The Szekler Watch Foundation would like to help private companies and institutions in Szeklerland by covering the cost of Hungarian signs and advertisements for those looking to use them next to existing Romanian ones.
Up until now, the Szekler Watch Foundation’s main activity was reacting to the abuses by Romanian authorities. But now, with its new calling, it is turning to private people, civilians and company leaders. According to the foundation’s representative Zsolt Árus, their aim is to create an environment where local Hungarians can see more and more information signs in their native language in order to feel more and more at home in Szeklerland.
The program is for those who would like to make their existing Romanian signs bilingual by also displaying a Hungarian version and is open to owners of stores, workshops and offices planning on putting up bilingual signs in the future as well. The service will be available for company nameplates, billboards, information boards, basically any public sign.
For those who want to place a new Hungarian sign by an existing Romanian one, the foundation will cover 100% of the cost, while for those who would like to put up new bilingual signs, 50% of the cost will be paid by Szekler Watch.
Zsolt Árus told szekelyhon.ro that they would like to encourage Szekler-Hungarians to exercise their right to use their native language, but they don’t think such encouragement should come via warnings or notices. Instead, they believe in the power of positive reinforcement and this is why they have chosen to pursue this program. In the first round, they are accepting applications from firms and institutions operating in Gyergyószék (the area around Gyergyószentmiklós/Gheorgheni). The deadline is the end of February, after which they will assess the level of interest and decide about a potential extension of the program to other parts of Szeklerland as well.
Title image: Szekler Watch Foundation representative Zsolt Árus (Photo: Szidónia Boncina-Székely/hargitanape.eu)
