It is with great sorrow that we have to announce that Dr. János Hóvári, the outstanding historian and Turkologist, a former Ambassador of Hungary to Tel-Aviv, Kuwait and Ankara, the Executive Head of the Representation Office of the Organization of Turkic States in Budapest, a former lecturer at the University of Sciences of Pécs (PTE), an honorary professor passed away on August 6, 2023, in the 69th year of his life.
His colleagues and students at the University mourn the outstanding teacher, the historian of Ottoman Studies, the researcher and the expert on geopolitics with an international perspective, who had unselfishly been supporting the development and the success of both our University and that of the individual students for decades.
The historian – Turkologist, who left us very early, built not only a great academic career, but a glorious one in diplomacy and public service. Ambassador Hóvári (Israel, Kuwait and Türkiye) was also the Deputy State Secretary for Global Affairs, the Executive Director of Hungarian Artists Limited in Szentendre, as well headed the Representation Office of the Organization of Turkic States in Budapest.
It is with great sorrow that his colleagues and students have learnt about his unexpected and early passing away.
János Hóvári was born in Kiskorpád (Somogy County) in 1955. He took his school leaving examination in the Mihály Táncsics High School (Kaposvár) in 1973. He graduated from the Loránd Eötvös University of Sciences in 1979 where he majored in history and Turkish studies. His first job after graduation was in the Institute of History of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences where he worked as a researcher. At the same time, he was also a lecturer in the Institute of History of the Teacher Training College of Janus Pannonius University of Sciences in Pécs. His field of research was the era of Ottoman subjugation. Besides this, during his courses he was also dealing with the history of the Balkans, the Eastern elements of the Hungarian people, as well as with reading Ottoman–Turkish sources.
It was in 1992 that János Hóvári joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs where he embarked on his exceptionally successful diplomatic career that lasted until his death. He maintained his contacts with university circles in Pécs and Southern Danubia even after his becoming a diplomat. He participated in the research projects of our University, offered his assistance to developing the scientific programs on the Balkans of our University. He was a lecturer and a program director of the Ph.D. doctoral school of geopolitics from the very beginning.
János, we will remember you forever!
Source: The University of Sciences of Pécs
