A year-long series of cultural events, the first of which was held in Müpa Budapest in collaboration with various institutions in nearly twenty venues in Türkiye to mark the 100th anniversary of the establishment of Hungarian-Turkish diplomatic relations, concluded with a grand gala event in Ankara that emphasised the interwoven nature of the two countries' cultures.
During the season, Hungary organised 160 cultural, art, and scientific events in 17 cities across Türkiye. These events attracted nearly 1.5 million participants and generated over a thousand media appearances in Türkiye.
The Hungarian Cultural Centre in Istanbul, the Hungarian Embassy in Ankara, the Consulate General in Istanbul, the Hungarian Government Commissioner, as well as the Hungarian Ministry of Culture and Innovation, and numerous stakeholders collaborated to organise the cultural season with the support of Mol New Europe Foundation.
"The Turkish audience welcomed the Hungarian programs with immense openness and interest. The season fostered collaborations on political, economic, and professional levels that can continue into the future. It can be said that the cultural series concluded with absolute success, surpassing the initial objectives," said Péter Hoppál, government commissioner responsible for the season.
Müpa coordinated events in Budapest and Türkiye during the Hungarian-Turkish Cultural Season in collaboration with its Turkish partner, which were highly successful, popular, and well-attended and included participation by high-level state officials. Müpa Budapest CEO Csaba Káel said, "We are honoured to be a part of this historic collaboration with Müpa, which familiarises nearly half a million people with Turkish-Hungarian culture, strengthens friendship between the two peoples, and highlights the many connections between our countries."
The closing gala concert was held in Ankara on December 12, 2024. On this momentous night, Hungarian and Turkish artists performed together, just as they had done during the opening ceremony. The event was attended by President Tamás Sulyok, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Culture and Innovation Balázs Hankó and Government Commissioner for the Season Péter Hoppál. Türkiye, as the host country, was represented by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, and many other government officials.
The event included soloists representing the two countries, the Hungarian State Folk Ensemble and the Turkish Presidential Symphony Orchestra. The co-production, which features valuable pieces from the culture of both countries, including symbolic folk songs, Bánk Erkel's Bordala, excerpts from Kodály's Háry János and Bartók's No. 2 Rapsody, was performed by Ömer Faruk Belviranlı and Csaba Káel.
According to the Ministry of Culture and Innovation, the Hungarian-Turkish Year of Science and Innovation 2025 will mark the continuation of cooperation between Hungary and Türkiye.