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Laman Ismayilova

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Deputy Chair of the Culture Committee of the Azerbaijani Parliament, Gunay Afandiyeva, has been awarded one of Hungary's highest honors, the Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of Hungary, Azernews reports.

Afandiyeva received this award from the President of Hungary, Tamas Sulo, in recognition of her significant contributions to the effective promotion of Hungarian culture in Azerbaijan and other Turkic countries.

The order was presented by the Hungarian Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Tamas Torma, during a reception dedicated to Hungary's National Day, marking the 68th anniversary of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956.

In his speech at the award ceremony, the Ambassador Torma emphasized that Gunay Afandiyeva has made a considerable contribution to the preservation and promotion of shared cultural values among Turkic peoples.

"Gunay Afandiyeva organized a memorial event in honor of Bela Bartok, one of the great composers and ethnomusicologists of the 20th century. Thanks to her active support, a book by the outstanding Hungarian poet Miklos Radnoti was published in Azerbaijani. She played a significant role in publishing several notable works of Hungarian literature in Azerbaijani, contributing to the broader promotion of Hungarian literature in Azerbaijan. On her initiative, a group of young musicians from seven Turkic countries, including Hungary, was formed, and this group has successfully performed on stages in Turkic countries as well as in Europe and America. We thank Gunay Afandiyeva for her tireless efforts and numerous collaborative cultural projects," said the Ambassador.

It should be noted that from 2015 to 2023, Gunay Afandiyeva served as the President of the International Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation, established at the initiative of the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, with the support of the heads of state of Turkiye, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. Since 2019, Hungary has held observer status in this organization.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @lmntypewriterrr

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