A joint event by the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation and the Hungarian Embassy in Azerbaijan celebrated the 80th anniversary of the renowned Hungarian Turcologist Istvan Mandoky. Held on October 23, 2024, the event welcomed Hungarian scholars including David Somfai Kara from the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and researcher Gergely Agoç from the Hungarian Heritage House. They presented on Mandoky’s contributions and his work on Kipchak-Turkic-Hungarian relations.

Opening the event, Professor Aktoty Raimkulova, President of the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation, highlighted Hungary’s importance as an observer state in the Turkic world and praised Mandoky’s achievements in linguistics and ethnography. She noted his life-long dedication to the study of Turkic culture, language, and history, emphasizing that his scholarly work strengthened the bond between Hungarian and Turkic communities.

Hungary’s Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Tamaş Yojef Torma, underscored the significance of cooperation with Turkic states and Hungary’s active role since joining the Organization of Turkic States as an observer in 2018. He expressed gratitude to the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation for organizing the event. Attendees included representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ambassadors from Turkic countries in Azerbaijan, diplomats, and academic experts.