Photo: Róbert Hegedüs
Joakim Scheffer
15/08/2024 07:00
The Turkish-Hungarian Cultural Year is in full swing. Which were the most important events so far in Hungary?
Indeed, the “2024 Turkish-Hungarian Cultural Year” has been great success so far. We are celebrating the centenary of Turkish-Hungarian relations with such a great cultural diplomacy programme. The gala event in Budapest demonstrated an exemplary collaboration between Turkish and Hungarian artists. So far, we have organized more than 50 events with the generous support of relevant Turkish and Hungarian institutions including the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Yunus Emre Cultural Institute, Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) and Maarif Education Foundation.
I believe we have successfully demonstrated Türkiye’s cultural, artistic, gastronomic, and touristic treasures in Budapest and elsewhere, including 2023 European Capital of Culture Veszprém, Szeged and Tokaj.
Some of those were large productions like “Güldestan Ballet”, “Dance Adrenalin”, “Mother State” and “War and Peace” theatre shows. We also hosted our renowned musicians like Ömer Faruk Tekbilek, pianist Büşra Kayıkçı, all-female Allegra Ensemble and Trio Patara groups. They all received standing ovation from the Hungarian audience.
The friendly game between our national football teams underlined the unifying power of sports diplomacy. We took this opportunity to bring an interesting football exhibition telling the story of Hungarians in Turkish football.
We also organized academic conferences and symposia to cast light on the different periods of Turkish-Hungarian relations and also to remember the legacy of Gül Baba. We had an event on the story Corvinas brought from the Topkapı Palace and others to underline the contributions of Ödön Széchenyi, founder of fire brigade in İstanbul, and other Hungarian experts particularly during the early Republican era.
How is the feedback from the audiences so far? And what are your personal experiences?
When we embarked on this cultural journey, we aimed high to organize “100 events in the 100th year”. We knew that our shared past, joint cultural heritage, strong people-to-people connections, rich artistic and cultural repositories and the excellent relations would have provided us with enough material to realize our target.
However, I must say that we are overwhelmed with the reception and interest. We had a track record, 50 events in the first 4 months. We managed to reach more than 70.000 people with 50 events.
At times, it has been challenging, not because of the logistics and organization, but due to many projects pouring in. Together with our new Hungarian friends in different place, we also rediscover various aspects of our own culture.
When we see people enjoying the performances, chanting together with us and calling for an encore, we feel that we are on the right track and should continue with full force.
What are the main events for the rest of the Cultural Year?
We have some exciting news for our Hungarian friends. It actually seems that we will be surpassing our initial target of 100 events.
We will keep leveraging on our strong suits in the Cultural Year like gastrodiplomacy. Later this month, we will organize the third edition of our flagship “7 Regions 7 Cuisine”. In the “Turkish Cuisine Week”, our guests will have the opportunity to taste some of the best examples of Aegean region.
As Budapest will be particularly busy during the EU Council Presidency, we will go out to other cities including Györ, Debrecen, Pecs, Bugac and Szigetvar.
For example, talented Turkish craft artists will participate in the Tata Patara Festival. The whirling dervishes from Konya Turkish Sufi Music Ensemble will stage performances in Pecs and Budapest in June.
Türkiye will be the guest country in the Györ Dance Festival and featured at the Festival of Crafts in Buda Castle.
In September, Turkish films will be at the Miskolc International Film Festival. On the occasion of Zrinyi Days in Szigetvar, will bring the famous Ottoman military band.
One of the most prestigious events of the Cultural Year is reserved for our National Day on 29 October 2024. The Turkish Presidential Symphony Orchestra will perform in Ferenc Liszt Academy and in Kölcsey Centre in Debrecen. This beautiful city of Hungary will also host one of the most renowned digital art collections of Refik Anadol – the Rumi Dreams – in the Modem Centre for Modern and Contemporary Art.
Towards the end of the Cultural Year in November, Budapest Opera House will feature “Murat IV Opera”, which depicts the story of one of the greatest Ottoman sultans.
How is the Cultural Year going in Türkiye?
Let me first acknowledge our gratitude to all our Hungarian counterparts including the Ministry of Culture and Innovation as well as the Hungarian diplomatic missions in Türkiye. While organizing their own cultural events in Türkiye, they also provided us with support whenever needed here in Hungary.
The Hungarian team has been particularly successful in terms of their geographical coverage in Tekirdağ, Kütahya and Adana as well as Ankara and İstanbul.
Let me remind you the importance of İzmit, Tekirdağ and Kütahya for our friendship and solidarity. These cities bear the memories of the Hungarian heroes Thököly İmre, Rakoczi Ferenc and Kossuth Lajos.
I wish I could see those Hungarian performances and events that have been received very well. This is not surprising since Turks consider Hungary as a distant relative, close neighbour despite not bordering one another and an eternal partner.
Surely, the closing of the Cultural Year in İstanbul in December will be yet another spectacular event showcasing Turkish and Hungarian artistic collaboration.
What do you think will be the heritage, the lasting results of this Cultural Year?
These events will help our people discovering different dimensions of each other’s culture while fostering mutual understanding, respect, and tolerance. Turkish and Hungarian people embark on journeys into the depths of each other’s’ cultures. This is how we touch the hearts and souls of thousands of people from both sides.
The interactions during the Cultural Year will pave the way for continued partnerships and collaborations among Turkish and Hungarian artists, cultural institutions, and organizations too.
We must also acknowledge the boosting effect in terms of tourism. We observed a significant increase in the number of Hungarian tourists visiting Türkiye, for example. In the first three months, the number of Hungarian tourists visiting Türkiye rose by 91 percent. If we could connect more Turkish and Hungarian destinations with direct flights with increased frequencies, we reach higher numbers both ways.
The author is an editor at Eurasia
