In terms of preserving and strengthening identity, nurturing traditions, culture, creating unity and survival, NGOs serving Hungarians outside the borders also play an important role - said Prime Minister's representative Katalin Szili of the Foundation for Hungarians Beyond Borders (HTMA), which is celebrating its 30th anniversary. ) conference in Pécs on Friday.
The prime minister's representative, who participates in the negotiation procedures for cross-border autonomy cases, recalled at the conference entitled "Future Vision of the Carpathian Basin":
Today's Basic Law states that Hungary bears responsibility for the Hungarians living outside the borders, and in this, the civil organizations that strengthen the unity and belonging of the Hungarians play a prominent role.
According to Katalin Szili, the HTMA, which was founded in Pécs in 1992, started its operation on the eve of the South Slavic war, but it continued to operate after it, because it was called to "civil cooperation for our identity, our mother tongue, our culture, in order to remain at all borders the Hungarian word in the area beyond," he said.
The role of the Pécs and other foundations serving similar purposes is valued even in periods such as those that characterize the past years, he said, referring to illegal migration, the epidemic and the war taking place in their neighborhood. These organizations strengthen the unity and togetherness of Hungarians and form a network that is important for the preservation of our nation, Hungarianness, identity, traditions and culture, he added.
According to Katalin Szili, the thirty-year existence of the Pécs foundation conveys the message that we do bear responsibility, we do things for each other when needed, we look out for each other even in everyday life and we can cooperate regardless of worldview.
"The order of the day is to preserve our security, to spare, to protect each other from vulnerability in the global world"
Katalin Szili emphasized. He added: we can only maintain security "if we can come together on some issues, if we can cooperate in order to preserve Hungarianness".
Ferenc Kalmár, ministerial commissioner responsible for the development of Hungary's neighborhood policy, emphasized that foundations serving the unity and survival of Hungarians are very necessary, as they strengthen the fabric of the nation with their activities. The identity must be continuously strengthened, because with a strong identity, the individual will not assimilate, so "we will preserve our Hungarian communities for the next centuries," he underlined.
László Őri (Fidesz-KDNP), the president of the Baranya County Municipality, said, "in the last thirty years, our country has taken serious steps in the matter of uniting the divided nation, and all of this is also due to the fact that immediately after the system change, there were determined people who took responsibility felt for the fate of the Carpathian Basin".
He believed that the organization in Pécs fulfilled a mission of filling gaps even in the difficult years after the 2004 referendum, since it strengthened the unity of Hungarians living abroad with so many programs and events.
Featured image: MTI/Tamás Kovács
