22.06.2026 14:10
Horon, one of the most important heritages of Turkish folk culture, is set to enter the Guinness World Records with a massive event held on June 28 in Maltepe, Istanbul. Organized under the leadership of the Turkish Folk Dances Federation, the event aims to have 5,000 costumed folk dancers perform horon simultaneously to break into the Guinness World Records.
The deep-rooted tradition of Anatolian lands is once again on the world agenda. Great efforts are being made to promote the tradition, customs, values, and culture of Anatolia to the world and to pass them on to the new generation. The Turkish Folk Dance Federation, on this path, aims not only to break a record with a horon event of 5,000 people but also to increase the national and international visibility of Turkish folk dances and raise awareness about protecting cultural heritage.
President of the Turkish Folk Dance Federation, Hüseyin Güler, emphasized the great importance of folk dances in preserving Turkish culture, saying, “With a sense of great responsibility, we carry out various projects and works to keep our culture alive and pass it on to future generations in the strongest way. Our folk dances, which have lived in these lands for centuries, are the memory, culture, and common spirit of our nation. For us, both horon and zeybek are not just dances; they are the living heritage of our history, struggle, and brotherhood.”
TURKEY SAYS "HORON IS OURS!" It is aimed to bring the horon dance to the world agenda with a participation of 5,000 people in Maltepe. Horon, an inseparable part of Black Sea culture, has been kept alive in different regions of Anatolia for centuries.
Federation President Güler said, “These lands are ours, this tradition is ours, this culture is ours. We dance halay at our weddings, we get excited when the first note of zeybek is heard, we cannot stay still when the kemence rhythm starts for horon. Folk dances are the common memory of this nation.” Güler invited all citizens to the horon event they will organize to keep this memory alive. Güler said, “The ‘HORON BIZUMDUR’ 5,000 Costumed Horon Dancers Guinness World Record attempt, which we will hold on June 28th at the Istanbul Maltepe Event Area, is not just a record organization; it is the will to protect our culture, history, and national values. We invite everyone from 7 to 70 to this great cultural gathering. Today is a day to unite, protect our culture, and give a strong message to the world. Come; let us meet in the enthusiasm of horon with one heart and bring our culture to the world stage together,” inviting everyone to be a part of this event.
THE AIM IS TO DRAW ATTENTION TO HISTORY, NATIONAL AND CULTURAL VALUES Federation officials pointed out that in recent years, debates about some folk dances and cultural elements being claimed by other countries have frequently come to the public agenda, and stated that the upcoming Guinness organization aims to increase the visibility of these cultural values. Güler emphasized the importance of public participation, saying, “When we look at record attempts in the field of folk dances in the world today, we see Guinness record organizations carried out with 2,800 people in Greece and 4,000 people in Armenia. For our country, which has such a deep-rooted and rich culture, breaking a record of 5,000 people is not difficult; as long as we unite and share the same excitement.” Those who wish to participate in the event can get the necessary information from www.horonbizumdur.com.
While the Federation aims to expand the event in the coming years, it announced that preparations are underway for a new organization with the participation of 10,000 people in Izmir next year.
"ZEYBEK REFLECTS THE SOUL OF ANATOLIA" Recently, Greece claiming the zeybek dance and Armenia claiming the horon dance became a hot topic in Turkey. Güler specifically addressed this issue. Güler said, “Recently, we have all witnessed that some values originating from our own culture are being used under different names on international platforms. Particularly, the presentation of our zeybek culture to the world public under the name ‘Zeybekiko’ in Greece has once again revealed that we need to protect our own cultural heritage more strongly.”
Güler stated that zeybek is a symbol of efelik (a Turkish folk hero tradition), bravery, courage, and the Anatolian spirit, emphasizing that zeybek culture is an important part of the Turkish nation's cultural heritage. Güler said, “There are distinct differences between Greek zeybek and Turkish zeybek. The stance, figures, and the story told in Turkish zeybek are different. Our zeybek represents freedom, courage, and the efelik tradition. Therefore, zeybek is an important value of Anatolian culture, and preserving this heritage is of great importance.”