Jókai 200 Memorial Year – Closing Gala Ceremony at the Papp László Sports Arena

President of Hungary Dr. Tamás Sulyok opened the closing gala ceremony of the series of events organised to mark the 200th anniversary of the birth of Mór Jókai.

"In Mór Jókai, we have a Hungarian literary giant. Jókai had no capacity to be unhappy, because he remained cheerful in every situation," said the Head of State, adding, "Jókai was a novelist who sat down at his desk every day and, drawing on his soaring imagination, created novels and prose works in his own handwriting."

The printed volume of the 19th-century writer's novels, short stories and narratives amounts to tens of thousands of pages.
"Mór Jókai wrote because he had a lot to say," emphasised the President of Hungary, "because he was passionate about the Carpathian Basin, fascinated by the turbulent history of the Hungarian people, he was overflowing with patriotism, and he wanted to convey the spirit of our struggles for freedom and independence."

According to Dr. Tamás Sulyok, the novelist loved the Hungarian language to the point of obsession, his stories are passed down from generation to generation, are reborn, and still speak to us today. The President of Hungary emphasised: "Through his works, Jókai speaks about truth, our Hungarian identity, our destiny, and issues that affect our everyday lives."

"He is revered not only for his literary achievements, but also for his historical significance. He was a man whose word was trusted" the President recalled, adding that Jókai remained young at heart because he believed in the power of beauty and goodness in all circumstances.

The President of Hungary emphasised that it is important to remember the values of the past, but even more important to make them part of our own lives and incorporate them into our own worldview.

The memorial year, which began on Mór Jókai’s birthday, concluded with the writer’s fictional heroes coming to life at the Papp László Sports Arena. In a performance by the Erkel Theatre, their stories were brought to the stage in the musical The Baradlay Legend, in front of an audience of more than 12,000.