Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is giving a speech at the birthplace of poet Sándor Petőfi on 15 March, Zoltán Kovács, the State Secretary for International Communication and Relations announced on his Facebook page on Tuesday.
Kovács explained that the operational staff met a week before the 15 March national holiday to ensure the smooth running of the events. They determined that there were no obstacles to the peaceful and safe execution thanks to work done in recent weeks and months.
This year, 15 March falls on a Wednesday, and programmes have been put together accordingly. On 14 March, the Kossuth and Széchenyi Awards will be presented. On the day of the celebration the next day, the national flag will be raised in the morning as usual. Then, a hussar march will take place in the Museum Garden, and the Budapest locations will hold ceremonial events between 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. Minister of Culture and Innovation János Csák is also scheduled to give a speech. Family activities will be taking place all day in the Museum Garden. The Parliament and Buda Castle will also open their gates to visitors, where they can view the photos from the Hungary 365 photo contest.
The commemoration and celebration series will continue in Kiskőrös. On the 200th anniversary of the birth of Sándor Petőfi, a great national poet, there will be further celebrations held in the city, which Prime Minister Orbán will also attend. He will give a speech at the poetic great’s birthplace at 3 p.m., Kovács said in his post.
Sándor Petőfi was a Hungarian poet and one of the key figures of the 1848 Hungarian Revolution. He was born on 1 January 1823, in Kiskőrös, Hungary, and died at the age of 26 at the Battle of Segesvár in 1849.
To commemorate the bicentennial of his birth, various events and celebrations have been planned across Hungary throughout the year. These include exhibitions, concerts, theatrical performances, and literary events. Many of these events will be held in Kiskőrös, Petőfi’s birthplace, as well as in Budapest and other cities across the country. The festivities will culminate on 15 March, the national holiday of Hungary commemorating the outbreak of the 1848 Revolution.
The secretary of state noted that those who wish to find out more about the programme should visit the government’s website. for details.
