Szemenye (Hungary), 28 November 2025 - an official ceremony was held to inaugurate the Memorial symbolizing cooperation between the Turkic States and Hungary in the field of the protection of fundamental rights. The event was organized by Judge of the Constitutional Court of Hungary and former Commissioner for Fundamental Rights, Dr. Ákos Kozma.

The ceremony was attended by the Ambassadors of the member states of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), State Secretary of the Ministry of Energy of Hungary Zsolt Németh, as well as representatives of Szombathely Forestry Ltd.

Background: The monument consists of a four-meter oak column decorated with traditional Turkic motifs. The upper part of the composition is crowned with a polished copper element resembling scaled tiles, symbolizing gold as the color of the sun, authority, power, and divinity. Two connecting elements represent the image of a water source - the origin of life and the life-giving force of the earth.

Symbolic trees were planted around the memorial, each representing a participating country: Turkey - pedunculate oak; Azerbaijan - pomegranate tree; Turkmenistan - Greek juniper; Uzbekistan - Oriental plane; Kyrgyzstan - black mulberry; Kazakhstan - Oriental spruce; Hungary - Hungarian oak.

In his opening remarks, Dr. Ákos Kozma emphasized the symbolic importance of the Memorial and the continuity of initiatives launched in 2023 during the meeting of the Turkic ombudsmen in Hungary. He noted that the newly unveiled site would serve as a space for dialogue, friendship, and the strengthening of shared values.

Speeches were also delivered by the Ambassadors of Turkey, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and by a representative of the OTS Office in Hungary.

The Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Hungary, H.E. Abzal Saparbekuly, expressed gratitude to the Hungarian side for organizing the ceremony. He noted that the newly inaugurated Memorial symbolizes the strong bonds between the Turkic States and Hungary, reflecting shared values and a joint commitment to strengthening the legal and humanitarian foundations of cooperation. He also highlighted Dr. Kozma’s personal contribution, noting his repeated visits to Kazakhstan and active efforts to promote professional exchange.

In his address, the Ambassador underscored the steady positive dynamic of Kazakh–Hungarian relations. He recalled the visit of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to Kazakhstan (2023), the State Visit of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to Hungary (2024), as well as the high-level interactions of 2025 - the participation of the President of Kazakhstan in the informal OTS Summit in Hungary and the Official Visit of President Tamás Sulyok to Astana.

Active inter-parliamentary cooperation was also highlighted: the visit of Speaker of the Mazhilis of Kazakhstan Erlan Koshanov to Budapest (2024) and the return visit of Speaker of the National Assembly of Hungary László Kövér to Astana (2025).

In addition, at the invitation of the President of the Curia of Hungary, András Varga, a delegation of the Supreme Court of Kazakhstan led by Chief Justice Aslambek Mergaliyev visited Budapest in October 2025.

In conclusion, the Kazakh diplomat stressed that cooperation in the field of fundamental rights constitutes an important humanitarian pillar of the strategic partnership between Kazakhstan and Hungary. He expressed confidence that the newly unveiled memorial would become another step toward deepening bilateral interaction.

The ceremony concluded with the traditional ribbon-cutting, a musical performance by Hungarian artists on the flute and tárogató, and a falconry demonstration.

Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa-budapest/press/news/details/1117596?lang=kk