Turkish music, traditional attire charm leaders at NATO summit

Turkish music and traditional attire drew widespread admiration from international delegations during events held as part of the 36th NATO Heads of State and Government Summit in Ankara, the Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry announced. Artists from the ministry’s cultural institutions performed at official programs at the Presidential Complex and Çankaya Mansion, presenting a diverse repertoire spanning Western classical music and selected works from Turkish and Turkic world traditions.

Leaders’ appreciation

French President Emmanuel Macron personally congratulated members of the CSO Cello Stars after their performance at the leaders’ dinner, expressing a desire to host the ensemble in France. US President Donald Trump showed his appreciation with a gesture during the Samida Group’s multilingual performance and later congratulated the artists. The Samida Group, which closed the dinner program with songs in Turkish, Romani, Greek, English and Albanian, received praise from multiple international guests for its multicultural repertoire.

Cultural diplomacy at Çankaya Mansion and airport

At Çankaya Mansion, First Lady Emine Erdoğan hosted a program featuring a trio of female artists performing on ney, kanun and classical kemenche. At Ankara Airport, artists from the Ankara State Performing Arts Ensemble welcomed heads of state and their spouses with flowers while wearing traditional outfits prepared by the Ankara Maturation Institute. The South Korean delegation showed keen interest in the instruments, while Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis examined the traditional attire closely and thanked the artists.

Ministry’s assessment

Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said Türkiye hosted world leaders not only through diplomacy but also through its deep-rooted cultural and artistic heritage. “Our artists represented Türkiye successfully at the Presidential Complex and Çankaya Mansion with distinguished repertoires ranging from classical music to unique melodies from the Turkic world,” Ersoy stated. “The traditional attire worn during welcome ceremonies and the works performed won the appreciation of guest heads of state and their delegations.”