On Wednesday at the opening of a meeting for the directors of the Balassi Institute – which coordinates Hungarian cultural institutes abroad – the Minister of Public Administration and Justice said that it is a national strategy goal for there to be one Hungarian institute in each Central European country.

Tibor Navracsics said that the main aims of the meeting were preparation for the 2013 Presidency of the Central European Initiative, and discussion of the concept for Hungarian programmes planned for the year of the Visegrád Four presidency. He highlighted the importance of preparation and dialogue between Central European countries, as he predicts that 2014 – the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of World War I – will provide the opportunity for the entire world to reinterpret and reframe events in the region. ‘Let us open a new chapter in the system of relations among Hungarians and the nations of Central Europe, whilst reviewing the lessons of the past one hundred years,’ said Mr. Navracsics, who said that Hungarian institutes have a key role to play in this task, as ‘the most effective communication platform is culture’.

He said that hopefully further Hungarian institutes in the region will open in Belgrade, then Zagreb, Kolozsvár/ Cluj-Napoca and Ljubljana. Therefore Hungarian institutes must be a forum not only for Hungarians, but for Central European cooperation.

Pál Hatos, Director General of the Balassi Institute, gave a presentation in which he acknowledged the achievements of the past two years. He said that important programmes have been launched, such as Publishing Hungary, Reconnect Hungary (which targets the Diaspora), and Campus Hungary, which promotes participation in higher education.

He also said that, although cultural institutes everywhere in the world had experienced difficulties since the start of the world economic crisis in 2008, what has characterised the Balassi Institute is not stagnation or contraction, but development. He reaffirmed that the goal of the institute is formation of an image of the country and spreading the good reputation of Hungarian culture among the community of nations. The institute should operate as an incubator to enable young talents to flourish abroad as well, he said.
Ministry of Public Administration and Justice

(Ministry of Public Administration and Justice)