The Presidential Culture and Art Policy Board has made their decision on this year's award winners after a meticulous evaluation. According to a statement from the Directorate of Communications, the figures deemed worthy of the 2020 Presidential Culture and Art Grand Awards have been announced.
Each year, the Presidency of the Republic of Turkey presents the Presidential Culture and Arts Grand Awards, held in honor of citizens who have produced work that contributes to the country's cultural and artistic heritage for future generations and have laid the foundation for the rise of culture and arts across the world.
Within the scope of the awards, collector Mehmet Çebi will be awarded this year, and the loyalty award is set to be received posthumously by late Necmeddin Okyay, one of the last Ottoman masters of the Islamic arts.
While writer Sadettin Ökten has been chosen to receive the award in the field of cultural history, theologian Ismail Kara was deemed worthy of the award in the field of social sciences. Poet Ibrahim Tenekeci will be awarded in the field of literature and director Derviş Zaim will receive the award in the field of cinema. The last award will be presented to Turkish singer, songwriter and composer Özdemir Erdoğan for his contributions to the field of music.
Following the announcement, Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy congratulated the winners of the 2020 Presidential Culture and Art Grand Awards. In a post on Twitter, Ersoy said: "I congratulate Sadettin Ökten, Ismail Kara, Ibrahim Tenekeci, Derviş Zaim, Özdemir Erdoğan, Mehmet Çebi and Necmeddin Okyay and express my thanks to them for their contributions to our country."
