Photo: AFP/Peter Kohalmi
Shahin Mustafayev
29/01/2025 23:38
Within this shared heritage, Attila the Hun stands as an outstanding historical figure for both nations. As a figure of national pride for Hungary, Attila symbolises a common historical legacy that fosters closer connections between Hungarians and Turks.
Today, the cooperation between Hungary and the Turkic countries in the realms of culture, economy, trade, and international relations has reached an exemplary level. This accomplishment is largely attributable to the dedication of the Prime Minister of Hungary, His Excellency Viktor Orbán, whose commitment to advancing relations with Turkic nations has significantly strengthened mutual ties between Hungary and the Turkic states.
In this framework, the Turkic Academy – one of the Turkic Cooperation Organisations established under the auspices of the Organisation of Turkic States – plays a central role in fostering scientific and educational collaboration among Turkic countries and communities. As a regional coordination centre for Turkic studies, the Academy promotes interdisciplinary collaboration across fields such as history, archaeology, ethnology, anthropology, literature, linguistics, and socioeconomic studies.
Hungary holds a distinguished position in the field of Turkology, as it was there that the foundations of this discipline were first laid. This legacy of scholarly inquiry has since continued to make substantial contributions to the advancement of Turkic studies worldwide.
Ármin Vámbéry (1832–1913), the pioneering Hungarian Turkologist, highlighted his motivation for studying the connections between Hungarian and Turkic languages in his work Journey to Central Asia:
"It is known that the Hungarian language is related to the Altaic languages, but which language is it closer to? Finnish or Tatar? These questions turned my attention to the East. That is why I wanted to learn the relationship between the Hungarians and the Turks, and I started to learn Eastern languages..."
Following Vámbéry’s lead, scholars such as György Almási (1867–1933), Zoltán Gombocz (1877–1935), Gyula Németh (1890–1976), Lajos Ligeti (1902–1987), János Eckmann (1905–1971), András Bodrogligeti (1925–2017), György Hazai (1932–2016), István Kongur Mándoky (1944–1992), and many others continued to build a strong tradition of Turkic studies in Hungary. On this occasion, the late János Hovári (1955–2023), a distinguished scholar, Turkologist, and diplomat, is respectfully remembered for his contributions to strengthening Hungary’s relationship with the Turkic World in his capacity as the former Executive Director of the Representation Office of the Organisation of Turkic States in Hungary.
These esteemed scholars form a “golden bridge” between Hungary and the Turkic World, inspiring the Turkic Academy’s ongoing work to honour and extend this enduring bond.
Over the past decade, the Academy has organised numerous events, including commemorations of the Turkologist István Kongur Mándoky, a figure symbolising the strong ties between Hungary and the Turkic World. The Turkic Academy Library currently houses Mándoky’s personal collection, comprising over 16,000 books. Additionally, the prestigious “Turkic Academy Medal,” named in his honour, is awarded to distinguished scholars in recognition of their contributions to the field.
In 2017, the Turkic Academy marked the 150th anniversary of György Almási’s birth with a seminar and exhibition in collaboration with the Hungarian Embassy in Astana. The 130th anniversary of Gyula Németh’s birth was celebrated in 2020, while in 2021, the Academy published Mándoky’s Unbreakable Roots and Vámbéry’s Hungarian Scholar of the Turkic World. That same year, the Academy also published Vámbéry’s book Journey through Central Asia in collaboration with the Representation Office of the Organisation of Turkic States in Hungary.
The integration of Hungary as an observer state at the Turkic Academy in 2018 further accelerated these efforts. The cooperation with Hungary is further extended through participation in the biennial Hun-Turk Kurultaj organised by the Hungarian-Turan Foundation.
In 2022, as a result of archaeological work led by the Turkic Academy, the discovery of a Göktürk-era complex in the Nomgon Valley of Mongolia sparked great interest. At Hungary’s suggestion, photographs of the artefacts from this site were later exhibited in Budapest in collaboration with the Hungarian-Turan Foundation and the Hungarian Ethnography Museum.
The Turkic Academy is pleased that Hungary has joined the “Turkic Official Economic Policy Research Centres Network”, launched in 2023. This collaboration produced the Increasing Digital Trade and Investment Potential in Turkic Economies report, including Hungary. In 2024, the network is preparing a follow-up report on transportation in the Turkic World.
Joint activities with our Hungarian partners remain ongoing. For example, on June 5, 2023, the Turkic Academy organised a conference with the Representation Office of the Organisation of Turkic States in Budapest and the Hungarian Ethnographic Museum to honour the 100th anniversary of Vilmos Diószegi, a prominent Hungarian ethnographer and scholar of Central Asian shamanism.
In 2023, the Turkic Academy also commemorated the 200th anniversary of Hungary’s revered poet and freedom advocate, Sándor Petőfi, in collaboration with the Hungarian Embassy in Kazakhstan. The Academy republished a Kazakh translation of his poetry, reflecting our dedication to preserving these shared cultural values.
Hungarian scientific institutions actively engage in platforms established by the Turkic Academy to advance scientific integration. Notably, the National Institute of Archaeology of the Hungarian National Museum joined the Association of Research Institutes and Centres of Archaeology of the Turkic World (ARICA), founded in 2023. At last year’s ARICA meeting, held from 14 to 18 September 2024 in Shusha, Azerbaijan, Hungary was represented by Dr. Gábor Zsigmond, General Director of the Hungarian National Museum, and Dr. Gábor Virágos, Deputy Director General of Archaeology at the National Institute of Archaeology. The Hungarian National Museum also proposed hosting the next ARICA meeting in Budapest in 2025.
Hungarian scholars actively participate in scientific events organised by the Academy. For instance, Ambassador Prof. Dr. István Vásáry, the present Executive Director of the Representation Office of the Organisation of Turkic States in Hungary and a renowned historian, attended the 2nd Congress on the History of Turkic Statehood: Statehood of Turkic Peoples During the Chinggisid Era, which took place on October 4-5, 2024, in Almaty, Kazakhstan. This congress was dedicated to the 800th anniversary of the Ulus of Jochi.
In conclusion, the rich historical and cultural ties between Hungary and the Turkic World continue to flourish through collaborative efforts in various fields, particularly in academia and scientific research. The legacy of pioneering Hungarian Turkologists serves as a foundation for ongoing dialogue and partnership, highlighting the shared values that bind these two distinct yet interconnected cultures. The active participation of Hungarian institutions in the initiatives of the Turkic Academy demonstrates a commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of Turkic heritage while also enriching Hungary’s own scholarly pursuits.
As both Hungarians and Turks move forward, the potential for greater cooperation in cultural, economic, and scientific domains remains promising, further strengthening the “golden bridge” between Hungary and the Turkic World for generations to come. In this context, the Turkic Academy stands ready to contribute actively to these collaborative endeavours.
The author is President of the Turkic Academy