Fourth Annual Hungarofest Held in Toronto

Hungarofest in Toronto, one of the largest festivals of the Hungarian community in Canada, was opened on Saturday by the State Secretary for Security Policy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, reports Magyar Nemzet.

Péter Sztáray thanked Doug Ford, the Premier of Ontario, for his personal presence, which the Hungarian politician described as a recognition of the friendship between the Hungarian community in Canada and the two nations. He expressed his hope that

the Hungarian cultural event, which took place this year for the fourth time, will continue in the future

and will be attended by many Canadians who do not have Hungarian roots, but who understand the friendship of Hungarians as a hallmark of the Hungarian community in Canada.

The Secretary of State expressed his appreciation to the organizers of Hungarofest and the volunteers involved in the organization. It is obvious that Canadians also appreciate the Hungarian community, many members of which have reached high positions and played important roles in business and politics, he said. He also expressed the hope that some of the Hungarians living in Canada would return to their homeland.

From his experience, Sztáray emphasized that the Conservative government of Ontario has shown a serious interest in Hungary. He added that

Canadian politicians have a positive attitude towards Hungary due to similar values and principles.

The Secretary of State also met with representatives of the Hungarian community in Canada on the occasion of the upcoming Day of National Unity, and attended a joint commemoration ceremony at the Hungarian Canadian Cultural Centre as well as a church service. Sztáray noted that it is important for representatives of the Hungarian government to be present at these commemorations, as it is clear that local Hungarians remember both the painful and the happy moments of Hungarian history.

At the opening of the day-long cultural event, the Premier of Ontario, Doug Ford, conveyed the greetings of his Hungarian-born Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy, the highest-ranking Hungarian official in Ontario to date, who was absent due to a business trip. The premier pointed out that Hungarians came to Ontario in several waves in the 20th century and were involved in building the country. He emphasized that

Canadian Hungarians have had a significant impact on the province, enriching its culture and contributing greatly to the arts, sports, science, business, and politics.

Ford recalled that on Friday, after the signing of the agreement, it was announced that

Ontario will recognize Hungarian driver’s licenses for tourists and residents of Hungary, and that they can exchange them for local driver’s licenses.

This year’s Hungarofest was an all-day cultural program where artists presented a wide range of Hungarian culture, from folk music and dance to modern music. The event was the brainchild of Sándor Balla, a Hungarian businessman from Canada and president of the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce in Canada.

Via Magyar Nemzet; Featured image via Facebook/Consulate General of Hungary in Toronto/Magyarország Torontói Főkonzulátusa