This year’s day of Welsh-Hungarian Friendship will be held in four different locations in two countries. The annual event on 14 May will feature Welsh cocktails and Hungarian gastronomic events throughout the weekend.
The series of events was launched last summer by the now four-year-old Magyar Cymru initiative, with the aim of bringing together as many people as possible to celebrate the diverse cultural links between Hungary and Wales.
According to Bálint Brunner, founder of Magyar Cymru and chief organizer of the Welsh-Hungarian Friendship Day, the special relationship not only spans generations but also creates a real community.
“Last year, on 14 May, hundreds of people celebrated together at Montgomery Castle (Wales), where the locals welcomed us with Welsh goulash and Hungarian songs. The Welsh-Hungarian Friendship Day is a fitting commemoration of this touching moment, which also highlights the centuries-old history of the relationship between the two nations.
“In the land of dragons, an increasing number of people are proudly recalling the lines of poet János Arany, and Welsh-language pop music has its own special celebration in Budapest. We hope that more families, organizations and businesses will join us on 14 May in the years to come!”
The Welsh-Hungarian friendship will be the focus of the Sfinx Gin & Wine Bar in Budapest all week, with Welsh language music and two limited edition Welsh-inspired cocktails at the closing event on Sunday evening. The ‘Aur Cymru’ (Wales’ gold) and ‘Y Ddraig Goch’ (red dragon) are made special by the iconic Welsh whisky Penderyn.
Furthermore, disabled adults and children have prepared special gifts at the Sunshine Association of Püspökladány, who sent handmade red, white and green ornaments to far-flung Wales – while Tamás Szarka, of the Ghymes folk group, sent a message to the Welsh with one of his latest songs.
The Sebestyén Cellars in Szekszárd and the Central Wales-based Best of Hungary will promote Hungarian gastronomy in three Welsh towns, while wine tastings will also showcase “the wine of Hungarian friendship in Wales”.
The people of Aberystwyth, Machynlleth and Dolgellau in Wales will be able to discover the “Celtic Friendship” Bikavér bottled for the occasion, which refers to the Celtic heritage of the Szekszárd wine region in its name.
Photo: Magyar Cymru
Monika Gyenes, owner and managing director of Best of Hungary, added: “During the weekend, we are inviting our Welsh friends on a special culinary journey to celebrate the remarkable friendship between our nations. In the years to come, we will be looking to deepen the cultural and business links between Wales and Hungary with programs such as this and others like it.”
This year’s programs are available at magyar.cymru/majus14.
Featured Image: Magyar Cymru
