Recipients of Culture Grand Awards announced

ISTANBUL

İlber Ortaylı

This year’s winners of the Presidential Culture and Arts Grand Awards have been announced in a written statement released by the Presidential Press Information Center. The recipients, both Turkish and foreign, were chosen by the Turkish state for their contribution to Turkish culture and arts. 

According to the statement, historian Ilber Ortaylı will receive the award not only for his valuable contributions to Turkey’s history but also for popularizing his research both at home and abroad.

The statement said that musician Göksel Baktagir, a master of the qanun (a type of zither), has popularized his inspiring style and proven himself an outstanding prodigy in various fields as a performer and composer. It added that he has created a “synthesis” by using the qanun to interpret other music genres such as New Age and Jazz. He owes much of his fame to developing left-hand techniques.

Screenwriter and director Yavuz Turgul will receive the award for his efforts to create a distinctive identity in Turkish cinema, and for providing a benchmark for future generations of movie-goers and filmmakers.

Ali Toy features among the recipients for reviving Turkey’s traditional calligraphy with his specific, modest, efficient and balanced style in his designs, and for beautifully combining modern architecture and calligraphy.

Painter Selahattin Kara, who is known as the “Artist of Istanbul” and has won recognition both at home and abroad,” will receive the award for his paintings, according to the statement.

The late Nurettin Topçu will receive special recognition. An academic and writer who spent years working on ancient Islamic and Turkish history, Sufism and sociology, Topçu has long been an advocate of Anatolian wisdom.

According to the statement, the evaluation committee of the awards includes Presidency Secretary-General Fahri Kasırga, Deputy Secretary-General İbrahim Kalın, Corporate Communications Department head Mücahit Küçükyılmaz, Chief Press Advisor Lütfullah Göktaş, Presidential Advisor Hümeyra Şahin, Culture and Tourism Ministry Undersecretary Ömer Arısoy, Yunus Emre Institute President Professor Şeref Ateş and the authors Alev Alatlı and Rasim Özdenören.

The award ceremony will be held at the Presidential Complex at a date to be announced.