Turkey is set to become the guest country in 2015 for the Europalia International Arts Festival, held every two years across Belgium to celebrate the cultural heritage of a chosen country.
The announcement came Tuesday in a press conference in Brussels given by Turkey’s Culture and Tourism Minister Omer Celik, Belgium’s Energy Minister Marie-Christine Marghem and Jacobs de Hagen, chairman of Europelia International.
Celik emphasized the richness of Anatolia, which makes up the majority of Turkey, and said the main theme of Europelia Turkey would be "Anatolia: House of Infinity."
Celik said from the Egmont Palace: ''Having hosted great civilizations within its rich history, Anatolia is one of the places where cultural production and diversity took place the most.
''As the melting pot of different religions, sects and races for a millennium, Anatolia is the geography where the concept of tolerance has been internalized."
He said that by becoming the guest of Europelia, which will be held at sites across Belgium including Brussels, Antwerp and Ghent, Turkey would bring relations between it and Europe to a higher level.
The Europelia Arts Festival -- organized by public and private sector organizations including Turkish Airlines, the Turkish Ministry of Culture, BNP Paribas and the state Bank of Belgium -- will showcase approximately 250 objects including archaeological treasures, sculptures, textiles and gold and silver objects from museums across Turkey.
www.aa.com.tr/en
