anniversary

The mesmerising uniform of the Hungarian hussars – PHOTOS

March 15 Hussar Március Huszár Felvonulás

The Hungarian hussars are quite a unique sight to behold. Not because they are particularly rare, as there is a prominent culture in Hungary that is keeping the hussar tradition alive, but because they are mesmerising in their beautifully adorned uniforms and armaments. Today, on the occasion of the Hungarian National Day, you will be able to learn a little bit about this spectacular light cavalry unit and its equipment.

The hussars were the light cavalry dedicated to fending off the Ottoman invaders. They were established under Hungarian King Matthias Corvinus who created this form of cavalry. Hussars were first incorporated into the Black Army of Hungary, and by 1490, they became the standard form of cavalry. After the death of Corvinus, the Hungarian hussars were hired as mercenaries by Habsburg emperors as well. Most Hungarian units were active during Rákóczi’s War of Independence in the early 1700s (this might have made them iconic) and during the 1848-1849 Hungarian Revolution. Hussars were considered to be the ‘cool’ guys in the army. They were thought to be reckless, they could drink anyone under the table, and any woman would have gone mad for them. There is some debate about the origin of their name, however, but you can read more about that and more on hussars in general in THIS article. Hungary also has the largest hussar statue in the world.

The Uniform

In Hungary, we aim to actively preserve and show this rich military tradition with the help of the Hungarian Hussar and Military Heritage Federation. This federation helps provide hussars for events and anniversaries, such as March 15th.

From the 18th century, the Hungarian hussars’ military uniform was inspired by contemporary Hungarian fashion, but these are also the typical uniforms most people imagine when they hear the word ‘hussar’, one of the few English words with Hungarian origins.

Shako – Csákó

There are a couple of iconic things in a hussar. One of those things is the shako, a cylindrical soldier’s hat with a plume, a decoration of feathers or fur fastened by a rose, or just a standalone rose. The shako itself is adorned with golden or silver laces and other intricate designs.

Dolman – Dolmány

This item of clothing is probably the most iconic of them all. This is a short jacket, a medium-long jacket was called an attila. The jacket is decorated with a heavy horizontal braid across the breast with a golden or silver lace ending in beautiful knots on each side. The sleeves, the neck area, and the bottom of the jacket were also decorated with golden or silver laces. Hussars wore these over a shirt.

Pelisse – Mente

Hungarian hussars wore a pelisse as well, which was a short-waisted over-jacket similar to the dolmány. This piece of clothing was worn on only one side most of the time, so it was held on by an ornate cord.

Huszár Egyenruha Hussar Uniform 5
Pelisse – Mente Source: Wikimedia Commons / Armémuseum
Breeches – Nadrág

These were tight-fit breeches at the shin, so as not to intervene much with the high boots. The decoration of silver or golden laces makes it onto the breeches as well. They can be observed on the thigh area and going down the sides to help hide seamlines.

Boots – Csizma

These are high riding boots with similar knot-like ornamentation on the leather. The hussars typically also wore spurs on their boots.

The accessories

They wore an ornate cord-belt on the outside of the dolmány, a leather sword-belt. Hussars decorated their sabres with sword tassels that were coloured differently according to rank. They also wore a patrontáska (tölténytáska), or ammunition pouch, and the officers’ pouches were highly ornamented.

Bag – Tarsoly

Hussars also wore a tarsoly as part of their uniform. This was not a particularly functional bag, as it was very flat, they could only store small items in them despite their size at first appearance. These were decorated by the initials of the monarch. Naturally, the higher-ranking a hussar was, the more ornamented this accessory got.

Volunteer Cavalry
Hungarian volunteer cavalry, 1859 Source: Wikimedia Commons / Scan by NYPL
Moustache – Bajusz

The long moustache was also an essential “accessory” of hussars, which is not mandatory today, but many people who keep this tradition alive also have moustaches.

Naturally, the colours, lacing, and decoration of the uniform were different not only through the ages but also unique to each regiment.

March 15 Hussar Március Huszár Felvonulás
Read alsoThe mesmerising uniform of the Hungarian hussars – PHOTOS

Hungarian politicians mark day of communism victims

communism victims commemoration

“Suffering caused by communism and heroic defiance against dictatorship is a part of our national identity,” Gergely Gulyás, the head of the Prime Minister’s Office, said marking Hungary’s day of the victims of communist dictatorships in a video posted on Facebook on Thursday.

Gulyás said the February 25 memorial day was an occasion to pay tribute to hundreds of thousands of Hungarians and “over 100 million people murdered in communist regimes worldwide”.

“Today’s free Hungary is thanks to their heroism, their sacrifice,” he added.

“There cannot be a compromise with those seeking excuses for the crimes of communism and the perpetrators of those crimes,” he said, adding that “there will be no compromise with those constantly worried about freedom, even though they used to be collaborators in a dictatorship of mass murderers”.

Justice Minister Judit Varga also marked the memorial day of the victims of communism.

In a bilingual Facebook post, Varga hailed those who had suffered under communist dictatorship as Hungarians who “built our current independence and freedom through personal sacrifice”.

“We remember them, the victims of communism!” she added.

Hungary’s parliament declared February 25 the memorial day of the victims of communist dictatorships in 2000, to commemorate Béla Kovács, head of the Independent Smallholders’ Party, who was arrested on that day in 1947 and later deported to the Soviet Union.

Budapest mayor pays tribute to victims of communism

Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony on Thursday marked the memorial day of the victims of communism, paying tribute to those who had suffered or died under communist dictatorships.

“The murderous dictatorship took away the lives of millions, including my great-grandfather,” Karácsony said on Facebook.

“My great-grandparents were sentenced to forced labour from where my great-grandfather never returned.”

On February 25, Hungary pays tribute to him and other victims who lost their lives to a regime built on fear and hate, the mayor added.

“The only way to prevent the past from repeating itself is by making our pain stemming from the past all of our shared pain,” Karácsony said.

20 january 1990 Azerbaijan
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V4 anniversary summit to address post-pandemic recovery as well

visegrad group four v4

The upcoming summit of the Visegrad Group marking the alliance’s 30th anniversary will address post-pandemic recovery measures and energy security issues, according to the event’s schedule.

The meeting of the presidents of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia will be held behind closed doors due the coronavirus pandemic on February 9-10 at the Polish presidential residency in Jurata on Hel Peninsula on the coast of the Baltic Sea, the Polish president’s office said on its website.

The programme opens on Tuesday with a panel discussion addressing the topics of European and Transatlantic cooperation and the Visegrad Group’s current status in relation to EU policy, the US elections and developments in Russia.

In another panel, the presidents will discuss economic recovery measures and energy security in the post Covid-19 pandemic period.

The Visegrad Group was formed on February 15, 1991, at a high-level meeting in the Hungarian town of Visegrad.

Its six-month rotating presidency will be taken over by Hungary from Poland on June 30.

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Pianist György Cziffra centenary marked worldwide

György Cziffra

The 100th birth anniversary of Hungarian piano virtuoso György Cziffra will be marked in 15 countries worldwide in 2021, the leader of the Hungarian celebrations said on public news channel M1 on Monday.

Pianist János Balázs said the Hungarian government had declared the period between February 2021 and May 2022 a Cziffra memorial year.

UNESCO has also included the anniversary on its list of celebrations, he said.

Budapest’s Palace of Arts, the Liszt Music Academy and the Hungarian Academy of Arts have partnered for the Hungarian events, he said.

Abroad, events will be organised in renowned concert halls including Moscow’s Tschaikovsky Conservatory, the Bozar centre of arts in Brussels, and Geneva’s Victoria Hall, he said.

Events will include an online concert broadcast from Budapest’s Music Academy with contributions from pianists Gergely Bogányi, Kálmán Drafi, Károly Mocsári and János Balázs, while master classes will be offered by soprano Erika Miklósa, cymbalom player Miklós Lukács and pianists Kálmán Drafi and Béla Szakcsi Lakatos.

hungarian anthem
Read alsoVariations on the Hungarian National Anthem – Videos

Happy 40th birthday to one of Hungary’s favourite cartoon characters!

Vuk

The Little Fox, or as the whole of Hungary knows and loves him, Vuk, is celebrating his 40th birthday this year. The basis of the character is provided by a book, which was written by István Fekete in 1965 and which is still one of the most popular books in the country, perfect for all ages. However, the series adaptation released in 1981 made Vuk truly famous and loved. 

The story of one of Hungary’s favourite cartoon characters is about a little fox, Vuk, who loses his parents when a hunter dog finds their foxhole. He is then raised by his uncle. The story follows his life, adventures, and character development.

The director of the movie, Attila Dargay, said in an interview that putting this story on screen was one of his dearest cartoon works.

“I read the book and I was enchanted. I almost saw the characters in front of me, they only needed to be drawn to come alive,” he said.

Vuk
Vuk and his uncle, Karak – Pannónia Filmstúdió – http://files.blogter.hu/user_files/4532/Vuk1.jpg, filmkocka, https://hu.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=515894

He had a tough job drawing a fox’s personality as it is rather a negative character in most of the stories, and previously, it had not been a frequent visitor in cartoons, especially not as a cub. To make Vuk seem more real, Dargay chose a living model, writes sokszinuvidek.24.hu.

He was visiting newly born fox cubs in the Budapest Zoo on many occasions to study their movements and habits. Many people see a similarity between the international successes of Vuk and the Little Mole, a Czech animated series, although the backgrounds on the birth of these characters are very different. One thing is for sure, both of these little animals are still beloved in their countries and abroad.

Vuk became a real hit adored by children, parents, and grandparents when he showed up on the screen of the Hungarian Television in 1981. Even its creators were surprised by the hundreds of thousands of people who headed to the cinemas that December when the movie version of the series was released.

Attila Dargay was awarded the prize of the best director for Vuk at the 14th Hungarian Film Week, and in 1984, he won “The Best Foreign Film” title in Moscow.

“In the past 4 decades, the character created by Attila Dargay became one of the most favourite cartoon heroes of Hungarians. The genius of creating this beloved character shines through the example of today’s kids who approach Vuk with the same excitement as their parents did so many years ago. Even the smallest ones love all the books, colouring books, and everything related to Vuk. Hungarian illustrations of children’s books and cartoon movie productions have been world-class works ever since the beginning, and today we still do not have anything to complain about. At the publishing company, Móra, we work with countless talented artists among whom many are involved in international projects and have won numerous prizes. I believe that in the upcoming 40 years, our grandchildren will happily welcome into their fantasy kingdoms not only Vuk but also characters and creations of contemporary artists,” said Zoltán Lonovics, the art director of Móra Kiadó, a publishing company.

For the 40th birthday of the iconic cartoon movie character, Móra Kiadó is planning on publishing several new Vuk publications. They are also organising online events all around the country together with the Hungarian National Film Fund.

Have you ever seen the movie? If not, here is your chance to do so, and in English nonetheless. 

 

 

 

The Last Kingdom Film Movie
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Variations on the Hungarian National Anthem – Videos

hungarian anthem

On the 22nd of January in 1823 Ferenc Kölcsey – one of the most important literary characters in Hungarian history – completed his manuscript of the Hungarian National Anthem which is now considered his work of art. It was first mentioned as the national anthem in 1989 and since then the day when the poem was finished is called the Day of Hungarian Culture.

Kölcsey’s Hymnus is an ode, more specifically a hymn, which is one of the most ancient lyric genres. It is essentially a desperate nation’s prayer to God, a nation that lived through much suffering for centuries.

Although it was 145-years-old at the time and was regarded as such for almost as long, Kölcsey and Erkel’s collaboration was mentioned in the Hungarian constitution as the national anthem for the first time in 1989, after the proclamation of the Hungarian Republic.

And since then, the day when the poem was finished is called the Day of Hungarian Culture.

Below we collected some variations on the himnusz:

The classic version with subtitles

The classic version live, played by an orchestra

Organ arrangement

Virtuoso version

Re-imagined instrumental version

The latest New Year’s version

Jewish congregations mark anniversary of ghetto liberation

dohány street synagogue budapest

The Budapest Jewish Congregation (BSZH) and the Unified Hungarian Jewish Congregation (EMIH) are marking the 76th anniversary of the liberation of the Budapest ghetto in unconventional ways this year because of the epidemic.

BSZH said on the website of the Federation of Hungarian Jewish Communities (MAZSIHISZ) that commemorations will take place in the Dohány Street synagogue, while complying with measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

Speeches will be delivered by BSZH chairman Tamás Mester, the synagogue’s chief rabbi Róbert Frölich and Israel’s ambassador to Hungary Yacov Hadas-Handelsman. The commemorations will conclude with the laying of wreaths at a memorial plaque in Wesselenyi Street. State secretary Balázs Orbán will participate with a video message and Russian ambassador to Hungary Vladimir Sergeev will lay a wreath.

The video of the event can be seen on the websites of BSZH and MAZSIHISZ as well as on their YouTube channels, live video HERE.

EMIH told MTI

it is organising a more than three-day series of online programmes, starting Sunday evening, that will include conversations with Holocaust survivors.

Hadas-Handelsman and Budapest mayor Gergely Karacsony have sent video messages for the programme, and Cardinal Peter Erdo, Lutheran bishop Tamas Fabiny and EMIH chief rabbi Slomó Köves will also speak.

More than 70,000 people were confined to the ghetto, in an area in the old Jewish quarter, when it was closed off on December 10, 1944.

The ghetto was liberated on January 18, 1945.

orbán new economic rules
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Hungary celebrates the 100th birthday of the oldest living Olympic Champion

agnes keleti 100

President János Áder congratulated in a letter and Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in a Facebook video five-time Olympic champion gymnast Ágnes Keleti on her 100th birthday on Saturday.

Áder said that Keleti’s global achievements as a gymnast and her dedication to her work as a trainer showed an example to everyone. He said he felt honoured to personally know her and experience Keleti’s “enviable zest for life”.

agnes keleti 100
Photo: MTI/Kovács Tamás

Orbán said Hungary was a “fantastic but difficult place, surrounded by empires where we always had to fight for our lives, freedom and independence”.

At the same time, Orbán said “God has sent us great heroes … who showed us an example in perseverance, dedication, fantastic performance and the love of our nation”, and added that Keleti was such a hero.

The veteran gymnast was also congratulated by Thomas Bach, head of the International Olympic Committee, and leaders of the Hungarian Olympic Committee.

Fellow Hungarian Olympic Champions also congratulated “Ági néni”:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zud0kRNZ8h8&fbclid=IwAR1gQB_VdeFLrReUjAq345gXzBTiMQMxGNKNlugc_eoX5XneORz2-i5sOBQ

Romania declares Trianon Day a national holiday!

Hungary Trianon map

The Parliament voted again in favour of the Trianon Act, declaring 4th June a national holiday in Romania.

The House of Representatives rejected Klaus Johannis’ request to renegotiate the Trianon Act. In his request for review, Klaus Johannis objected to the fact that the bill, which had been criticised by several experts and non-governmental organisations, was drafted without authentic and meaningful public debate, and therefore called on the Parliament to resume the legislative process.

As the news portal Transindex reports, the act was supported by the majority of the parties – only DAHR representatives voted against the law, who previously asked for a postponement, but the MPs rejected this request.

According to Benedek Zakariás, leader of the DAHR faction, Romanian parties are currently not interested in adopting provisions for the development of the country, but instead use the legislature for political purposes, such as the Trianon Act.

“I am convinced that our work would be much more effective if we could vote on laws aimed at the development of the country that point to the future and not to the past, not to separate, but to promote peaceful coexistence,” the faction leader said. He added: “With the annexation of Transylvania, Romania was enriched not only territorially, but also with the Hungarian community living here, along with its culture and tradition.” During the plenary debate, Benedek Zakariás asked the representatives of the Romanian parties to work together as soon as possible on a strategy for the development of the country for the next ten years.

As Alfred Simonis, representative of the PSD said, he did not understand why the law was being blocked so “aggressively”.

“This is not against anyone; however, just as the Hungarian state considered it a tragic day for the Hungarian nation – and we respect this – so we also have the right to commemorate this day, this contract.”

In May, the bicameral parliament in Bucharest, with the support of all Romanian parties and non-Hungarian minority factions, accepted the Social Democratic majority bill declaring 4th June as “Trianon Treaty Day” in Romania.

Under the law, the government and local authorities must ensure that the national flag of Romania is hoisted in public spaces on that day. The law authorises the authorities to provide logistical or budgetary support for the organisation of events to raise awareness of the importance of the Treaty of Trianon, which must also be reported by the Romanian public service media.

Lawmakers expected the head of state to promulgate the law before the 100th anniversary of the Treaty of Trianon. However, Johannis did not do so, but first appealed to the Constitutional Court, arguing that the law violated a rule guaranteeing non-discrimination and equal rights for citizens, and was a political statement rather than a law setting out rights and obligations. The Constitutional Court rejected the protest in July, but Johannis did not promulgate the law after that, but sent it back to parliament for consideration in September.

That is what the House of Representatives has now voted on. The law will enter into force after promulgation by the President.

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October 23 – Hungarian parties, leaders commemorate the 1956 revolution – PHOTOS

october 23 commemoration

Hungary’s national flag was hoisted with military honours at Kossuth Square in front of Parliament on Friday morning, in a state commemoration marking the anniversary of the anti-Soviet revolt which started on October 23, 1956.

The ceremony was attended by House Speaker László Kövér, Defence Minister Tibor Benkő and Army Commander Ferenc Korom.

In light of the coronavirus pandemic, most state commemorations have been cancelled.

During the day, several feature-length films, documentaries and content commemorating 1956 will be streamed on the Nemzeti Ünnepek es Emléknapok YouTube channel.

Until Nov. 4, photos marking the most important sites of the freedom fight are shown around Budapest.

Orbán commemorates 1956

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán commemorated the 64th anniversary of Hungary’s 1956 anti-Soviet uprising together with freedom fighter Mária Wittner, on Friday morning.

The prime minister and Wittner, who was sentenced to death for her involvement in the 1956 uprising before the sentence was commuted to life imprisonment, laid a wreath at a memorial in Budapest’s Corvin Lane, a site of gruesome fights during the revolution.

Opposition parties mark 1956 anniversary in joint video message

Hungary’s opposition parties paid tribute to the heroes of the anti-Soviet uprising of 1956 in a joint Facebook video message on Friday.

Péter Jakab, leader of conservative Jobbik, called October 23 a symbol of Hungarians’ desire for freedom.

“Regardless of whether someone was politically right or left-leaning, their background or beliefs, there was an agreement that oppression and exploitation needed to end,” Jakab said.

Tímea Szabó, the co-leader of liberal Párbeszéd, said this day represented justice, arguing that “progress cannot be about replacing our old overlords with new ones while millions are left on the side of the road with the overlords of the day swanning around in luxury while millions are still forced to struggle just to make ends meet”.

LMP co-leader Máté Kanász-Nagy said Oct. 23 had been the day when Hungary “woke up” and declared that it wanted to go in a new direction with new leaders. Erzsebet Schmuck, the party’s other co-leader, added that the national holiday was a symbol of Hungarians’ perseverance.

“Hungarians’ desire for freedom is stronger than any oppressive regime and in the end, liberty and justice shall prevail,” she said.

Democratic Coalition leader Ferenc Gyurcsány said it was “the shame of [Prime Minister Viktor] Orbán’s regime” that the demands of the revolutionaries of 1956 were “still valid today”. He noted that the people had demanded a new national assembly, a fair right to strike along with a freedom of the press and expression. They also wanted to be free of Soviet Russian influence and belong to Europe, he added.

Socialist Party co-leader Bertalan Tóth called Oct. 23 the symbol of workers’ councils and self-determination. Hungary is in the process of becoming a feudal society, he said, arguing that working people were vulnerable and deprived of their rights. Toth said the revolutionaries of 1956 had also demanded that workers be treated with dignity and autonomous actors. “This is what they were fighting for then and this is what we have to fight for today.”

Ágnes Kunhalmi, the party’s other co-leader, said history had taught Hungarians that together they were strong enough to reclaim their dignity and freedom.

András Fekete-Győr of the Momentum Movement said that like in 1956, Hungarians today did not want “Eastern-style oppression”.

“Those in power today are flirting with countries like Putin’s Russia when in 1956 few things were as clear as the fact that Hungary belongs in a Western civic democracy,” he said.

Budapest mayor commemorates 1956

Coming together as a community is what gives importance to October 23, this day in 1956, and in 1989, the mayor of Budapest said at a commemoration of the anniversary of Hungary’s 1956 anti-Soviet uprising on Friday.

Twice already, October 23 “reflected our better selves and our best ability”, Gergely Karácsony said in the park of City Hall.

“This shows that despite the thousand and one differences separating us, such as our background, upbringing, faith and ideology, there was something much stronger binding us together: our love for freedom and for our homeland,” he said, opening an portrait exhibition of women who played a role in 1956.

Orbán marks German Unity Day

orbán merkel meeting

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán sent a letter of congratulations to German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Saturday, marking German Unity Day, the country’s national holiday, the PM’s press chief told MTI.

Orbán said Germany’s reunification after the fall of communism in 1990 was “a great celebration, especially to us Hungarians. From the crack created when we knocked the first brick from the Berlin Wall, Germany’s desire for freedom fashioned a gateway to German and European unity,” Bertalan Havasi cited Orbán as saying.

Thirty years ago, Hungary supported Germany’s independence “because we knew our own freedom and independence would remain a futile dream without it,” Orban said.

Orbán pledged Hungary’s support to Germany in “protecting and strengthening a united, sovereign, safe and competitive Europe,” Havasi said.

At an event marking the German national day in Budapest, a state secretary of the Defence Ministry said the events around the fall of communism had “brought European nations closer to each other”. The fall of the Berlin Wall was the “glorious peak” of the regime changes in eastern Europe and Europe’s reunification, he said.

István Szabó noted that Hungary and Germany had since found many areas of cooperation. Hungarian and German troops have been fighting side by side in Afghanistan for 11 years, he said. He thanked the German Armed Forces for mentoring the central European International Command, which had been created at Hungary’s initiative.

Johannes Haindl, Germany’s Ambassador to Hungary, said Germany was and will always be grateful to Hungary. Germany’s reunification would not have been possible without Hungary opening its borders to Austria in 1989, he said.

Germany and Hungary are closely linked, Haindl said, adding that nation states in themselves were no longer able to rise to global challenges, but needed the EU’s stability more than ever.

The commemoration was held at a memorial set up in Budapest in 1990, under trees planted by Defence Ministers Lajos Fur of Hungary, Rainer Eppelmann of the German Democratic Republic and Gerhard Stoltenberg of the Federal Republic of Germany, to symbolise German unity.

coronavirus vaccine russia
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Gandhi 150 commemorated in Hungary – VIDEOS

rsz_gandhi

Looking at the short, thin, unassuming man in a loincloth, no one would imagine that this man with an iron will and a gentle approach towards humanity had the power to overthrow the tyrannical rule of the colonial empire in India. And not only in India, as he has also been the face of the civil rights movement in the early 20th century in the entire world, so much so that Martin Luther King Jr. argued that the Gandhian philosophy was “the only morally and practically sound method open to oppressed people in their struggle for freedom”. That iron-willed man was born 151 years ago, and even today, his philosophy and approach to nearly everything in life apply to the modern world and society at large.

The government of India decided to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s birth in a befitting manner by having events of various kind to spread the message of his values and principles. The message of Mahatma Gandhi has appealed to a large portion of the Hungarian population. The influence of Gandhi and his teachings is way beyond the statues and mentions in the curriculum of schools and can be seen in the Gandhi School and its core philosophy, as well as several thinkers who have promoted Gandhi’s teachings and values at different levels.

 ’My Life Is My Message’ is what Mahatma Gandhi believed,

and it is reflected in the book called My Experiments With Truth, which has aptly been translated by Judit Tekulics and Eszter Somogyi to Hungarian.

To spread the message of Mahatma Gandhi, the Embassy of India in Hungary organised several events from 2018, which would culminate on Oct 2, 2020, in a special programme on one of the leading TV channels in Hungary, HírTV, in the programme Paletta at 13:30. In the programme, the Ambassador of India in Hungary, Mr Kumar Tuhin, spoke extensively on the philosophy of Gandhi and the significance of commemorating this day worldwide.

Dr Gábor Sonkoly from ELTE University shared his own experiences on Gandhi, and artist Panni Somi focused on how she has been influenced by Mahatma Gandhi in her life and the idea behind creating the dance drama. For this special programme made by the Amrita Sher-Gil Cultural Centre, 11 artists collaborated to create a melodious dance drama depicting Gandhi’s philosophy of truth, non-violence, and ‘Satyagrah’, which helped India gain freedom from colonial rule.

In this dance drama, classical dances from India like Bharatnatyam, Odissi, and Kathak were presented with live music on sitar, violin, and tabla by veteran artists from Hungary.

  • Dr Chirayu Bhole
  • Szabi Tóth
  • Zoltán Lantos
  • Virág Réka Túri 
  • Anita Szegedi
  • Dr Neethu Mohan
  • Panni Somi
  • Kincső Pethő
  • Zsófia Rukmini

Along with this, a live painting was also done by artist Pallavi Majumder, who created a collage of Mahatma Gandhi, which was

shown live on-screen during the dance drama.

The Gandhi Jayanti (anniversary celebrations of Gandhi’s birth) kicked off this year in Hungary by a daily ‘Know Gandhi Quiz’, which received an immense amount of responses from the Indian & Hungarian audience. This initiative brings Gandhi closer to people. This was followed by dedicated Webinars conducted by the Amrita Sher-Gil Cultural Centre where notable Gandhian experts from India Dr Jacob Pulickan and Mr Sopan Joshi delivered lectures on the relevance of Gandhi for modern times.

The webinar was held for students of Széchenyi István University, Pécs University, Dharma Gate University, and Bhakti Vedanta College. Hungarians attended the webinars in large numbers and participated in the enlightening talks by the experts. The embassy has received several video messages by eminent people from Hungary and Bosnia & Herzegovina (message from the mayor, Vice-Rector Eszter Lukacs, film directors, actors from Sarajevo, etc.)

In continuation of the events in the past two years, some novel activities were organised by the Embassy of India.

The Buda Castle was lit up with a LED projection of Mahatma Gandhi’s image and handloom (Charkha);

a special session was held at the Parliament where the Speaker paid tribute to Gandhi’s statue; a cycle rally was held in Budapest; a Khadi fabric exhibition was held to promote the handloom & the thought of sustainability behind it; a Gandhi stamp was released by the Hungarian Post; vegetarian food festivals were organised in collaboration with ISCKON Hungary; special programmes were held at the Gandhi School & Pécs University; the Ferenc Hopp Museum and several symposiums, talks, and film festivals were held to mark this occasion. Well-known singer Jennifer Zoltán sang the famous “Vaishnav Jan To Tene Kahiye” song in Hungarian, promoting love & tolerance for all.

On this occasion, Ambassador Mr Kumar Tuhin said that

“India proudly celebrated the 150th anniversary of the birth of Mahatma Gandhi, one of the country’s most illustrious sons, on 2 October 2019.

The Embassy of India in Budapest organised a series of events and activities to mark this important milestone over a two-year period from October 2018 to October 2020. We organised these activities in a way so as to bring closer the message of Mahatma Gandhi on a diverse range of topics, such as sustainability, education, non-violence, vegetarianism, gender equality, etc.

What Mahatma Gandhi preached and implemented in his life is as relevant and salient today

as it was during his lifetime. His revolutionary ideas ought to be considered again by the world to solve social and personal conflicts confronting us today, including by adapting these to contemporary realities if required.”

Trianon 100 – Official addresses centenary conference

trianon 100 conference

One hundred years ago, the great powers sought to prevent Hungary from having a future by drawing up and signing the Trianon Peace Treaty, a government official told a conference marking the treaty’s centenary in Budapest on Thursday.

But present-day Hungary is proof that their efforts failed, state secretary Árpád János Potápi told the event held at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.     

The groundwork for the Hungarian government’s policy for ethnic Hungarians abroad was laid in 1990 by the prime minister of the time, József Antall, who said that he wanted “in spirit” to be the prime minister of 15 million Hungarians, Potápi, who is in charge of the policy of ethnic Hungarians abroad, said.     

A network of institutions supporting Hungarian communities beyond the borders has been established and the Hungarian parliament declared 2020 the year of national cohesion.

The year has also been declared a year of solidarity in light of the coronavirus pandemic, he noted at the conference.     

In terms of financing, Potápi noted that while the previous government in 2009 had spent an annual 9.1 billion forints on supporting those communities, the current government is spending 100 billion (EUR 274m) each year.     

Also, since the introduction of the fast-track Hungarian citizenship scheme in May 2010, a total of 1.1 million people have either obtained or regained Hungarian citizenship, he said.

Hungary Trianon map
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August 20 – Cardinal Erdő: St. Stephen built his country, life on rock of Christ

august 20 cardinal erdő

Saint Stephen, Hungary’s first Christian king, built his country and his life “on the rock that is Christ”, Cardinal Peter Erdo, Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest, said in a mass delivered at St. Stephen’s Basilica in Budapest on Thursday, marking the August 20 national holiday.

“When we celebrate King Saint Stephen it is not just the past that we commemorate,” the cardinal said. “We also give thanks to God for the survival of Stephen’s people and ask that we may continue our journey with renewed strength and hope.”

The mass, normally held on the square in front of the Basilica with tens of thousands of pilgrims present, was limited to the inside of the church this year due to restrictions on mass gatherings imposed because of the novel coronavirus epidemic. The service was attended by President János Áder and Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.

In an interview with public broadcaster Kossuth Radio aired on Thursday, Erdő said the lesson Christians had learnt in the recent period was that although God had entrusted mankind to be “good stewards of the world”, that doesn’t entail “full power over creation”.

“The more we come to know the forces of nature and the mysterious ways in which the world works the more we come to realise that even with all our abilities, organisation and scientific knowledge we’re still too small to have control over every process,” Erdő said.

There is no telling when something will happen that “threatens our lives, challenges us or even threatens the existence of all of mankind”, he said.

“But at the same time, there’s divine guidance,” the cardinal said. “God didn’t create man to wipe him out through some accident. We each have a calling as individuals and as a community and it’s important that we go through life and history with this responsibility and faith.”

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Read alsoAugust 20 – Hungarians mark national holiday – PHOTOS

August 20 – Hungarians mark national holiday – PHOTOS

august 20 national holiday

Hungarians celebrated on Thursday the August 20 national holiday, commemorating the founding of the state of Hungary in the year 1000 A.D. by Saint Stephen, Hungary’s first Christian king.

The celebrations officially started in the morning with the hoisting of the national flag by a ceremonial guard in front of the parliament building.

President János Áder, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, House Speaker László Kövér, Defence Minister Tibor Benkő; representatives of the government, the state and the military; and diplomats, as well as several hundred onlookers participated at the ceremony.

Other programmes traditionally held to mark the holiday, such as an air show and a fireworks display, were cancelled this year because of the novel coronavirus epidemic.

Defence Minister Benkő asked the soldiers to serve in a way that wins acknowledgement of their commitment to creed and to sacrifice, to be examples of patriotism, loyalty and allegiance to country, bravery, heroism, devotion, modesty and humility.

He urged them to “raise the flag high”, to a height under which everybody who holds the defence and security of the country as well as the matters of the army important can be marshalled.

Speaking at an awards ceremony at the Carmelite monastery in Budapest Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semjén said the transcendent goal of the state is the preservation of the Hungarian nation and the improvement of their quality of life. He added that the transcendent goal of the state can only be achieved if there are people from all walks of life who serve the preservation of the nation.

Badacsony Lake Balaton
Read alsoProgram guide for the 20 August long-weekend

“Saint Stephen was the builder of the country; it is every Hungarian’s mission to be a country-builder whatever their place,” he added.

March 15 Hungary National flag hoisted Hungary flag
Read alsoAugust 20 – Orbán cabinet: Hungary ‘in better shape’ than Europe

Budapest Airport welcomes the 3500th flight of Cargolux

cargolux airport

Budapest Airport has welcomed the 3500th flight of Cargolux at Liszt Ferenc International Airport. The Luxembourg-based airline has been ensuring connections between airports around the world, air freight operators, and Budapest Airport for 18 years now.

18 years, 3500 flights, more than 200 000 tons of air cargo of the electronics, automotive, and pharmaceutical industries, and livestock – this is Cargolux in Budapest, in a nutshell. The airline commenced its operation to and from Budapest in 2002, based on Far Eastern imports and exports from Hungary, and has maintained its operation at the airport of the Hungarian capital without interruption in the last 18 years.

The route network of Cargolux comprises, mainly, the Hong-Kong and Zhengzhou flights which fly on from Budapest to the Luxembourg base of Cargolux from where cargo can be forwarded to numerous destinations worldwide. This explains the main attraction and success of the airline, as an effective and widely accessible route network and freight capacity are crucial for the air cargo industry.

 “We highly appreciate our extensive and excellent cooperation with Cargolux, and can state that this year our fruitful cooperation has come of age,” said Kam Jandu, chief commercial officer of Budapest Airport.

He added, “The last 18 years had many happy moments as well as challenges, as we experienced the effects of the economic crisis together after 2008 but also celebrated the day in 2019 when the first Cargolux jumbo was taxiing to the apron of the new BUD Cargo City. In 2020, in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, dedicated cargo flights have become more important than ever as Cargolux offered one of the most efficient way of shipping medical equipment to Hungary.”

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Read alsoChaos in Budapest Airport: hundreds of passengers waited for hours to enter Hungary

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Photo: www.facebook.com/BudapestAirport – Keresztes Zoltán

 “The strategic importance of air freight is undoubtable in the case of Budapest Airport,” said József Kossuth, head of cargo. “With the BUD cargo team we are making every effort to provide an optimal environment at the airport and in the cargo community. Strategic plans can only be implemented with reliable long-term partners like Cargolux. We are convinced that our cooperation also continues to be successful going forward.”

 “Cargolux is proud of this milestone that reflects our seamless collaboration with Budapest airport and its cargo community. Over the years, our collaboration has strengthened, and each party has witnessed the benefits of this partnership. We look forward to further building on this achievement and consolidating our position as the leading cargo carrier in the region”, states Domenico Ceci, EVP Sales & Marketing at Cargolux.

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Read alsoChaos in Budapest Airport: hundreds of passengers waited for hours to enter Hungary

Trianon 100 – PM Office: Hungarians managed to retain indentity

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Gergely Gulyás, the head of the Prime Minister’s Office, on Thursday marked the 100th anniversary of the Trianon Peace Treaty, and said that Hungarians across the borders had manage to retain their national identity despite the communist terror and assimilation efforts.

Following the treaty concluding WW1, Hungary in 1920 was forced to cede two-thirds of its territory to neighbouring countries.

Treaty of Trianon, Hungary, Versailles
Read also100th anniversary of Trianon: The memoir of the Hungarian delegation about signing the Treaty

Speaking at an event of the Rákóczi Association in Budapest, Gulyás praised the work of Count János Esterházy, Bishop Áron Márton and architect Károly Koós in the aftermath of the treaty.

Historic churches and other organisations have also helped Hungarians who found themselves living outside of the borders, he said.

Read alsoTrianon 100 – Hungarian parties commemorate Trianon centenary

Since the Fidesz party came to power in 2010, one million Hungarians living across the borders have been granted Hungarian citizenship, Gulyás noted. That was achieved, “whenever possible”, in cooperation with their home country and “not against it”, he added.

The Visegrád Group’s policies for ethnic minorities show that strong rights for ethnic minorities bolster cooperation rather than obstructing it, he said.

UN celebrates Women’s Day, envisages Generation Equality

girls womens

The United Nations (UN) on Friday celebrated the International Women’s Day in an observance that called for more headway in women’s rights toward Generation Equality.

The observance, themed “I am Generation Equality: Realizing women’s rights,” saw the participation of Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin, and Nobel Peace Laureate Leymah Gbowee.

“Gender inequality is the overwhelming injustice of this age and the biggest human rights challenge the world faces,” said Guterres at the observance.

Recalling his own words “gender equality is a question of power,” the UN chief said that men have used and abused power to control women and prevent them from achieving their potential for thousands of years, and deep-rooted patriarchy and misogyny have created a yawning gender power gap in economies, political systems, corporations, societies and culture.

Read alsoJust giving flowers or something more? It is International Women’s Day

He said in recent months, high-profile peace agreements have been signed without any women at the table, and emergency healthcare meetings on the novel coronavirus were convened with few or no women, despite that women make up the majority of the healthcare workforce.

On a positive note, the secretary-general pointed to changes in recent years.

He cited women’s movements that are protesting femicide, demanding equal pay, and calling out powerful men for violence and abuse.

In particular, he said, young women are redefining what power looks like. “They are creating new, inclusive forms of leadership that unite people across borders and around common goals.”

Read alsoDo not forget, today is International Women’s Day

Addressing the young leaders in the audience, Guterres said “we need your passion and conviction as we face a whole range of global challenges, from climate change to conflict.”

“Generation Equality cannot be Generation Gradual Improvement or Generation Incremental Change. Generation Equality means equal rights and opportunities for all women and girls, now,” he said, shedding light on the theme of the observance.

Marin, for her part, said that the world cannot achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set out in the 2030 Agenda without achieving SDG5 — gender equality.
The female leader said as the UN launched a Decade of Action for the SDGs, the world needs to ensure that every human being has their rights respected and can reach their full potential for the goals to be fulfilled.

As the world’s youngest serving prime minister, 34-year-old Marin said: “We, as world leaders, have all the tools needed to make changes that secure the future we want,” demonstrating her commitment to Generation Equality.

She went on to lament that the number of female heads of state and government is only 21, while there are 193 UN member states and more than half of the global population are women and girls.

Taking pride in her country’s lead in gender equality, she recalled that Finland was the first country in the world to grant women full political rights, both the right to vote and the right to run for office. Currently, women lead all the five parties in Finland coalition government and four of those leaders are under the age of 35.

However, Marin underscored that no country in the world has achieved gender equality, and “Finland is no exception,” noting that the Nordic country faces inequalities in the labor market and violence against women and girls, which she proposed policy solutions to tackle.

UN General Assembly President Tijjani Muhammad-Bande asked everyone, everywhere to uphold gender equality as a necessity in upholding human rights.

Twenty-five years since the adoption of the Beijing Platform for Action, which remains the most comprehensive global agenda for achieving gender equality, all UN member states should work assiduously to implement it, he said in a video message for the observance.

“We have made important gains since 1995: there are more girls in school than ever before, and many countries have reached gender parity in educational enrolment. However, no country can claim to have achieved gender equality, especially in terms of income and political leadership,” he said.

Change has been slow for most women and girls in the world and there is much work to do, said Muhammad-Bande.

UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, who made closing remarks for the event, said “women only occupy 25 percent of the space in power and in places of influence,” citing a newly-released report by her office.

Mlambo-Ngcuka said, “75 percent of the parliamentary seats are held by men, 73 percent of managerial positions are held by man, and 70 percent of climate negotiators are men.”

“So there’s the 25 percent that we’re being squeezed into today. We are breaking out. We want too much the 50 percent, and we want to work together to achieve that 50 percent,” said the UN Women chief.

She said the new report also shows that change is possible. “If you were not pushing against the pushback, things would be much worse. So we cannot and should not be discouraged. It has to be forward ever, and backward never.”

The 64th session the Commission on the Status of Women, set to be held here Monday, will adopt a political declaration to reaffirm the international commitment to improving women’s rights, Mlambo-Ngcuka added.