January 22nd is the official day of Hungarian culture and on this occasion several events, concerts, exhibitions and readings are taking place all over Hungary as well as abroad.

Hungarian Culture Day commemorates Ferenc Kölcsey completing the national anthem of Hungary on this day in 1823. It has been celebrated since 1989, when László Fasang, pianist and later Hungary’s Ambassador to UNESCO introduced the idea.

In Budapest, the National Theatre is organising a gala event with several other theatres and institutions, such as the Hungarian State Opera, the Hungarian National Ballet, the Hungarian Circus and Variety Company or the Budapest Operetta and Musical Theatre. Minister of Human Resources Zoltán Balog will make a festive speech at the gala and present awards to artists.

Deputy State Secretary Gergely Prőhle from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs recalled that last year the Hungarian-Italian Cultural Season took place. Within the framework of the cultural season, amongst others an exhibition of Robert Capa photos was held, the Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra preformed in Rome and an exhibition of self-portraits by Hungarian artists was opened in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence.

Hungarian institutes abroad also play an important role in promoting Hungarian culture on this day. To mention just some of their programs: the Balassi Institute in Brussels opened an exhibition on Robert Capa’s life, after which award winning pianist János Balázs Jr. performed pieces from famous Hungarian composers Liszt, Bartók and Kodály.

In New York, the cultural institute celebrated together with local Hungarian communities, while on Monday the 70th birthday celebration of Karl Jenkins at Carnegie Hall included the US premiere of Jenkins's The Bards of Wales, a cantata based on the poem by Hungarian poet János Arany.

At the Hungarian Embassy in Vienna, an exhibition entitled Repainted reality (2.0) will open, which was first realised in 2012 through the Hungarian National Gallery’s equal rights program. The exhibition introduces paintings from disabled and non-disabled painters, without revealing which is which.

(Prime Minister’s Office)