The Hungarian-Turkish Cultural Year 2024 was launched in Turkey on 21 and 22 January with the Pannon Philharmonic Orchestra's concerts in Istanbul and Ankara, in celebration of the Day of Hungarian Culture. In addition to works by Ferenc Liszt and Béla Bartók, the internationally renowned symphony orchestra performed works by Turkish composer Adnan Saygun at the 1,500-seat Ataturk Cultural Centre in Istanbul. Atala Schöck and Levente Molnár sang a solo.
Dr. Péter Hoppál, Government Commissioner responsible for the preparation and implementation of the Hungarian-Turkish Cultural Year, said in his welcoming speech that Hungarian and Turkish culture lovers will celebrate two special evenings together as the year-long series of events, consisting of one hundred Hungarian cultural programmes, to celebrate the centenary of diplomatic relations between Hungary and Turkey, will be launched. In parallel, the treasures of Turkish culture will be presented in Hungary throughout the year. The Government Commissioner stressed. It was on this day 201 years ago that the Hungarian poet Ferenc Kölcsey wrote the poetic text of our national anthem.
Also as part of the season, Dr. Judit Hammerstein, Acting Director General of the Hungarian National Museum, opened the exhibition "Hungarians Building Turkey" at the concert venue in Istanbul. The Director General said. Hungarians who have earned the respect of, among others, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk Pasha, who wrote on a picture presented to former Prime Minister István Friedrich: To the respected and brotherly Hungarian people. The original of this photo can be seen here today among the exhibits. The Hungarians played an irreplaceable role in the modernisation of Turkey - this is how Turkish historian and university lecturer Hayrullah Yiğitbaşı, who has researched Turkish-Hungarian relations in Hungary, has described us Hungarians. Today we have brought some of the memories of the friendship between the two peoples to Istanbul. The travelling exhibition "Hungarians Building Turkey" will be presented in several cities of Turkey during the season.
The 100 programmes of the Hungarian-Turkish Cultural Year will give a taste of almost every genre of Hungarian culture in Turkey. During the season, a contemporary exhibition from the collection of the Hungarian National Bank and Gábor Kovács collection, the Győr Ballet Company, the Hungarian National Theatre, the Capa Centre, and family and scientific conferences. In 2024, Hungary will be the guest of honour at the biggest Turkish festivals. The season will also commemorate Hungarian national holidays in Turkey.
The Hungarian-Turkish Cultural Year was launched in Budapest on 18 December 2023, the 100th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, with the participation of Presidents Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Katalin Novák and Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
Source: MTI
