“The Role of Culture and Shared Memory in Hungarian Identity,” According to Katalin Szili
Katalin Szili, the Prime Minister’s chief advisor, recently made a significant statement during her speech in Galanta, Slovakia, commemorating the Day of Hungarian Culture. She emphasized the role of Hungarian culture in preserving the nation through past shocks and disasters. According to Szili, culture serves as a substantial house providing security, protection, and strength, representing the character of a community and serving as the entrance to language.
During the celebrations of Csemadok, the largest cultural and public organization of Hungarians in Slovakia, marking its 75th anniversary this year, Krisztián Forró, the president of the Hungarian party, the Hungarian Alliance, also addressed the audience. Forró cautioned the Hungarian community in Slovakia regarding the significant challenges they will face this year, including the elections to the European Parliament and the elections for the head of state, urging the community to demonstrate its strength and unity.
Csemadok (Cultural Association of Hungarian Workers in Czechoslovakia) is the largest cultural organization of Hungarians in Slovakia, founded in 1949 in Bratislava, and has since established numerous cultural events that have become tradition.
The Day of Hungarian Culture is viewed as an opportunity for self-reflection, prompting an honest assessment of whether the community is genuinely preserving its mother tongue, instilling a demanding national culture, and fostering love for the homeland in its children. Szili emphasized the importance of passing on what has been received within families, schools, and communities, highlighting that culture is the link connecting individuals with the past, present, and future.
Overall, the recent commemoration of the Day of Hungarian Culture served as a reminder of the significance of cultural preservation and unity within the Hungarian community, especially in Slovakia.
