Debrecen Reformed Theological University organised a ceremony on 22 January 2020, on the occasion of the Day of Hungarian Culture in cooperation with the Municipality of Debrecen and Főnix Event Organizer Nonprofit Ltd.
The venue of the ceremonial event was the Kölcsey Hall of the Theological University in the building of the Reformed College. Zoltán Kustár, Rector of the University outlined in his welcome speech that Ferenc Kölcsey and the National Anthem, as well as Debrecen and the Reformed College were naturally inseparable concepts from the point of view of the Day of Hungarian Culture. Through the Reformed College, the city of Debrecen had protected, cherished and enriched Hungarian culture, had trained teachers, pastors and intellectuals since 1538. The ceremony held in the building of the Reformed College was closed by wreathing the relief depicting Ferenc Kölcsey, which hangs next to the entrance of the hall. The commemoration continued at Kölcsey’s statue in front of the Grammar School of the Reformed College, in Péterfia Street, where István Puskás Vice Mayor responsible for cultural affairs delivered a speech before the wreathing. As he said, it was elevating to see the Day of Hungarian Culture as the year starter event in the calendar of national commemorations. „This day is not only the day of national culture for the city, but as locals we consider it our own, because Debrecen has a thousand ties to it. It may not be an over-exaggeration to say that the National Anthem could not have been born without Debrecen and the Reformed College, where Kölcsey was given the erudition that radiates from each word and each row of our national prayer even to the present day.”
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