The government has commissioned the central and eastern European history research foundation to launch a campaign to present Roma personalities whose work at the time of Hungary’s democratic transition had contributed to “building a confident and proud Roma community”.
In a statement marking International Roma Day on Thursday, the foundation said that “the Hungarian Roma have on many occasions proven their commitment to Hungary’s freedom and independence”, such as during the anti-Soviet uprising in 1956 and at the time of the regime change in 1989/90. “Thirty years after the transition we will at last pay our respects to their historic achievements,” the statement said. The foundation said it would show portrait films on the Facebook page and YouTube channel of the “Thirty years in freedom” memorial year programme, presenting such personalities as author Menyhért Lakatos, poet-journalist József Kovács Hontalan, composer Tivadar Fátyol and community worker-politician Tibor Szegedi.
hungarymatters.hu
