Turkish actor, academics win culture and arts awards

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism presented awards to an outstanding actor, musician, academic and publishing house at a ceremony on Tuesday. Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu, in his first Istanbul outing since his party's election win on Sunday, delivered the awards at the ceremony at Istanbul's Topkapı Palace. The recipients were actor Serdar Gökhan, musician Mehmet Özbek, art historian Hakkı Acun and Ötüken publishing house. Gökhan, a comic book artist turned actor, is famous for the historical characters he brought to the big screen and his role in an acclaimed TV series about the roots of the Ottoman Empire. Mehmet Özbek is the founder of a folk music choir and is credited with the discovery of hundreds of forgotten folk songs. He helped introduce folk songs from the Turkic world to a wider audience through his TV shows. Hakkı Acun is a prominent art historian and specializes in Turkish and Ottoman history. Ötüken publishing house, founded in 1964, is known for its publications on Turkish history and culture.