Hungary highly values and cherishes the memory of Raoul Wallenberg, the martyr Swedish diplomat. On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of his birth, the Government of Hungary decided to declare the year 2012 as Wallenberg Year and to set up a Commemorative Committee. This anniversary is a good occasion to draw lessons from the past, and to review, in their light, current human rights and minority issues, and to address the future and the young generations.

It was a priority for the Commemorative Committee to approach the secondary school generation through organizing events for them. The Hungarian Wallenberg Association in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs organized a series of competitions called ‘How was it?’ with the purpose to motivate secondary school students to learn about the Holocaust, the humanitarian rescue activities performed by Wallenberg and others, and about the memorial sites of this period.

Groups of students from more than 110 Hungarian secondary schools applied for the competition. The qualification phase took place at various Hungarian towns between 26-30 March. Senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Deputy State Secretary János Hóvári, Chief of Cabinet Klára Breuer and Senior Advisor to the Minister Gabriella Kereszty gave introductory lectures about the life of Raoul Wallenberg to the participants.

The final competition will be held at the Raoul Wallenberg Secondary School in Budapest on 19 April 2012. Deputy State Secretary Gergely Prőhle will give a speech on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the event.

(kormany.hu)