Senta/Novi Sad, 16 December – Bálint Juhász, President of the AP Vojvodina Assembly, attended today a ceremonial programme marking the 20th anniversary of the Institute for the Culture of Vojvodina Hungarians, held at the Cultural Centre in Senta.
In his address, President Juhász underlined that two decades of the Institute’s work represented far more than the mere passage of time, as they reflected the image the community has built of itself, its identity and its values.
“Our culture is not an object for display, but a shared breath. For twenty years, the Institute for the Culture of Vojvodina Hungarians has preserved, enriched and passed on that breath, connecting institutions and creators from across the Carpathian Basin and creating a space in which the past is recorded and the future is shaped,” Juhász said.
He recalled that the Institute was founded in 2005 by the Hungarian National Council, that it has held the status of a public institution since 2008, alsp that the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina was its co-founder. He emphasised that continuity and shared responsibility have enabled the Institute to develop into one of the crucial cultural institutions of Vojvodina Hungarians.
President Juhász expressed his appreciation to the Institute’s employees, researchers, artists and associates, noting that their, often invisible, but dedicated work ensures that the culture of Vojvodina Hungarians not only endures, but continues to develop through publications, research, cultural events, work with young talents and the digitalisation of cultural heritage.
As part of the ceremonial programme, addresses were also delivered by Bálint Pásztor PhD, Member of Parliament and leader of Vojvodina Hungarians; Gyöngyi Kormányos, Director of the Institute; Mr Jenő Hajnal, founder of the Institute; Árpád Fremond, President of the Hungarian National Council; and Lőrinc Nacsa, Hungarian State Secretary for National Policy. The ceremony was also attended by Irene Novák, Deputy State Secretary for the Culture of Hungary.