A prestigious recognition of the Hungarian string orchestra tradition

Last December, UNESCO added the Hungarian string band tradition to the international list of representative elements of the intellectual cultural heritage, and the honorary certificate was presented on Wednesday evening in Balatonfüred, at the folk music gala concert "The Devil Hiding in the String".

Magdolna Závogyán, the state secretary responsible for culture at the Ministry of Culture and Innovation (KIM), emphasized: the aim of the list is to collect and present community knowledge passed down from generation to generation.

The Hungarian string orchestra tradition was submitted by Hungary as an independent submission, and the new Hungarian intellectual heritage element was included in the international list after the Mohács bus tour, matyó embroidery, falconry, and blue painting.

All of this is a great recognition for the country, the nation, and for those who, as performers or as leaders or organizers of any institution, consider the ancient values ​​displayed by stringed instruments to be a matter of their hearts, said Magdolna Závogyán.

The state secretary expressed his joy that more and more children and young people choose the musical profession and way of life. It is therefore extremely important that the system of public education and the network of cultural institutions pay special attention to the care of heritage, talent search and care, education, and the provision of performance opportunities. All of this is a guarantee of the continuation of tradition and the passing down of ancient knowledge, he added.

The mayor of Balatonfüred, István Bóka (Fidesz-KDNP), recalled that since 2013, the municipality of the lakeside town has been working together with the House of Traditions to nurture folk music traditions with a premier competition and gala concert.

The Hungarian string orchestra tradition was added to the world organization's list of intangible cultural heritage at the 17th session of UNESCO in Rabat in December 2022.

Magdolna Závogyán and Eszter Csonka-Takács, head of the Directorate of Intangible Cultural Heritage, handed over the official certificate of registration to Szalonna Pál István, artistic director of the Hungarian State People's Ensemble.

After the presentation of the certificate of decoration, Szalonna Pál István said: they got their way from musicians who sometimes gave them humanity, sometimes food, sometimes a bed, and at the end of the day they taught them a note. And they also pass these on to young people, he emphasized.

MTI