President Dr. Tamás Sulyok visited Transylvania on a three-day private visit

President Dr. Tamás Sulyok paid a three-day private visit to Transylvania.

The Head of State attended the opening of the Hungarian Cultural Days of Kolozsvár, as well as numerous programmes in Kolozsvár, Bonchida and Válaszút.

The President began his visit in Mezőség, 30 kilometres from Kolozsvár, at the Bánffy Castle in Bonchida, known as the Versailles of Transylvania. The castle, which was returned to the Bánffy family, has been maintained by the Transylvania Trust Foundation since 2001. The foundation provides vocational training for university students in traditional building practices and the restoration of built heritage; during this time, they assist in the restoration with their work.

According to Tamás Sulyok, Central and Eastern Europe has a very serious interest in preserving these construction-related artisanal skills, as they represent centuries of experience that should not be lost.

The head of state also viewed an exhibition dedicated to the castle's last resident, literary author Miklós Bánffy, a former Hungarian foreign minister. The exhibition, entitled Miklós Bánffy's Spheres of Influence, showcases Bánffy's multifaceted personality – author, politician, artist and head of the family.

The President of Hungary assessed what he saw, saying that a long-term project is underway in Bonchida, "where they not only want to renovate something, but also want to make it work".

From Bonchida, Tamás Sulyok visited neighbouring Válaszút, where he viewed the Zoltán Kallós Ethnographic Collection, the legacy of Kossuth Prize-winning ethnographer Zoltán Kallós. The ethnographer, who was born in the Mezőség region, established the foundation named after him in 1992 on his family estate, which had been returned to him after nationalisation, in order to preserve the intellectual and material assets he had collected.

The President then travelled to Kolozsvár, where he was welcomed by Attila László, Roman Catholic Dean and Parish Priest, who showed him around the renovated St. Michael's Church in the main square. The Head of State also said a short prayer here. The church was renovated a few years ago with the support of the European Union and the Hungarian and Romanian governments.

On the second day of his private visit to Transylvania, the President of Hungary gained insight into the programmes and "behind-the-scenes secrets" of the 16th Hungarian Cultural Days of Kolozsvár. In the morning, he attended a meeting involving the team and the volunteers organising the largest cultural festival in the Carpathian Basin. The Hungarian Cultural Days are organised by a team of around 300 people – 145 organisers and 120 volunteers.

Tamás Sulyok was curious to know what motivates young people to participate in the organisation of the Kolozsvár Hungarian Cultural Days. In response, many of them said that they are motivated by the fact that this is a celebration of the Hungarian community in Kolozsvár, in which all Hungarian residents of the city participate, so they are proud to be able to help make the festival happen. The community is also important, they said, as the mixed group of university and secondary school students becomes "a family" by the end of the event.

After the guided tour, the Head of State visited the Our Lady Roman Catholic Parish Church in Kolozsmonostor, led by Parish Priest Dénes Székely.

On the second day of his private visit to Transylvania, the President of Hungary attended the opening event of one of the largest cultural festivals and community celebrations in the Carpathian Basin at the Hungarian Theatre. 

The strong and constructive Hungarian identity that can be experienced in Kolozsvár and throughout Transylvania sets an example for all Hungarians, especially today, when the challenges of life, the crisis of values and the temptations of the world tend to divide rather than unite us, said President Tamás Sulyok on Monday evening in Kolozsvár at the opening gala of the Hungarian Cultural Days of Kolozsvár.

He pointed out that Hungarians have become accustomed to going to Kolozsvár at the end of August, around the Feast Day of St. Stephen, if they want to have fun, enjoy exciting family programmes and uplifting cultural events. The event has become an integral part of the city; it is taken for granted that it will take place and always ends with great success, he said.

The President of Hungary called the Transylvanian city a "point of connections", a place where we can draw strength and inspiration, learn from each other and get to know each other's values.

"Because those who shut themselves off from others also deprive themselves of the intellectual, spiritual and cultural wealth that others can offer them," he said. He described the Hungarian community in Kolozsvár as a vibrant, strong community that "shows its values to the delight of us all and welcomes everyone who is interested in its celebrations".

In his press statement following the opening gala, President Sulyok emphasised that his participation in the Hungarian Cultural Days of Kolozsvár and his presence in Transylvania reflect the fact that he considers "the permanent, continuous and deep-rooted relationship between Hungary and the Hungarian communities beyond its borders" to be of key significance.

The President of Hungary and his spouse, First Lady Zsuzsanna Nagy, ended their three-day private visit to Transylvania in the company of young people in the Lomb Forest near Kolozsvár. They visited the jubilee grand camp celebrating the 35th anniversary of the Scout Association, where they got a glimpse of camp life. Tamás Sulyok emphasised that the scouting movement provides young people with a wealth of practical skills, such as learning how to light a fire and survive in the forest.