The XX. Század Intézet considers it a priority task to address today's young generation. With our applications, our goal is that this age group does not see the past as a closed story, but understands that these stories live with us to this day and define our present and future, stated Dorottya Baczoni, XX. Director of Század Institute at the award ceremony of the ÉN HŐSÖM video competition on February 27, 2023. The event held at the House of Terror Museum was attended by Máté Vincze, the Deputy Secretary of State for Public Collections and Cultural Developments of the Ministry of Culture and Innovation.
The awards were accepted by our high school applicants among their relatives.
The students could each make a short video about a 20th century public figure who can still be seen as an example today. Applications for the competition were received from all over the country and beyond. The students focused not only on nationally known heroes, but also on local heroes connected to their own settlements.
The students presented the historical figure of their choice using different imaging techniques. Some of them use poetry, some use weapons and some use political tools to become heroes - said Dorottya Baczoni, explaining that most applicants chose Hungarian heroes and most of them were related to the history of the 1956 revolution and freedom struggle. 1956 and its heroes therefore occupy a special place in the hearts of today's young people. It serves as an example of their courage, standing, and national commitment.
At the award ceremony, Máté Vincze reminded us that the young people making videos for the competition are themselves the same age as many '56 heroes: Ilonka Tóth, Péter Mansfeld, who was executed at the age of 18, or Mária Wittner during the war of independence. The deputy state secretary encouraged the young people to continue looking for heroes, to learn from them and to become heroes themselves, to stand up for everything they believe in.
Many chapters of our past are therefore a source of pride. It can serve as a good example, it can help you recognize valuable things and also what to avoid and not to repeat. Just as life experiences and choices of examples form an integral part of a person's identity, the past is equally decisive in a collective sense. Remembrance, shared symbols, and our heroes are all part of our national identity, they strengthen community cohesion and define our value system in this world that is increasingly without handholds.
- placed: Hanna Peresztegi/ Chosen hero: Péter Mansfeld
"That's why I chose Péter Mansfeld, a 20th century hero, when making the video, because I managed to find many points of connection with him. Despite the different living conditions and the different century, due to our common age, I could easily see the world through his eyes for the duration of a video. Even today, I consider him an important person because, in my opinion, we can draw a lot of strength from his youthful, dynamic lifestyle, and from the huge and rock-solid sense of justice that guided him," said the young artist.
More winners and videos on the vasarnap.hu website.
Featured image: Magyar Hírlap
