Viktor Orbán and Kelemen Hunor also greeted the countess.
Countess Katalin Bánffy, the owner of the Bánffy Castle in Bonchida, Miklós Bánffy, the daughter of the Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nagyúr, celebrates her 100th birthday on June 5.
Csilla Hegedüs, head of the Transylvania Trust foundation that renovated the castle, presented the countess with a photo album showing the castle's renovation process and souvenirs depicting the castle, Kelemen Hunor, the president of the RMDSZ, congratulated Katalin Bánffy in a letter, while Viktor Orbán, the Prime Minister of Hungary, sent a letter to Réka Brendus, the State Secretariat for National Policy the head of the department presented it to the person being celebrated. The visitors supplemented the gifts with Transylvanian jams and wines.
"It was a touching moment to see the countess again - said Csilla Hegedüs. - He was very happy for us, he asked us in detail about the renovation of the castle.
We told him that we are currently working on the renovation of the carriage house and the former stable, and he was happy to acknowledge the success of the exhibition opened last year, which presented the life of his father, Count Miklós Bánffy. He was obviously most interested in the renovation of the main building, and thanked the Hungarian government for its support. He said that he hopes that we will be able to continue the restoration of the main building, because he spent the best moments of his youth there and his father, Miklós Bánffy, was also born there.
"That's why I entrusted you with the care of the castle," he said. "Thank you for taking care of him," he said.
Csilla Hegedüs added that she was happy to receive the letter from the president of the federation Kelemen Hunor, who said:
"We are grateful to you for all the work you did in preserving the literary legacy of your father, Miklós Bánffy, and making it a world success. Thanks to you, Miklós Bánffy's Transylvanian history can now be read worldwide, introducing the world to the history of Transylvania and the spirit of Transylvanianism, which is so important to us. The Transylvanian Hungarian community needs exactly such ambassadors, people who authentically and honestly present our values, our history, and our faith in the future.
We are also grateful to you for preserving the Transylvanian Versailles, the Bánffy Castle in Bonchida, which is so important to Transylvanian Hungarians. Thank you for entrusting the Transylvania Trust foundation with the renovation and revitalization of the castle, I am happy to visit the programs organized by them every year, and I was very happy to participate in the opening of the Miklós Bánffy Strengths exhibition, which was inaugurated last year. Your work gives us Transylvanian Hungarians hope. Hope that there is a meaning to our work, to the revival of the built heritage of Transylvania, that there is a point in preserving and passing on to his children the spiritual legacy of his father. On behalf of the Transylvanian Hungarian community, I wish you many happy birthdays, strength, health and happiness!"
Viktor Orbán, Prime Minister of Hungary, gave the congratulatory letter to the countess by Réka Brendus. According to the Prime Minister
"It is an old truth that as much of our past lives on as we preserve and pass on to our descendants. I think that few people understand and feel the weight of this statement better than you, who, as a member of an ancient Transylvanian noble family, was always aware that the incomparably rich spiritual heritage you received from your ancestors also comes with a huge responsibility.
We are grateful that, in addition to his devoted care of the legacy of his father, Miklós Bánffy, and the translation of his trilogy of novels into English, he also enriched Hungarian culture with his autobiographical writings, thanks to his own life journey that fits the film and his writing talent... Please allow the congratulating Hungarian and Transylvanian family members, friends and standing in the line of admirers, let me say hello too. Happy Birthday!"
Source and featured image: Maszol
