central image of the composition was an Ahal-Teke horse, one of the key symbols of Turkmenistan. Made of snow and ice, the work was distinguished by its expressive plasticity, dynamics and accurate conveyance of the strength and nobility of the legendary horse breed.

The achievement was given additional symbolism by the fact that the competition was held in the Year of the Horse, whose motto reflects the ideas of fidelity to traditions, spiritual stability and harmony. It is these qualities, according to the authors' concept, that are embodied by the Ahal-Teke horse, which became the artistic and semantic centre of the sculpture.

The Turkmen team's second place was marked with a certificate presented by the Harbin Ice and Snow Festival Organizing Committee with the support of the National Institute of Industrial Design in China. The award confirmed the high level of professional training and creative approach of the young authors.

The performance of Turkmen students in Harbin contributed to the promotion of Turkmenistan's cultural image abroad, demonstrating the possibilities of a modern artistic interpretation of national heritage on an international stage.