World Hungarians’ Day was celebrated officially in Cluj-Napoca for the first time on the 15th of march.
The big city’s main boulevard, Bulevard Eroilor, was decorated with the colors of the Hungarian flag: red, white, and green.
This is the first time this happens in postcommunist Romania – though in all likelihood events were probably celebrated in similar ways before Transylvania was united with Romania in 1918 and during the Hungarian occupation of a portion of Transylvania in light of World War II.
Bilingual messages were posted around the centre of town, and wreaths of flowers decorated important zones of cultural significance belonging to the significant Hungarian community in Cluj.
A festive ceremony included speeches, songs, poems, and traditional dancing in traditional garb – by 200 young people. The local children’s choir also performed.
An official procession involving Hungarian flags and banners began at the Protestant Theological Institute and culminated with a religious service at the Roman Catholic Church in Cluj’s Central Square.
Hungarians have three international holidays: their national day on 20 August, World Hungarians’ Day on 15 March, and the commemoration of the 1956 Revolution on 23 October.
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