25. January 2008.

The town of Balatonfüred is a centre of some cultural dominance in the region of lake Balaton. The programs available to the public have a history of versatile culture in various forms of art, which have been the subject of well-earned acclaim and are regarded as something to be proud of in a town with historical and artistic achievements abundant in its glorious past.

Herend Porcelain Manufactory, the world's largest producer of porcelain and part of the Hungarian Heritage, is also well known for its genuine commitment to supporting cultural events in Hungary. Balatonfüred is a place of special importance where both recently discovered cultural values and the preservation of old ones is particularly high on our cultural agenda. Among events that we have supported over the years is the Annual ”Anna Ball” and the Salvatore Quasimodo International Poets' Contest.

Duna Televízió (Duna Television), one of Hungary's major national TV channels, is well known for its policy of broadcasting events to Hungarians living in Diaspora in five continents, to keep them well-informed about the cultural values of Hungary that need to be preserved and also to keep them posted on new and culturally rich events of an artistic and intellectual value.

On January 22, 2008, the parties signed a document underscoring their commitment to cooperation for the year to come. That date coincides with a remarkable day 176 years ago, when Ferenc Kölcsey put the final words of his famous poem on paper. That poem has since become our “national prayer” which conveys a commandment requiring high moral standing from Hungarians at all times, advocating an awareness of their moral obligations towards their country. This glorious day has for the past twenty years been a day of cultural events called The Day of Hungarian Culture.

Based on their commitment to cooperation, the parties have agreed to provide sponsorship for the following events:

In April this year a series of events called the “Celebration of the Poem” will be organised, the semi-final to be held in Balatonfüred and the final in Révkomárom. Concurrently with these events an undercurrent of literary highlights will unfold the Life and Achievements of Hungarian writer Mór Jókai”, to be held in Komárom. The 17th Jókai Day, a separate event, will be held in May, anticipating a spectacular project yet to be realised for the complete renovation of the famous writer’s villa. The 183th Annual ”Anna” Ball will be organised in July, with live coverage of the event, This traditional celebration, by now considered a hallmark event for the notion of “being Hungarian” is, at the same time, a hallmark for the role of Balatonfüred in advocating national identity in the Reform Era, a role that has been widely accepted and regarded as having had a far-reaching effect on our past and even on our present lives. Another sponsored event will be the Salvatore Quasimodo International Poets' Contest in September this year, which, being open to contestants worldwide, intends to provide an opportunity for Hungarians living in whichever part of the world to prove their creative talent and, side by side with Italian culture, join mainstream European creative trends in art.

The town of Balatonfüred held celebrations on the Day of Hungarian Culture earlier this year with commemorative events having taken place at Ferenc Kölcsey's Statue and also at the commemorative plaques at the Pantheon of writers Gyula Illyés and László Németh. As part of a literary soirée, a book published recently, entitled “Gyula Illyés and László Németh at Balatonfüred” was introduced to the public by literary historian Mihály Praznovszky, followed by a lecture entitled “The relevance of Gyula Illyés and László Németh in the 21st Century”, delivered by Dr. Géza Vasy, chairman of the Association of Hungarian Writers. There was an event for the handing over of the “For the Culture of Balatonfüred Prize” and the above mentioned document of mutual commitment was also signed.

As a final demonstration of today's exemplary joining of forces, here's a quote from Gyula Illyés which has very well preserved the significance of its meaning and continues to be a moral guiding force: “Doing things together and for each other is something we should learn and teach”. We hope to see those interested visiting and taking part in the above events.