Csaba Sógor: Every Hungarian is responsible for every Hungarian
The situation and problems of Transylvanian sparse Hungarians was the subject of the two-day conference organized by the Harghita County Council and the Unitarian Church in Turda on 8-9 October.
Harghita and Covasna counties started their „We belong together” program one year ago in order to spur responsibility on behalf of the Hungarians living in large communities in Szeklerland for the preservation of the identity of Hungarians living sparsed in the western parts of Transylvania. The program saw the two Szekler counties contribute on a culture level and through organizing of conferences and trainings.
In his speech at the conference, DAHR’s MEP Csaba Sógor sustained that Hungarians in Szeklerland are responsible for all Hungarians, the ones living in western Transylvania and the Csangos as well. The MEP said it is the economic interest of Szeklerland and Hungary to have strong Hungarian communities in the Diaspora.
„Hungarians living in western Transylvania need to know what the attitude is toward small communities in Hungary and Szeklerland. They need a reliable national support in order to maintain their identity” – explained the MEP, who also pointed out that communities in the western Transylvania need to have more institutions and organizations, associations and foundations supporting them.
The event was organized under the patronage of DAHR President Béla Markó, who greeted the guests saying that being Hungarian in the Diaspora is like being Hungarian in the government in Bucharest: we need to forge an advantage out of our 7 percent. „The solidarity of the two Szekler counties shows that Szeklerland has assumed the role of an internal motherland. We need this solidarity in order to be strong” – said the President of DAHR.
Csaba Borboly, President of the Harghita County Council emphasized in his greetings that everyone, who declares himself Hungarian in Transylvania, belong together. „Not only we can help the sparse communities, but they can help us as well. The Hungarians from Cluj county, or the ones living in Banat can teach us how to remain Hungarian living in a sea of other nationalities” – explained the Council President.
Hungary’s consul general in Cluj, Mátyás Szilágyi told the conference that the current Hungarian government is rethinking its strategy on Diaspora communities; they plan to institute programs that support the preservation of Hungarian identity in an effective manner. The consul thinks that large communities need to aid smaller ones and an NGO network should be constituted on this subject throughout the Carpathian Basin.
Dóra Fodor, director of the Jósika Miklós primary school in Turda warned that the basic condition of preserving Hungarian identity is the mother-tongue education. She also mentioned that plans have been made for a Diaspora centre in Turda in order to bring together the Hungarian community in the region.
DAHR’s vice-president on education matters, András Lakatos presented the Alliance’s policy on Diaspora communities and reminded about DAHR’s commitment to the establishment and support of Diaspora institutions.
The two main events of the conference were the signing of the partnership agreement between the Harghita County Council and region called Aranyosszék and the deliverance of a donation of books to the Unitarian church in Turda by the Harghita County Council on behalf of the Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok County in Hungary.
In his speech at the conference, DAHR’s MEP Csaba Sógor sustained that Hungarians in Szeklerland are responsible for all Hungarians, the ones living in western Transylvania and the Csangos as well. The MEP said it is the economic interest of Szeklerland and Hungary to have strong Hungarian communities in the Diaspora.
„Hungarians living in western Transylvania need to know what the attitude is toward small communities in Hungary and Szeklerland. They need a reliable national support in order to maintain their identity” – explained the MEP, who also pointed out that communities in the western Transylvania need to have more institutions and organizations, associations and foundations supporting them.
The event was organized under the patronage of DAHR President Béla Markó, who greeted the guests saying that being Hungarian in the Diaspora is like being Hungarian in the government in Bucharest: we need to forge an advantage out of our 7 percent. „The solidarity of the two Szekler counties shows that Szeklerland has assumed the role of an internal motherland. We need this solidarity in order to be strong” – said the President of DAHR.
Csaba Borboly, President of the Harghita County Council emphasized in his greetings that everyone, who declares himself Hungarian in Transylvania, belong together. „Not only we can help the sparse communities, but they can help us as well. The Hungarians from Cluj county, or the ones living in Banat can teach us how to remain Hungarian living in a sea of other nationalities” – explained the Council President.
Hungary’s consul general in Cluj, Mátyás Szilágyi told the conference that the current Hungarian government is rethinking its strategy on Diaspora communities; they plan to institute programs that support the preservation of Hungarian identity in an effective manner. The consul thinks that large communities need to aid smaller ones and an NGO network should be constituted on this subject throughout the Carpathian Basin.
Dóra Fodor, director of the Jósika Miklós primary school in Turda warned that the basic condition of preserving Hungarian identity is the mother-tongue education. She also mentioned that plans have been made for a Diaspora centre in Turda in order to bring together the Hungarian community in the region.
DAHR’s vice-president on education matters, András Lakatos presented the Alliance’s policy on Diaspora communities and reminded about DAHR’s commitment to the establishment and support of Diaspora institutions.
The two main events of the conference were the signing of the partnership agreement between the Harghita County Council and region called Aranyosszék and the deliverance of a donation of books to the Unitarian church in Turda by the Harghita County Council on behalf of the Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok County in Hungary.
