Turkish Wind Blows at the Culture Festival in Romania

The two-day festival began with a procession from the Tekirgöl Botanical Garden to the Jean Constantin Open Air Theater. The crowd, energized by the marches of the Mehter Band and the Romanian Naval Forces Band, showed great interest in the Mehter band and recorded the moments on their phones. Representatives of 19 ethnic minorities took the stage later in the festival, presenting a cultural feast of dance, music, and traditional costumes. The Mehter Band's performance was a highlight of the event.

Ambassador Altan's Meaningful Surprise: Turkish Ambassador to Bucharest Özgür Kıvanç Altan also attended the second day of the festival. Describing Romania's multicultural heritage as a richness, Ambassador Altan emphasized that Turkish and Tatar Turks are proud of both their Romanian identity and their roots, and thanked the Romanian government for this atmosphere of tolerance.

The festival also featured figures such as Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) Bucharest Coordinator Salih Yürç and Turkish Maarif Foundation Romania Director Alparslan Ateş.

The most emotional moment of the evening occurred when Tatar-Turkish opera singer Melek Daiana Gavrilescu took the stage. Ambassador Altan presented Gavrilescu, who performed with the "Moonlight" choir, with a certificate of appreciation and announced that a music class established by TİKA would be named after his mother, Kadriye Nurmambet, also known as the "Nightingale of Dobruja." Moved by this surprise, Gavrilescu thanked the Ambassador through tears.