“Education is an ornament in prosperity and a refuge in adversity.” – Réka Brendus, Deputy Head of Department of the State Secretary of the Ministry of National Affairs of the Prime Minister’s Office. Brendus was quoting Aristotle in her opening speech at the awards ceremony for the Prize for Contemporary Transylvanian Hungarian Arts. “We are blessed that we have artists and creations in abundance to speak about when it comes to Hungarian culture in Transylvania. And the truth is that it becomes a demanding and quality culture because its consumers are just as demanding,” she added.
On the 22nd of January in 1823, Ferenc Kölcsey – one of the most important literary characters in Hungarian history – completed his manuscript of the Hungarian National Anthem. That day became the Day of Hungarian Culture in 1989.
Eight years ago, the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (RMDSZ) set up the Prize for Contemporary Transylvanian Hungarian Arts to be awarded on the Day of Hungarian Culture, January 22. The Alliance annually awards Hungarian artists living in Transylvania, who through their works of art and their actions in the field of culture have spectacularly contributed to the enrichment and familiarization of Transylvanian Hungarian culture.
In 2020, the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania awarded four artists who continuously teach the Hungarian community to constantly question and seek knowledge, curiosity, openness and acceptance. “Director Gábor Tompa, poet László Lövétei Lázár, graphic artist László Ujvárossy and writer István Szilágyi encourage us not to accept the prefabricated frills, not to succumb to single-use consumerism, that not those who shout louder are right and not to fall for the instantaneous judgment of the courts of the internet. They invite us into their world to let art take effect on us with open eyes and hearts. They open doors for us; we only need to step out where there is fresh air, to look inside and outside ourselves at the same time. Ours is the world. We are millionaires in terms of time and space,” said RMDSZ Vice-President Csilla Hegedüs in her speech at the awards ceremony held in Kolozsvár/Cluj Napoca.
The most important message of the event was that the Hungarian community in Romania keeps abreast of and recognizes the work of its eminent creators. On this occasion, as a closing chord of the awards, actor Zsolt Bogdán performed an adaptation of Attila Bartis’s novels entitled The History of Hungarian Language.
Featured photo: Hunor Kelemen, president of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania, Béla poet Markó, director Gábor Tompa and poet László Lövétei Lázár at the awards ceremony. Photo credits: László Horváth
