President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has highlighted the importance of arts and culture in the development of a country during the 2016 Presidential Culture and Grand Awards ceremony in Ankara.
In his address at the presidential complex, Erdoğan said: “Fundamentally, it is not possible for a country to be independent in the real sense without development in the fields of arts and culture, or at least sustain its independence."
This year the awards were given to Mustafa Kutlu in the literature category, Prof. Dr. Kemal Haşim Karpat (social sciences), Prof. Dr. Erol Parlak (music), Şener Şen (cinema) and Feridun Özgören (traditional arts). Also, the late Prof., Dr. Süheyl Ünver, was given a Vefa (loyalty) award.
Turkish president said Kutlu -- who could not attend the ceremony due to health reasons -- had told stories of the Anatolian people.
He described Karpat as one of the people who best described the political history of Turkey.
He said Parlak had dedicated his life to Turkish traditional songs.
About the prominent actor Şen, Erdoğan said his name comes to mind as soon as anyone mentions Turkish cinema.
The 75-year-old Şen said he had received his award in the hope of contributing towards peace in the country.
On Özgoren, the president said he was a one-man army in the field of traditional Turkish arts.
He commemorated the late professor Ünver as one of the last “Ottoman gentlemen".
The presidential culture and arts awards are annual prizes that have been awarded by Turkish presidents since 1995.
