Novi Sad, 12 December - The President of the Assembly of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina Mr Bálint Juhász attended today the closing ceremony and annual awards presentation of the Publishing Institute “Forum”, the institution that has been of the most important pillars of Hungarian culture in Serbia for nearly seven decades.
Speaking about the significance of this institution, Juhász emphasised that over the decades, the “Forum” had secured a distinctive place within the cultural sphere as an institution that had not only published books, but also brought together the knowledge, creativity and artistic energy of the entire Hungarian community.
“The Forum has remained one of the most reliable pillars of Hungarian culture in Serbia, as it persistently safeguards continuity, at the same time adapting to contemporary trends and needs of the readers,” Juhász stated, adding that the ceremony represented not only the ending of the year, but also a confirmation of long-term sustainability and promise of new beginnings.
He recalled that since 1957 the “Forum” had been dedicated to nurturing a cultural heritage serving as a spiritual home for generations, and stressed that this year’s publishing results, i.e. 21 new publications and a significant number of literary and artistic editions, testify to the preservation of tradition and continuous renewal. Special reference was made to the development of the journals Híd and Létünk, as well as to the continuation of the renovation of the Institute’s headquarters through a public tender announced for the Art Café.
Congratulating this year’s laureates, Juhász underlined that the quality and authentic expression of their work contributed both to the community and the overall cultural scene of Serbia.
The Híd Literary Award was presented to Éva Tóldi, the Forum Visual Arts Award was bestowed upon Balázs Sarkany, whereas the Vojvodina Hungarian Art Award was granted to Zoltán Siflis.