THE FIRST OF ENCOURAGEMENT CONCERT SERIES WAS PERFORMED IN ISTANBUL

Under the framework of "Europe Day" activities, the first of "Encouragement Concert" series, which enables people from different professions who are interested in music with an amateur spirit to share the same stage with the professional musicians, was performed at Istanbul Cemal Reşit Rey (CRR) Concert Hall under the auspices of Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Mr. Egemen Bagis.

Delivering a speech before the concerts which gathered old Ambassadors Murat Sungar, Burak Gürsel and journalist Sedat Ergin and Durul Gence on the same stage, Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Mr. Egemen Bagis said that he was very honored to host this organization with his wife and also added that old ministers, ambassadors and volunteers who heartedly believed Turkey to reach the EU standards were among the spectators of this concert.

Expressing that this week was very meaningful for them and that they began the "9th of May Europe Day" with bicycling in Ankara, Bagis said that there would be various activities along the week and that the work composed by the old ambassador Murat Sungar was to be performed tonight.

Bagis said "Tonight we experience a significant excitement. Cultures are interacting. This interaction has continued through the history of human being, and it will continue to do so just like Istanbul have the breeze of five continents and just like Mozart was impressed by Mehter. Tonight we will witness how our melodies and the melodies of Europe are harmoniously enjoyable."

Mentioning the importance of presenting such a concert at Cemal Resit Rey Concert Hall, Bagis continued "We share the same excitement as how Cemal Resit Rey was excited while composing the 10th Year March. In the EU process today, to live in more luxurious life, to attain higher standards and to reach the level of contemporary civilizations, we all share the same excitement of Cemal Resit Rey when he was writing the opera of "Lukus Hayat".

Ambassadors of some countries, diplomats and numerous guests from art and business world attended to the concert.

Following the concert, Egemen Bagis and his spouse Mrs. Beyhan Bagis hosted a reception for "9th of May Europe Day".

Source: AA