The 16th edition of the Botorka International Folk Dance Festival, ended with an ecumenical sermon and a parade
The Botorka International Folk Dance Festival was organized for the 16th time between 18 and 21 October in Bãlan, hosting over ten folk dance groups from Romania and abroad. On the last day of the festival an ecumenical sermon preceded the folk parade. MEP Csaba Sógor took part in the events of the last day.
„During the communist dictatorship, leaders knew exactly why to prohibit the folk dance movement and why to obstruct people in the free exercise of their religion, because without the experience of faith within the community, people became much easier to be manipulated. Through folk dances and songs we can pass on our ancestors’ culture; we need to do this not only to avoid being victims of soft dictatorships, bank loans and mainstream culture, but also to come together through the international language of music and dance”, MEP Csaba Sógor said in his festive speech.
„Dance cannot offend anybody here in Bãlan, in this country or in Europe, everybody knows its language. Knowledge of each other’s dance and music makes us richer and this is Europe’s main characteristic: unity in diversity. Romania and Europe would be poorer without the Hungarian folk culture in Transylvania. Today we already know that it is not the banking and the finance world that will save Europe but, but rather its communities that are tied to their culture, language and traditions, and that know how to work hard, but also how to celebrate, sing and dance” – said the MEP.
„Dance cannot offend anybody here in Bãlan, in this country or in Europe, everybody knows its language. Knowledge of each other’s dance and music makes us richer and this is Europe’s main characteristic: unity in diversity. Romania and Europe would be poorer without the Hungarian folk culture in Transylvania. Today we already know that it is not the banking and the finance world that will save Europe but, but rather its communities that are tied to their culture, language and traditions, and that know how to work hard, but also how to celebrate, sing and dance” – said the MEP.
