― 14 октября 2020 г.

Online Conference of TURKSOY dedicated to Gyula Nemeth

On the 130th Anniversary of his birthday, the famous Hungarian turcologist  Gyula Nemeth was commemorated in an online conference of TURKSOY.

The conference held on October 14th, 2020 and organized in cooperation of TURKSOY with the Embassy of Hungary in Ankara  and the Turkish Language Institution was moderated by the Deputy Secretary General of TURKSOY Assoc. Prof.  Dr. Bilal Çakıcı and featured speeches delivered by TURKSOY Secretary General Prof. Dusen Kasseinov, the Deputy Presiden of the National Assembly of Hungary  Sandor Lezsak, the President  of the International Turkic Academy Prof. Dr. Darkhan Kydyrali, the Ambassador of Hungary to Ankara  Viktor Matis and the President of the Turkish Language Institution Prof. Dr. Gürer Gülsevin.

In the speech he delivered, Secretary General Kasseinov said that there are many illustrious personalities who contributed to the enrichment of our  great cultural heritage as well as of our ancient civilization with their works and added that the Hungarian turcologist Gyula Nemeth is certainly one of them. Mr. Kasseinov further added: “This great Hungarian scholar whose work is considered as a cornerstone of turcology has made an unprecedented contribution to turcology with his work on "The Grammar of Turkic Language". Furthermore, he has also educated many students and played a pioneer role for our societies  with his strong contribution  to the development of our peoples in terms of science, culture, spiritual values and more specifically concerning language.”

Mr. Kasseinov said that with the MoU signed by TURKSOY and the Ministry of Human Resources of Hungary in October  2019, the cooperation between TURKSOY and Hungary gained a new dimension, hence strongly contributing to the cultural rapprochement of our peoples through joint activities.

The Deputy President of the National Assembly of Hungary Sandor Lezsak who also took the floor at the event stressed Nemeth’s importance in Hungarian turcology and added that his book on the Hungarian people already published in  1930 and dealing with Turkic peoples and ties among them played a key role in the formation of Hunarian people's identity  and is a cornerstone of literature for future generations. Mr. Lezsak also said that Nemeth who was in search of his people's roots actually found them in the East and added that Nemeth is of precious value for the Hungarian people as he also taught and educated famous turcologists such as  Ishtvan Mandoki Kongur.

The President of the International Turkic Academy Darkhan Kydyrali extended his gratitude to TURKSOY and Secretary General Kasseinov for this important event on the great Hungarian turcologist Nemeth and said that the Academy has been carrying out more and more activities in cooperation with Hungary since 2014. Mr. Kydyrali who also stressed that since 2018, Hungary has been a member state with an observer status further said that the Turkic Academy  will be carrying out a conference dedicated to the 130th anniversary of the birthday of the Hungarian turcologist  Gyula Nemeth in the coming days and that the Academy expects contributions to this event. Mr. Kydyrali also added that the Turkic Academy will be publishing the Kazak translation of the Kumyk poet Badrutdin Magomedov's "Kopan Uzengi"  dedicated to the famous Hungarian turcologist  István Mándoki Kongur and published by TURKSOY.

The Ambassador of Hungary to Ankara H. E. Viktor Matis who stressed that fruitful ties among Hungary and Turkic republics  are reaching deep said that it is thanks to many illustrious personalities who shaped our common history that these ties have reached their current state. Ambassador Matis further added that Gyula Nemeth is certainly one of these personalities who dedicated his entire life to the enrichment of our common history and that he is also an example to follow as he played a key ole in the modernization of the Chair of Turcology of Hungary.

The President of the Turkish Language Institution Prof. Dr. Gürer Gülsevin who stressed that Turcology research first started and developed in the Western World in Europe further said that countries of Western Europe clearly see  strong Turkic states  as their neighbours.

Prof. Dr. Gülsevin who further said that in 1958, the Turkish Language Institution awarded the "Honour Membership" to Gyula Nemeth who gained international recognition with his works in turcology stressed that the Republic of Turkey attaches the importance he deserves to  Nemeth and therefore awarded an Honour Degree to him on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Republic.

The opening speeches were followed by the second part of the conference featuring paper presentations by  the turcologist and former Ambassador Prof. Dr. Istvan Vasary,  the former scholar of the Istanbul University  Prof. Dr. Nuri Yüce,  the turcologist  and Director of the Office of the Representation of the Turkic Council in Europe, Ambassador  Prof. Dr. Janos Hovari, Prof Dr. Eva Csaki from the Peter Pazmany Catholic University and Prof. Dr. Emkine Yılmaz from the Hacettepe University.