Kyrgyz Culture Day held in Hungary
The ‘Kyrgyz Culture Day’ hosted by the Lakitelek Foundation and coordinated by TURKSOY took place in the town of Lakitelek in Hungary with the support of the Kyrgyz National Manas Theatre.
The event held at the Hungarikum Liget featured an introduction of the Kyrgyz people’s oral traditions, literature and art with epic recitals, performances by Kyrgyz folk bards, book presentations and a photography exhibition, thus contributing to the strengthening of cultural ties between Kyrgyzstan and Hungary.
Held in the presence of TURKSOY Secretary General Sultan Raev, the Ambassador of the Kyrgyz Republic to Hungary H. E. Mr. Erlan Abdyldaev, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Lakitelek Foundation Mr. Sándor Lezsák, a Member of the Hungarian Parliament Dr. Anna Lezsák Molnárné, the Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Hungary Mr. Kairat Kambarov, Mr. Emin Alasgarlı, Consul at the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Hungary and Mr. Gökberk Ekinci,the Third Secretary at the Embassy of Türkiye in Budapest along with many other guests.
Speaking at the opening of the event, TURKSOY Secretary General Raev stressed the importance of the fact that poems by Alykul Osmonov who was one of the leading figures of Kyrgyz literature now reached Hungarian readers. Referring to the legacy of the poet, whose 110th birthday was celebrated in 2025, Secretary General Raev emphasised that literary translations promote our shared cultural heritage in new regions of the Turkic World.
Secretary General Raev also expressed his gratitude to Mr. Dávid Somfai Kara, who translated Osmonov’s poems into Hungarian, and to Mrs. Aida Somfai Pamirbek, who served as the proofreader and editor of the work.
The event also featured the presentation of a collection of poems by Osmonov *Tó hulláma*, published in Kyrgyz and Hungarian by Konzervatív Műhely Kiadó, alongside Habib Kohi’s work *Tales of the Silk Road*.
In the cultural part of the event where the Manas singer Beksultan Imashov and the epic narrator Mariyam Tobokelova were also present, Mr. Nurbek Talantbekov, the Director of the Kyrgyz National Manas Theatre, recited an excerpt from the “Manas Epic” while Kutman Sadıbakasov, Nursultan Maldıbayev and Argen Biymırza Uulu presented examples of Kyrgyz oral tradition.
The event also featured the opening of an exhibition of photographs taken by Sándor Ujvári during his visit to Kyrgyzstan organised for students participating in the Ármin Vámbéry Camp.
Medals of TURKSOY
At end of the ceremony, the Medal of TURKSOY was handed over to Mrs. Gabriela Lezsák and Dr. Judit Kisfaludi-Bak in recognition of their contributions to cultural ties between the Turkic World and Hungary.
The medals were handed over by TURKSOY Secretary General Raev to Mrs. Lezsák in recognition of her commitment to the preservation of traditional folk dances and the safeguarding of cultural heritage, and to Dr. Kisfaludi-Bak in recognition of her contribution to the promotion of the cultural heritage of the Turkic World in Hungary.
Media Gallery
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