As a result of the cooperation between the Ministry of Education and Culture, the Hungarian National Museum, the Consulate General of the Republic of Hungary in Istanbul and the local government of Tekirdag town, the Rakóczi Museum in Tekirdag is presenting a fully renewed exhibition for the visitors.

The opening ceremony of the new exhibition, enlarged with an extremely rich content, took place on the 1rst of February during the visit to Turkey (between January 29-February 3) of Dr. István Hiller, the Hungarian Minister of Education and Culture.

The significance of the event, the friendship of the two nations, the rich common historical heritage and the new era in the Hungarian-Turkish cultural relations was praised by Minister István Hiller, Consul General Mária Székely and Ambassador István Szabó. From the Turkish side the Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism, Ertugrul Günay and the Governor of Tekirdag County, Zübeyir Kemelek emphasized the deep rooted excellent historical and cultural relations between the two countries.

István Hiller said in his speech, that the Rákóczi Museum has always been a very important „bridge” between the two nations .

The Rakóczi Memorial House is the property of the Hungarian state and it is maintained by the Hungarian Foreign Ministry through the Hungarian Consulate General in Istanbul. Three years ago the Hungarian Foreign Ministry financed the full renovation of the Rákóczi Memorial House. The recently renewed exhibition based on the latest results of historical researches, uses also the most up to date ways and multimedia methods. This is an important national memorial place, which honors Prince Rákóczi the Second and his followers, Kelemen Mikes, Miklós Bercsényi, Antal Eszterházy, Mihály Csáki, Miklós Sibrik and others.

The Ministry of Education and Culture financed the project. Prof. Dr. Ágnes R. Várkonyi in collaboration with the National Museum worked out and implemented the exhibition's new conception. The exhibited items present the European situation in the 17th century, the extended diplomatic relations that Ferenc Rákóczi the Second maintained with European great powers. The exhibition follows his freedom fight from the very beginning until the emigration and till his death on April 8, 1735 in Tekirdag.

The newly opened exhibition, with interesting illustrations and relics, the Memorial House of Rákóczi will hopefully attract many hundreds of visitors from Hungary, Turkey and elsewhere, and will strengthen the role of Tekirdag in the Hungarian and Turkish cultural life.

The Hungarian Minister of Education and Culture, during his visit to Turkey met also Sekib Avdagic, the President of the Executive Board of the Agency Istanbul2010 European Capital of Culture. They exchanged views about the cooperation between Pécs and Istanbul, the implementation of the common cultural programs in 2010, since for this year, besides Pécs, Istanbul and Essen are also elected to be European Capitals of Culture.

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