Budapest, 24 August 2026 - From 20 to 23 August 2026, the 40th anniversary Festival of Folk Arts (“Mesterségek Ünnepe”) was held at Buda Castle. The Festival is one of Hungary’s largest annual cultural events dedicated to the preservation, development and promotion of traditional crafts and folk art.

As part of the Festival’s official opening on 20 August 2026, H.E. Ms. Anel Bakytbekkyzy, Ambassador-designate of the Republic of Kazakhstan to Hungary, met with Ms. Gabriella Igyártó, Executive Director of the Association of Hungarian Folk Artists’ Associations. During the meeting, the parties discussed the participation of Kazakh artisans in the Festival, as well as prospects for further cooperation and the expansion of cultural ties between Kazakhstan and Hungary in the fields of traditional crafts and folk art.

It should be noted that the Festival traditionally enjoys broad international participation. In 2026, alongside Hungarian artisans, representatives of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, the Republic of Korea, Poland, Türkiye and a number of other countries took part in the event. The United States was the guest of honour in connection with the 250th anniversary of the country’s independence.

With the active support of the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Hungary, four representatives of Kazakhstan, members of the “Urshyk” Republican Union of Artisans, took part in the anniversary Festival:

- Bibigul Kardenova - felt artisan and Chairwoman of the Union;

- Zaure Kakimova - weaving artisan;

- Saltanat Yeleussinova - traditional crafts artisan;

- Ulzhan Muzartbek - traditional crafts artisan.

The Kazakh participants introduced Festival visitors to the rich traditions of Kazakhstan’s national applied arts, demonstrating techniques and skills passed down from generation to generation. Their participation provided the wider Hungarian and international public with an opportunity to gain a closer insight into Kazakhstan’s distinctive cultural heritage and the contemporary development of the country’s traditional crafts.

Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa-budapest/press/news/details/1279286?lang=ru