Mid-Year Media Breakfast of Turkish-Hungarian Cultural Season

2024, Jun 5 | Event news, PR and communication

On June 4th, the Pasa Café in Budapest hosted the mid-year media breakfast for the Turkish-Hungarian Cultural Season. This event offered an overview of the season’s events so far, all while attendees enjoyed an authentic Turkish breakfast.

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations, Hungary and Turkey launched the Turkish-Hungarian Cultural Season in December 2023, set to run for a full year. The series features over 100 artistic and scientific events in each country, highlighting both nations’ cultures.

At the media breakfast, Turkish Ambassador to Hungary Gülşen Karanis Ekşioğlu and Osman Can Ürel from GoTurkey presented an update on the Cultural Season’s programs. The event was part of a series following the international breakfast day celebration on June 2.

The Turkish-Hungarian Cultural Season aims to present Turkey’s rich cultural heritage to Hungary through a diverse array of events. In collaboration with the Turkish Embassy and the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, over 70 events were held in Hungary by the June mid-year review, engaging more than 400 Turkish cultural figures.

These prestigious events, including arts, history, and literature, have attracted thousands to Budapest’s notable venues, including the MÜPA, National Museum, and National Theatre. Other Hungarian cities such as Tata, Szeged, and Pécs have also hosted events, giving audiences nationwide the chance to experience Turkish culture up close. Meanwhile, Hungarian cultural programs have been showcased at iconic Turkish venues like Istanbul’s Atatürk Cultural Center and Ankara’s Presidential Symphony Orchestra Hall.

Highlights in Hungary have included the Güldestan and Dance Adrenaline performances, a Taş Tepeler archaeological seminar, concerts by the Allegra Ensemble, the Yunus Said a Word concert, Turkish Harp featuring Şirin Pancaroğlu, The Sultan’s Lost Piano by Tutu Aydınoglu, Danube by Büşra Kayıkçı, and a Turkish-Hungarian soccer match.

The Yunus Emre Turkish Cultural Center in Budapest also organized popular literary and historical lectures as well as traditional Turkish crafts workshops. In June, audiences in Pécs and Budapest can enjoy the Sema ceremonies, with Dance of the Dervishes on June 8 in Pécs at the National Theatre and on June 10 at the National Dance Theatre in Budapest. Turkey will be the guest nation at the Győr International Dance Festival, where the Ankara State Modern Dance Ensemble will perform Anatolian Tales on June 19.

The Turkish-Hungarian Cultural Season is set to culminate in a grand closing ceremony on December 18, 2024, at the Atatürk Cultural Center in Istanbul with a special performance.