It’s a big day for Culture!
Hungary and the Republic of Kosovo have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the desire to strengthen and promote further cooperation in the field of culture and sports between them and with the conviction that this cooperation will contribute to streghten mutual friendship between the two peoples.
Lets recap on what we have already accomplished! :
Hungary recognised the Republic of Kosovo as an independent state in 2008 and diplomatic relations were established and Embassies were opened in both countries in the same year. Thus, our bilateral cultural and sport relations go back a decade and a half.
The Hungarian Cultural Weeks in 2019 was the most important event in our bilateral cultural relations, which started with the concert of the Pannon Philharmonic and the Kosovan premiere of Béla Bartók's works. (Concerto for orchestra, Sz. 116, BB 123) This concert was a cultural landmark in the history of the independent Kosovo, as no classical music concert of this scale has been held in the country since her independence in 2008; and we are proud that the concert was the first step in the cooperation between the Kosovo Philharmonic and the Hungarian Pannon Philharmonic.
The unveiling ceremony of the bronze bust of János Hunyadi in Prizren was another highlight of the Hungarian Cultural Weeks. A year later, we unveiled the bust of Skanderbeg (Gjergj Kastrioti), and now the two allies - the heroes of the Hungarian and the Albanian people - stand side by side once again.
The Swiss Diamond Hotel provided an excellent venue for the “Sweet Ambassadors” gastronomic show. Four famous Hungarian cakes of the "confectionery history exhibition", the "dobos torta", the "zserbó", the "Rigó Jancsi" and the "Rákóczi túrós" were prepared by Hungarian confectioners for the guests, who could not only taste the Hungarian cakes, but also take home the recipes to make these traditional Hungarian sweets at home. After the event, Acting Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj posted the following on his Facebook page: "Hungary is our friend and important partner, and I am sincerely grateful to them for their support to our country."
Our Embassy, in cooperation with the Institute for Foreign Affairs and Trade organised the conference "Hungarian experiences of EU integration" and in his keynote speech, Szabolcs Takács, Ministerial Commissioner of the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, stressed that Hungary strongly supports the Euro-Atlantic integration of the Republic of Kosovo. Within the framework of the Hungarian Cultural Weeks, the book titled "Episodes of Albanian-Hungarian Historical Relations" was launched in Pristina and Prizren.
As part of the cultural weeks, we organised several jazz concerts in Pristina, Gjakova and Gracanica; film weeks in Pristina; and a Photography Exhibition in Peja.
In 2020, Ambassador József Bencze handed over a donation of books compiled by the Library of the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to Fazli Gajraku, Director of the National Library of Kosovo. Last year, a similar book donation was given to Engjëll I. Berisha, the director of the "Ibrahim Rugova" Library in Gjakova, and this year we are planning to establish another new “Hungarian book corner” in Kosovo.
Also in 2020, in Gjakova our Embassy inaugurated the memorial plaque of István Schütz, Hungarian Balkanist and one of the best friends of the Albanians, thus paying tribute to the memory of his extraordinary work; and we hope that this year a street will be named after him in the capital of Kosovo.
In 2021, the world of music paid tribute to the memory of the globally celebrated Hungarian pianist, György Cziffra, and the celebration of the 100th anniversary of his birth was included in the List of Anniversaries Recommended by the Executive Board of UNESCO. One of the partners of the cross-border cooperation within the framework of the Cziffra100 centenary year is the Chopin Piano Fest, Kosovo, a long-established recurring program of the Hungarian music scene. A vision of the Pristina-based event series with world-class guest artists for over a decade coincides with that of György Cziffra himself: to champion and support young talents. (This year two Hungarian artists will appear within the framework of the Chopin Piano Fest, Kosovo.)
This year's outstanding cultural event will be the gala concert in Pristina, organised on the occasion of the Hungarian Presidency of the Platform Culture Central Europe. (The PCCE was launched in Vienna in 2001 by six Central European countries – Austria, Czechia, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia; and the main objective of PCCE is upkeeping mutual cultural dialogue, providing and supporting bilateral and multilateral projects focused on common Central European cultural interests and values.)
Last but not least, also this year we plan to present the Apponyi Geraldine exhibition in Kosovo. (Countess Geraldine Apponyi was Queen of the Albanians from her marriage to King Zog I on 27 April 1938 until the King was deposed on 7 April of the following year.)
We are proud that Kosovo became a member of the European Handball Federation (EHF) and of the European Football Associations (UEFA) with the help of the Hungarian Sport Organisations; and the signed MoU will provide a background for the development of sport relations between the Republic Kosovo and Hungary. It is also worth noting that Majlinda Kelmendi, Kosovo's first Olympic champion trained for years with two Hungarian judokas from Paks, Abigél Joó and Hedvig Karakas.
