Dr. Serina Ha: Can you introduce one to two specific Turkish festival or culture to our audience?
夏妙然博士：您能向观众介绍一至两个特定的土耳其节日或文化吗？
Turkish Consul General in Hong Kong, Mr. Peyami Kalyoncu: Sure. Turkey, with its historical and cultural richness, is home to more than 1000 festivals annually. Some of them are local festivals in different towns and cities. Almost every neighborhood has a distinctive festival and festivity throughout the year.
There are a quite a number of festivals of unique character. For instance, every year in the western part of Turkey, in Kırkpınar, we celebrate famous Turkish Oil-wrestling through a sports event and festival. This year we celebrated the 659th edition of this same festival. In other words, since more than 600 years, the same festival is going on in the same place. People gather in the festival area to cheer and celebrate the wrestling event. It is a unique cultural event in Turkey. There are many historical and cultural figures who are also celebrated in the spirit of festivals. Take Nasreddin Hodja as an example, who was political satirist of his time. He was born more than 700 years ago. We still today in Turkey, keep telling the tales of Nasreddin Hodja to our kids. Every tale is a lesson and part of the Turkish culture. We commemorate and celebrate him through a unique festival every year.
There are hundreds of festivals in the fields of art, music, culture, theatre, movies, dancing, ballet. Istanbul Jazz Festival, Antalya International Golden Orange Film Festival and Gastronomy Festivals in Istanbul and many other cities are well known in the region and beyond.
Lately, in Adana, people are celebrating the orange blossom through a carnival-like festival with costumes and parades. This event has become very popular especially among young people. People are going to Adana in April to celebrate orange blossom with special costumes.
Istanbul Tulip Festival takes place in April every year in the parks and gardens of the city. Parks are decorated with tulip flowers in the form of huge carpets. Up to 600,000 tulips are used for just one carpet like exhibition. Shortly, Turkey is full of festivals. So when you travel into Turkey, you can also keep in mind the festival calendar.
土耳其驻港总领事：当然，土耳其有着悠久的历史文化和丰富的历史，节日更多于1000个，在不同的城市里，每年都有独特的节日，例如，在文化和体育方面，每年在土耳其的西面Kırkpınar，我们有著名的涂油摔跤运动节（Oil-wrestling Sport Festival），而今年已经是第659届，在600多年来，节日都会在同样的时间进行，人们在节日会聚集在市镇中心，谈论摔跤节日，这已成为土耳其文化的一部分。此外，我们会纪念许多历史文化人物，例如讽刺时弊的作家纳斯雷丁·霍贾（Nasreddin Hodja），虽然他已经离开我们700多年前，但如今我们会告诉孩子们他的故事，这是土耳其文化的一部分。另外，我们还会举办艺术、音乐和戏剧节，例如芭蕾舞节（Ballet Festival），伊斯坦堡爵士节（Istanbul Jazz Festival）和电影节（Film Festival），安塔利亚国际电影节（Antalya International Golden Orange Film Festival），伊斯坦堡和许多其他城市举办的美食节（Gastronomy Festivals）。鲜花节（Flower Festival）是最近在阿达纳（Adana）举办的狂欢节，人们穿着特色服装来庆祝橙花盛开，但其实这个节日不是传统的土耳其节日，但它最近变得非常受欢迎，人们会在四月前往阿达纳庆祝橙花盛开。另外，每年四月有著名的伊斯坦堡郁金香节（Istanbul Tulips Festival），公园里到处都遍布郁金香花，在一些展览中，会展出布满超过600,000朵郁金香的地毯，可见土耳其到处都会举办节日，所以当大家在土耳其旅行时，可以不妨看看节日举办的日期，每个城市在每个月都会举办不同的节日。
Dr. Serina Ha: Can you please introduce Turkish national flower to us?
夏妙然博士：您能给我们介绍一下土耳其国花吗？
Turkish Consul General in Hong Kong, Mr. Peyami Kalyoncu: In the historical palace, Tulip has become a very popular flower especially starting from the late 17th century. We have a very distinctive historical period named after Tulip. This era represents the development of culture, art and also the beginning of the modernisation of the Ottoman. It is written in the books that a Flemish Ambassador to Ottoman Empire that time first brought the tulips from Turkey to Netherlands. Then, it has become a very popular flower of Dutch culture and economy. They became the main producers of Tulip.
For long, Tulip has been the symbol of Turkey’s tourism. But, for instance, in the Botanic International Fair in Antalya in 2016, Turkish peony was a symbol of Turkey, so there is a discussion about which flower represents Turkey most. You can pick your favourite.
土耳其驻港总领事：在历史悠久的宫殿中，郁金香已是受欢迎的花卉。历史时期象征着文化、艺术及18世纪奥斯曼帝国（Ottoman empire）的现代化。那时，佛兰德（Flemish）大使从土耳其带了郁金香到荷兰，然后，它便成为了荷兰非常流行的花朵，也成为主要的生产者，但直到今天，郁金香仍是土耳其的国花之一，而且长期以来，它一直是土耳其旅游业的象征，例如，在2016年安塔利亚国际植物学展览会（Antalya Botanic International Fair），牡丹是土耳其的象征，所以那朵花才能代表土耳其还有不少讨论空间。
Dr. Serina Ha: It’s kind of like Turkish peony is not a kind of national flower, but a significant representative flower?
夏妙然博士：即是说牡丹不是土耳其国花，而是重要的代表花？
Turkish Consul General in Hong Kong, Mr. Peyami Kalyoncu: Exactly! Let me show you here a catalogue of endemic flowers of Anatolia. There are more than thousands of endemic flowers in Turkey.
让我在这里给您展示一份安纳托利亚（Anatolia）特有花卉的目录。 土耳其有数千种特有的花。
Dr. Serina Ha: So there is no official national flower in Turkey?
夏妙然博士：因此，土耳其没有官方的国花吗？
Turkish Consul General in Hong Kong, Mr. Peyami Kalyoncu: Let’s say tulip is the one and it is still regarded as one of the symbols of Turkish tourism and culture.
土耳其驻港总领事：郁金香是其中一种，至今仍被视为土耳其旅游业的象征，因此它在土耳其文化方面占有非常重要的地位。
Dr. Serina Ha: And so, regarding about the flower, how about the language? Because for the promotion video we can learn little bit from you only, so can you please demonstrate again? How to say “hello” and “how are you”?
夏妙然博士：介绍了土耳其的国花，可以教我们说土耳其语的「你好」和「你好吗」？
Turkish Consul General in Hong Kong, Mr. Peyami Kalyoncu: Sure, a formal way to say “hello” and “how are you” are “merhaba” and “nasılsın”.
土耳其驻港总领事：当然可以，「你好」是 “merhaba”，「你好吗」是“nasılsın”。
Dr. Serina Ha: Are there any slangs you want to teach us?
夏妙然博士：您可以教我们一些潮语吗？
Turkish Consul General in Hong Kong, Mr. Peyami Kalyoncu: “Güle güle” is colloquial and “Görüşürüz” is also used informally meaning “goodbye”.
土耳其驻港总领事：“Gülegüle”和“Görüşürüz”都是「再见」的意思。
Dr. Serina Ha: Do Turkish youngsters like to shorten words for close friends?
夏妙然博士：土耳其的年轻人会与朋友沟通时缩短一些用语吗？
Turkish Consul General in Hong Kong, Mr. Peyami Kalyoncu: They say “n’aber”, it means “hi” or “what’s up”. “N’aber dostum” means “hi, my friend”.
土耳其驻港总领事：他们会说“ n'aber”，意思是「你好」。 “N'aber dostum”的意思是「你好，我的朋友」。
Dr. Serina Ha: Will teenagers say something that sometimes you try to understand slowly?
夏妙然博士：青少年会说一些您要慢慢理解的用语吗？
Turkish Consul General in Hong Kong, Mr. Peyami Kalyoncu: We can understand but don’t approve all the slang they use. Turkish people speak at normal pace, not very fast and I think it is an understandable language. You can easily learn some words!
土耳其驻港总领事：我们可以理解，但不认为他们使用的所有用语是恰当的。我们说土耳其语不会说得很快，而且是很容易理解的。
Dr. Serina Ha: Can Consul General please introduce Turkish celebration in the coming years?
夏妙然博士：您可以介绍土耳其未来的庆祝活动吗？
Turkish Consul General in Hong Kong, Mr. Peyami Kalyoncu: You are always more than welcome to visit Turkey. There are currently direct flights between Hong Kong and Istanbul six days a week. Fly to Istanbul and also discover the new airport which will be hosting more than hundred million passengers every year. It is one of the biggest airports in the world, which was opened last year. From the airport go directly into the city center, explore the history, culture, art, hundreds of museums, palaces, mosques, bazaars and gastronomy in Istanbul. Don’t just stay in Istanbul. Explore other cities in Turkey, western, southern, eastern, and also northern parts of Turkey. In every part of Turkey, you will discover something different, something local. I am sure Hong Kong people will appreciate Turkish culture, art and history deeply.
土耳其驻港总领事：你们随时都可以到土耳其旅游，从香港到伊斯坦堡一周有六天都有直航航班，飞往伊斯坦堡后，可以探索新机场，该机场每年大概接待一亿多名乘客，这是去年开放的最大机场之一。从那里进入城市后，更可以探索伊斯坦堡的历史、文化、艺术和美食。再者，不要只认识伊斯坦堡，还可以尝试探索土耳其南部、东部，甚至北部的阿德里安（Adrian）和中央公园（Central Park）。在土耳其的每个地方，各位都可以发现不一样及具土耳其特色的东西。我相信香港人会欣赏土耳其的文化、艺术和历史。
Dr. Serina Ha: Are there language barrier in Turkey like we cannot speak Turkish, can we go to Turkey?
夏妙然博士：若然我们不会说土耳其语，在土耳其旅游会有语言障碍吗？我们可以去土耳其吗？
Turkish Consul General in Hong Kong, Mr. Peyami Kalyoncu: Nowadays, luckily this problem has already been solved by the translate applications all around the world. There may always be some language barrier, especially when you are out of touristic spots, but Turkish people are very friendly and they will always try to understand you even they don’t speak your language. They will do their best by gestures. We are famous by communicating by our gestures, so they will try to understand you and explain you all even though when they don’t speak your language.
土耳其驻港总领事：如今，翻译应用程序已解决这个问题了。不过，不在旅游热点的话，旅客可能会有一些语言障碍，但是土耳其人非常友好，即使他们不会说英语，也会通过身体语言与大家沟通。而且，土耳其人透过身体语言的交流而闻名，即使他们不会说其他语言，他们亦会想尽办法理解你的需求。
Dr. Serina Ha: How’s the Asian culture in Turkey?
夏妙然博士：土耳其的亚洲文化是怎样的？
Turkish Consul General in Hong Kong, Mr. Peyami Kalyoncu: Turkey is part of Asia. It is between and part of both Asia and Europe, and you can also call it as a Middle Eastern country which is also a Black Sea, Caucasus country. Turkey is in at the crossroads of all these regions. Therefore, Asian culture is part of Turkey. We are recently rediscovering and focusing on Asia. Our Ministry has recently announced a diplomatic initiative called “Asia Anew”. This new policy includes all fields, including but not limited to economy, trade, investment, culture and also political relations. We look forward to deepening and strengthening our relationship with Asian countries and culture.
土耳其驻港总领事：土耳其是亚洲的一部分，在亚洲和欧洲之间，也可称其为中东国家，而且靠近黑海，处于所有十字路口的中间，因此，亚洲文化是土耳其的一部分。我们最近正在重新探索亚洲的地区，例如，外交部最近提出外交倡议，名为「新的亚洲」，这项新政策涵盖生活各方各面，包括经济、贸易、投资、文化以及政治关系，我们期待加深及加强土耳其与亚洲国家和文化的关系。
Dr. Serina Ha: Finally, we want to know more about consul general. At the first time you come to Hong Kong, have you been here before?
夏妙然博士：最后，我们想进一步了解总领事。这是您第一次到香港吗？您以前来过这里吗？
Turkish Consul General in Hong Kong, Mr. Peyami Kalyoncu: My first day was my first day in Hong Kong.
土耳其驻港总领事：我成为驻港总领事的第一天就是我在香港的第一天。
Dr. Serina Ha: How to explore Hong Kong in three months?
夏妙然博士：在三个月内，您是如何探索香港？
Turkish Consul General in Hong Kong, Mr. Peyami Kalyoncu: I am trying to explore Hong Kong in all aspects. I try to spend off days seeing natural beauties in Hong Kong. I go to remote islands to discover different parts of the city Kong with my son. We like to move around a lot. And I found many similarities between Istanbul and Hong Kong, both very vibrant, dynamic and enjoyable cities. As you can commute from Hong Kong Island to Kowloon side with Starferries, we do have our unique boats (vapur) to travel between continents within the same city. Both cities are beautiful blends of East and West, in their peculiar ways.
土耳其驻港总领事：我正在全方位探索香港，并尝试花一点时间欣赏香港的自然美景。我常常带着儿子去偏远的岛屿，重新发现香港的不同地区，以及喜欢在周末四处游走，可以了解到香港真是我们的荣幸。我发现伊斯坦布尔和香港之间有许多相似之处，这两个城市都是充满活力和令人愉悦的城市。 由于您可以乘坐渡轮从香港岛往返九龙，我们确实拥有独特的游船（vapur），可以在同一城市的各大岛屿之间旅行。 土耳其及香港也是以独特的方式融合东西方的美丽。
