Szeklerland

BUDAPEST ROMANIA

MUNICH

BRUSSELS

VIENNA BRATISLAVA

MÜHLDORF GYÔR

CHILDREN’S VOICES gyERmEkHaNgOk

Now the time has come for them to see Europe and let Europe hear the children as they perform in cities across the European Union making friends and gaining fans wherever they go.

According to various press sources, the royal couple spent part of their honey-moon in Szeklerland, in Romania. Kate and William didn’t have to stay in a hotel because the father of the groom, Prince Charles, owns property in the area.

1.5 MILLION HUNGARIANS LIVING IN ROMANIAWITH 612 000 OF THEM LIVING IN SZEKLERLAND

Come on kids, let’s see the rest of Europe!

Prince Charles learned to scythe in Csíkkate and William in Szeklerland?

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FILIThe Hungarian language is far from easy and is a tongue twister for most people so that is why we suggest you stick simply to FILI.

Plums

The Szekler national fruit is dried, preserved and distilled to make famous plum pálinka, the traditional drink all the way from Szeklerland. Caution: 50% alcohol!

CsíksomlyóThe members of the FILI also participate in the Pentecost Pil-grimage in Csíksomlyó (Şumuleu Ciuc) along with hundreds of thousands of Hungarian pilgrims from all over Europe.

The Szentegyháza Children’s Philharmonia was founded 29 years ago

a bLOSSOmINg COmmuNITySome 700 km east of Budapest, Szentegyháza (Vlăhiţa) is a Szekler town at the foot of the Mount Hargita and has been home to a wonderful community for the last quarter of a century.

aNTHEmThe old Szekler anthem dates all the way back to 1350. The present version, which the Szekler National Council adopted as its official anthem in September 2009, was composed in 1921 and will be performed by the children at every concert.

LOOkINg aT SZEkLERLaND aND INTRODuCINg THE SZENTEgyHÁZa CHILDREN’S PHILHaRmONIa CONCERT TOuRSZEkLER

SZÉkELyFÖLDRÔL

bölöni, Juhász, Football, Van Rompuy

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Hunineu in BrusselsBoulevard Bischoffsheim 11, 2nd floor, 1000-Brussels | Tel.: +32 273 71 407 | Fax.: +32 273 71 406 | Mobile: +32 470 20 75 19e-mail: office@hunineu.eu | Website: www.hunineu.eu

Szeklerland and the Szekler peopleRight on the eastern edge of Transylvania lies Szeklerland, bordered by the Hargita, Csík and Gyergyó Mountains, and its inhabitants are known as Szeklers. It covers a territory measuring 13,500 km² and has a population of 809,000 of whom 76% speak Hungarian as their first language. Szeklerland was split into seven

“seats” for centuries but is now divided into the three counties of Maros, Kovászna and Hargita (Judeţul Mureş, Covasna şi Harghita) and currently does not have autonomous status. There are a great many legends, tales and chronicles that describe the origins of the Szekler people and there are theories that they are descended from the Hun, the Pecheneg or the Kabar nations. Whatever the truth may be, it is an undisputable fact that the Szeklers are a vital part of the Hungarian nation in terms of language, culture and identity. Their origins may have indeed been clouded by the

mists of time but the Szekler people have always played a decisive role in the history of the region through the centuries. They defended Europe’s eastern borders from attacks by the Kuns, the Tartars and the Turks. It is this role in defence which led to the growth of a society and political system based on military equality and eventually to the Szeklers’ own constitution. Szeklerland is not only a region of astounding natural beauty, but also possesses a unique cultural diversity that makes it a really very special place. Szekler people are renowned for their warm hospitality, plum pálinka (fruit brandy) and runic writing all of which make this a fascinating corner of Europe well worth a visit. The Szekler National Council instigated a referendum on the subject of autonomy for Szeklerland. It was held in December 2006 and received 99.31% support from the 209,304 citizens who participated.

TIbETaN-ENgLISH DICTIONaRy

Sándor kôrösi Csoma, founder of Tibetology

Sándor Kőrösi Csoma was born in 1784 in Kőrös in the county of Háromszék. He began his studies in the famed Protestant college in Nagyenyed (Aiud), Transylvania known as the Bethlenianum and went on to complete his education in Göttingen. He made a number of expeditions to Tibet and compiled the first Tibetan dictionary as well as a full English translation of the classic Buddhist work, the Mahavyutpatti.

Sándor Kőrösi Csoma initially travelled east to discover the ancient home of the Magyar people but won a name for himself and brought glory to his country with the exploration of cultures then still unknown to Western civilisation that formed the basis of what is now known as Tibetology.

Egy CSODÁLaTOS, VIRÁgZÓ kÖZÖSSÉgSzentegyháza, ez a Budapesttől mintegy 700 km–re, a Hargita–hegy lábánál lévő székely település immáron több mint negyed százada egy csodálatos közösség születésének és virágzásának otthona.A 7.000 lelket számláló 95%–ában magyar lakosságú városkában valósult meg Haáz Sándor zenetanár álma, ahol útjára indította a szentegyházi Gyermek–filharmóniát. 29 év alatt egy egész generáció nőtt fel, több száz tanítvány cseperedett a mester szárnyai

alatt. Több mint 800 fellépés, három nagylemez fémjelzi tevékenységüket.A Gyermekfilharmónia elsődleges célja a hagyományőrzés, a muzsikaszó és ének erejével pedig a közösségteremtés. A székely gyermekkórus bejárta Székelyföld, Erdély és Magyarország falvait és városait. Most Nyugat–Európa következik, ahol az összetartozás élő példájaként szerezhetnek újabb és újabb barátokat és rajongókat.

a bLOSSOmINg COmmuNITySituated some 700 km from Budapest, Szentegyháza is a Szekler town at the foot of the Mount Hargita and has been home to a wonderful community for the last quarter of a century. It was here, with its population of 7,000 (95% ethnic Hungarian), that a music teacher by the name of Sándor Haáz made a dream come true when he established the Szentegyháza Children’s Philharmonia. Several hundred pupils have grown up under his caring eye and musical ear over the last 29 years.

The Children’s Philharmonia has more than 800 performances and three album recordings to its name. The Children’s Philharmonia sets out to preserve traditions and create community through music and song. This Szekler choir has toured all through the towns and villages of Szeklerland, Transylvania and Hungary. Now the time has come for them to see the rest of Europe and let them hear the children as they perform in cities across Western Europe, making friends and gaining fans wherever they go.

kÖVÉR LÁSZLÓSpeaker of the Hungarian National AssemblyDecember 2006

TOuR uNDER THE auSPICES OF

HuNgaRy14.09.2011. 16:00 buDaPESTPaRLIamENT buILDINg maIN STaIRS

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LIVINg aRTIn Szeklerland, local cultural life has its roots in strong folk traditions with particular emphasis on music, dance and song. Beyond being about pre-serving traditions, dancing here is part of the life of the community. Every summer, these tiny Szekler villages swell with a mass of visitors who have travelled from afar to attend dance camps where music plays for days on end, the old teach the young and plenty of pálinka (a special kind of fruit brandy) helps keep spirits bright late into the night. The largest of all the dance camps in Szeklerland is now in its 17th year and held in Felsősófalva (Ocna de Sus), where the local “Poppies” Folk Dance Ensemble invites all those from far and wide wishing to try their hand, or rather feet, at a spot of Szekler dancing. The performing arts also play an important role in local life. Nearly every small town has a stage of sorts and most larger settlements have their own theatre troupe.

Undoubtedly two of the most famous are the Tamási Áron Theatre from Sepsiszentgyörgy (Sfântu Gheorghe) and the Miklós Tompa Ensemble from the National Theatre in Marosvásárhely (Târgu Mureş). Both excel in classic and modern works for the stage alike with audiences coming from all over Europe to attend their premieres. The AlterNative International Short Film Festival in Marosvásárhely attracts hundreds of entries from all over the world and audiences curious to see what’s on offer. The festival will run for the 19th time this year between 2 and 6 November with the focus on Bulgaria. But of course there is much more than film with a score of exhibitions, concerts and events carefully coordinated to complement what’s shown on the screen.

The most beautiful herma in EuropeSaint Ladislaus of the House of Árpád is one of the greatest kings in the history of the Hungarian nation. He died in 1095 and was canonised by Pope Celestine III at the end of the 12th century. Shortly after this, his skull was encased in a bust and placed over his grave. The Herma of Saint Ladislaus has been in Győr for the best part of the period from 1607 to the present day and has become not only a relic of religious dedication, but also played a significant role in popular justice. After the Holy Crown of Saint Stephen and the Holy Right, the Herma is the nation’s third most important national relic.

Európa legszebb hermájaAz Árpád–házból való Szent László nemzeti történelmünk egyik legnagyobb királya. Az 1095–ben elhunyt lovagkirályt III. Celesztin pápa a XII. század végén avatta szentté. Koponyáját ezt követően mellszobor alakú tartóba tették, és sírja fölé helyezték. Az 1607 óta – kisebb megszakítással

– Győrben található Herma az évszázadok során nemcsak vallásos tiszteletnek örvendett, hanem az igazságszolgáltatásban is nagy szerepe volt. A Herma, a Szent Korona és a Szent Jobb mellett, hazánk harmadik legkiemelkedőbb nemzeti ereklyéje.

Delighted to be visiting gyôr“If someone comes to visit us in Szeklerland, they find themselves in a world that’s completely different to the rest of Europe. Traditions and modern technology live side by side at home. We like new things like mobile phones, but we also love the Szekler clothes that we’ve inherited from our grandparents and their grandparents before them. We girls are proud to wear traditional dress and I think we look most beautiful in it. And when Szekler lads

wear those leggings… For us, this is just like when Scottish girls see the boys wearing kilts. This is what sets us aside from all those kids who wear jeans and it’s our own special treasure. We wear these clothes when we sing and make music. We’re delighted to be visiting Győr, where tradition meets fashion in a similar way. I’m looking forward to seeing the Herma of Saint Ladislaus and I hope we’ll have a chance one time to visit the Audi factory too.”

Örömmel jövünk gyôrbe„Ha valaki eljön hozzánk Székelyföldre egy egészen más világot talál, mint Európa számos területén. Nálunk együtt él a modern technika és a hagyomány. Mi is a mai kor gyermekeiként szeretjük az újdonságokat, így a mobilt is, de ugyanúgy szeretjük a székely ruhát, amit még nagyszüleink nagyszüleitől, tán még annál is régebbről örököltünk. Büszkén hordjuk, mi, lányok úgy érezzük, ebben vagyunk igazán szépek. Na, és egy székely legény, akin

székely harisnya feszül... Nekünk ők olyanok, mint a skót lányoknak a szoknyás fiúk. Ebben vagyunk mások mi a farmerosoknál, van ez a kincsünk.Ebben is énekelünk, zenélünk. Örömmel jövünk Győrbe, ahol szintén találkozik a hagyomány és a divat. Várom már, hogy láthassam a Szent László hermát, és remélem, egyszer eljutunk az AUDI gyárba is.”

Beáta Balázs

The Legend of Saint Ladislaus of HungarySaint Ladislaus is an exemplary figure from Hungary’s age of romance, known for his courage, masculinity and religious piety. Revered as the patron saint of Transylvania, this Hungarian king appears regularly in folk tales and verse and played a unique role in the nation’s cultural history and development. He not only features in chronicles, folk art, religious songs and folk songs, but his image is also recorded in frescoes in churches across Szeklerland that date right back to the Middle Ages. One legend attached to his name describes how the invading Kuns fled before the armies of King Salomon and Prince Ladislaus gave chase to a Kun knight who had captured a Hungarian maiden. He called to the girl, who pulled the Kun to the ground. As the enemies began to wrestle, the young woman cut the Kun’s Achilles heel and then Prince Ladislaus slew his foe.

Beáta Balázs (1995), violin

HuNgaRy15.09.2011. 18:00gyÔRSZÉCHENyI SQuaRE

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mühldorfSitting on the banks of the River Inn, Mühldorf is among the prettiest and oldest towns in Bavaria. The town has a rich historical background and vibrant cultural scene and is surrounded by unspoilt countryside that offers refreshment for both mind and body. As well as offering lots of sporting activities to choose from, this is a great place to jump on your bike and go for a ride around the working mills to be found both in and out of town.

mühldorfAz Inn partján elterülő Mühldorf Bajorország egyik legszebb és legrégibb városai közé tartozik. A gazdag történelmű és kultúrájú város körül elterülő szinte érintetlen természet aktív pihenést kínál a testnek és a léleknek egyaránt. A számos szabadidős tevékenység mellett rengeteg sporto-lási lehetőség várja az odalátogatókat, elsősorban a kerékpározás szerelmeseit. A városban és környékén található máig működő malmok külön-leges látnivalót jelentenek.

850 kilometresThe first international bike tour to run all the way to Szeklerland was staged for the first time in 2010, when several hundred participants set out from Budapest to ride through more than 100 towns and villages and pedal a total of 850 kilometres from Budapest to Csíksomlyó (Şumuleu Ciuc). This year the journey ran in reverse and the Cross–Border Tour took place between 13 and 20 August. It was timed to end in Budapest to join Hungary’s national celebrations in front of Parliament, where a large crowd gathered

to welcome the 200–strong band of weary cyclists. Hungarian MP Máriusz Révész, who helped organise the event, said, “The tour is designed to draw people’s attention to the beautiful countryside they can cycle through here in the Carpathian Basin. We hope that the Cross–Border Tour has helped popularise cycling as a green way of getting around. I hope this will mean more bike routes will be built in the country and perhaps we have helped change attitudes to cyclists on our roads.”

Animal husbandry in this part of the world appears rather like a journey back in time when you see shepherds herding flocks of 300–400 sheep on the picturesque plateau. The sheep are driven out to graze in the spring and only brought back to the village when the snow begins to fall. The ewes are milked out in the fields where they spend many long days and months

under the watchful eye of their skilled shepherd. And it is true that a shepherd’s best friend is his dog because the flock can easily face attacks from a wolf or bear that might emerge at any moment from the surrounding forests. It is also possible to see a lot of old techniques applied in agriculture locally, where small patches of arable land are often tilled by horse and plough.

One of the main reasons for this is that tractors find the steep hillsides hard to navigate and most village households keep both horses and cattle. It may appear strange in our busy modern world to see a Szekler smallholder taking his wheat from the harvest to the mill but watermills are not remnants of the past here or museums. Instead they play a vital part in the everyday life of the countryside.

I love riding my bike“There are loads of bike paths back home. We could jokingly say that we have more bike paths than any other country in Europe. The roads don’t have tarmac on them and so we use them all as bike paths and it’s definitely the way most people get around in our village. We ride our bikes to school, to the local shops, out into the fields or even to FILI rehearsals. We got really excited when we found out that we’re going to visit our twin town of Mühldorf. They told us that the school there is very well equipped and I’d love to see a typical day there. I’d also love to invite German kids to come and see our school, where they could learn to paint wooden chests and chairs. If they came in the summer, we could give them pitchforks and teach them how to stack hay on a cart and I’ve not even mentioned the endless joy of walking up the slopes of the Mount Hargita.”

Ich fahre sehr gerne Rad

„Wir haben überall Radwege – könnten wir witzigerweise sagen in einem Land Europas, das mit Radwegen sehr gut ausgestattet ist. Da viele Straßen bei uns noch nicht asphaltiert sind, verwenden wir einfach alle als Radwege. Das Radfahren ist in unserem Dorf sehr beliebt, wir radeln in die Schule, zum Einkaufen, auf die Felder hinaus oder auch einfach nur zur FILI–Probe.Wir haben uns voller Aufregung auf unsere Reise nach Mühldorf, in unsere Partnergemeinde, vorbe-reitet. Wir hörten, dass es eine sehr gut ausgestat-tete Schule gibt und ich würde sie mir sehr gerne auch mal während des Unterrichts anschauen. Wir könnten dann auch deutsche Kinder zu uns einla-den und gemeinsam Kisten und Stühle bemalen. Falls sie im Sommer kommen, können wir ihnen beibringen, wie man einen Heuwagen belädt, und wir könnten gemeinsam aufregende Ausflüge ins Madarasi Harghita–Gebirge unternehmen.“Emőke Márton

Emőke Márton (1995), violin

gERmaNy16.09.2011. 18:30müHLDORFVOLkS-SCHuLE aLTmüHLDORF

Time travelHunineu in BrusselsBoulevard Bischoffsheim 11, 2nd floor, 1000-Brussels | Tel.: +32 273 71 407 | Fax.: +32 273 71 406 | Mobile: +32 470 20 75 19e-mail: office@hunineu.eu | Website: www.hunineu.eu

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St margaret’s ChurchThe Saint Margaret’s parish church was built in Lower Sendling (today Munich) in the Baroque style so typical of Upper Bavaria and was dedicated to Saint Margaret of Antioch. The present–day building is the successor of an earlier church, presumed to be Gothic in style, that suffered such serious damage during the “Murderous Christmas of Sendling” in 1705 – when Austrian troops slaughtered masses of unarmed peasants – that it had to be completely rebuilt. Hundreds of the victims now lie in a mass grave in the graveyard here and had a memorial constructed in the Classicist style to their memory in 1830.

Szent margit templomAz Alsó–Sendlingben (ma: München) található Szent Margit plébániatemplom a felső–bajoror-szági területekre jellemző barokk stílusban épült. A templomot Antióchiai Szent Margit tiszteleté-re szentelték fel. A jelenlegi épület egy korábbi, valószínűsíthetően gótikus templom utóépülete, amely az 1705–ös sendlingi „gyilkos karácsony-éj”–en – amikor a megszálló osztrák császári csa-patok a lefegyverzett és magukat feladó földmű-veseket és polgárokat lemészárolták – annyira megsérült, hogy helyén egy újat kellett építeni. A temetőkert tömegsírjaiban több száz áldozat van eltemetve. Rájuk emlékezik az 1830–ban épült klasszicista emlékmű is.

Healing body and soul “CSÍK beer tastes really good. The label says CIUC in Romanian. I’ve tasted it because I’m 20 and there’s really none better. But Munich is the home of beer and when we come to visit, we’ll enjoy the hospitality of our Hungarian friends living here precisely at the time when the beer festival is on. I hope I’ll be lucky enough to taste a glass of the foaming nectar. It’s got no preservatives and no colouring and is made from pure spring water and natural ingredients, but everything is better enjoyed in moderation! Where I come from, they say that beer isn’t a drink and a bear isn’t a toy! The real Szekler drink is plum pálinka brandy. If we were to smuggle the odd glass of plum pálinka onto the table between beers at the festival, people would soon get to their feet, not because it’d knock them out but because they’d want to come and see the place that this fantastic stuff comes from. It heals both body and spirit back home. The recipe is very simple: plums. My mother’s homemade plum jam and dried plums are also really tasty. Folks make jam from the wild blueberries that grow in the area and that’s delicious, too!”

arznei für körper und Seele„Das CSÍK Bier – auf Rumänisch CIUC – ist ein sehr gutes Getränk. Da ich schon 20 Jahre alt bin, habe ich es natürlich gekostet und kann mir kein besseres vorstellen. Die Heimat der Biere ist aber München, die Stadt, die wir besuchen und in der wir die Gastfreundschaft unserer hier lebenden ungarischen Freunde genießen dürfen. Und das gerade während des Oktoberfestes! Ich hoffe, ich kann dann auch ein echtes Münchner Bier probieren. Auch unser Bier ist aus natürlichen Zutaten und reinem Quellwasser gebraut, es enthält keine Konservierungs– oder Farbstoffe. Ob wohl es so gesund ist, sollte man aber auch dieses Bier nur in Maßen genießen! Bei uns zuhause sagt man: „Bier ist kein Getränk und der Bär ist kein Tier zum Spielen.“ Das echte Szekler Getränk ist der Zwetschgenschnaps. Wenn wir nur eine Runde Schnaps beim Oktoberfest ausschen-ken könnten, würden die Gäste früher aufstehen. Nicht nur, weil sie gleich ein wenig beschwipst wä-ren, sondern aus Neugierde, woher dieses wundervolle Getränk wohl stammt. Bei uns zuhause ist der Zwetschgenschnaps Arznei für Körper und Seele. Die Rezeptur ist sehr einfach: nichts außer Zwetschgen – vergoren und dann destilliert. Die Zwetschgenkonfitüre, die Dörrpflaumen meiner Mutter und die Hei-delbeeren aus den Bergen sind auch unvorstellbar gut.“

munich beer Festival Munich’s beer festival is perhaps one of the largest celebrations of its kind in Europe. The origins of the festival date back to 17 October 1810 when King Ludwig I of Bavaria visited the city to celebrate his nuptials and invited the people of Munich to join in him a glass of beer. Held every autumn, this vast festival now attracts six million people yearly. The breweries of the city brew up a selection of special beers for the festival and festival goers happily consume an average of 60,000 hectolitres. The highpoint of the festivities is a parade where thousands of people promenade through Munich dressed in traditional costume and hunting regalia, which always provides a fantastic spectacle.

a Szekler likes his pálinka It’s tough to cultivate fruit and vegetables in perhaps the coldest corner of the Carpathian Basin where the Szekler people live in the shade of tall trees on infertile land crisscrossed by mountain streams, so the local folk make pálinka brandy from nature’s bounty: a few apples and the plums that prosper in the area. Of all the pálinkas made here, it is definitely plum pálinka that performs the best. Its high alcohol content and purity on the palette have made Szekler plum pálinka famous far and wide including the brew they boil up in the tiny village of Oroszhegy (Dealu), which is still prepared with great care to an age–old recipe.

Szeklerland, hope springs eternalRich in minerals and ready to refresh a tired traveller, spring water bubbles up from natural sources in many places throughout the region making it famous for its curative waters. The geologist János Bányai (1881–1971) explored the local hills and their springs in great detail and said that there was no patch of the globe with waters as varied and rich as found here. The naturally sparkling waters that flow from local springs owe their effervescence to the volcanic nature of the region, with much water bottled for sale or simply enjoyed by the glass at the source.

Szeklerland has the largest population of brown bears and deer in Europe with plenty to offer those with a passion for hunting. The area around Székelyudvarhely (Odorheiu Secuiesc) in Hargita County (Judeţul Harghita) is legendary within Transylvania and was a favourite hunting ground of Count Zsigmond Szécheny. Brown bears, lynx, wolves, red deers and other games can still be seen in their natural habitat there. Nestled beneath the Mount Hargita, the Ivó Game Park rumbles to the sound of bellowing stags in the autumn months and was established to preserve indigenous species from Romania and Europe and present them to the visiting public. The meat from the animals shot during hunting is processed according to the strictest regulations and visitors can buy bear salami, smoked venison and wild boar bacon as well as cheese produced using milk from goats and cattle that roam the local, chemical–free pastures.

Cheers!

Szilárd Mihály (1991), first violin

Emőke Márton (1995), violin

gERmaNy17.09.2011. 19:00müNCHENST. maRgaRET’S

CHuRCH

Szilárd Mihály

For lovers of big game

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SZEkLER DaNCERS“There is a time to mourn and a time to dance,” the scriptures say. The Szeklers know how to mourn most bitterly but they also know how to experience the joys of dance to the full. They not only dance to express their delight, but also to give voice to a complex range of emotions from celebrating a successful harvest to the passion and pain of a great love affair.

Szekler dance has everything from fast to slow with leaps and turns combined in a flurry of intermingling motifs. The man is the head of the Szekler family and he is the strong one – this is also reflected in their dance. In Szeklerland, the men dance and the women move into the background. They stamp as they step like nowhere else in the world.

The Cathedral of Saint michael and Saint gudula The Gothic cathedral in the heart of Brussels is an architectural gem dedicated to Saint Michael, the Archangel and Saint Gudula, patroness of Belgium and single laywomen. The cathedral has stood on this site for the last 300 years and houses the relic of the skull of Saint Elizabeth of the House of Árpád.

Szent mihály és güdül katedrális Brüsszel egyik ékszerdoboza a Szent Mihály arkangyalról és Szent Güdülről – Belgium és az egyedülálló nők védőszentjéről – elnevezett góti-kus katedrális. A templom, amely 300 évig épült, őrzi Árpádházi Szent Erzsébet koponyaereklyéjét.

Forerunner of the radio and the internet Tivadar Puskás, the Szekler inventorThe family of Puskás came from Ditró (Ditrău) in Szeklerland, from where he drew strength and inspiration to become a technical genius and successful businessman. A friend and business associate of Edison, he invented the Telephone News Service, which is considered to be

the forerunner of the radio and the internet. It was heard for the first time in Budapest on 15 February 1893. Those who owned a telephone could ask to be connected to the service, where they could catch up on the news in the increasingly fast–paced world.

The Szekler gateThousands of years of culture The craft of gate–carving is a branch of Szekler folk art that is unique throughout the world. Its mythical symbolism and rich figurative decoration go back thousands of years to the time before Christianity.

There are two types of Szekler gate, the walking gate and the fixed gate, and their decoration differs from village to village and region to region. The symbols used in the carving represent a treasure–trove of Szekler folk architecture with the Szekler people often depicted as the sun and the moon.

Parliaments in brusselsBrussels simultaneously provides a home to the European Parliament and the Belgian Parliament, which has been independent since 1830. The former, which is made up of 736 members who represent 560 million European citizens, is the most important forum for democratic debate in Europe.

Parlamentek brüsszelbenBrüsszel egyidejűleg ad otthont az 1830 óta függet-len Belgium és az Európai Unió parlamentjének. Ez utóbbi 736 tagú képviselőtestület Európa mintegy 560 millió polgárának egyik legfőbb érdekképvi-seleti fóruma. A Belga Rarlamentben a Szenátus elnöke, Danny Pieters látja vendégül a gyerekkó-rust, majd megnézik az ENP ED vendégeiként az Európai Parlamentet is.

Danny Pieters

bELgIum18.09.2011. 19:00bRuSSELSCaTHEDRaL OF ST. mICHaELaND ST. guDuLa

bELgIum20.09.2011. 12:30 bRuSSELSPaRLIamENT buILDINg

Hunineu in BrusselsBoulevard Bischoffsheim 11, 2nd floor, 1000-Brussels | Tel.: +32 273 71 407 | Fax.: +32 273 71 406 | Mobile: +32 470 20 75 19e-mail: office@hunineu.eu | Website: www.hunineu.eu

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aLLEZ aNDERLECHT, aLLEZ ROLaND JuHÁSZ !«On vient de lire sur Internet que l’équipe de Hongrie a battu les suèdes et aussi les moldaves, nous avons donc des chances pour nous qualifier au Championnat d’Europe. Le foot hongrois était fameux auparavant, et nous l’aimons bien ici au Pays sicule. le nom de László Bölöni est bien connu en Belgique et en France, il a joué en France et au Standard de Liège, puis il est devenu un entraineur bien connu. Hongrois sicule, il est plus de cent fois sélectionné en Roumanie.

Si nous le savons bien, le hongrois le plus connu de Bruxelles n’est pas un politicien mais Roland Juhász, défenseur central légendaire d’Anderlecht et de l’équipe nationale hongroise.Nous en Pays sicule ne sommes plus que 600 mille hongrois, nous avons toutefois de quoi être fiers en matière de foot, l’équipe de futsal de Székelyudvarhely (Odorheiu Secuiesc) qui a gagné trois fois le championnat roumain.»

HuP aNDERLECHT, HuP ROLaND JuHÁSZ! “We hebben net op het internet gezien dat het Hongaarse elftal het Zweedse en het Moldavische heeft verslagen en dat we dus de kans hebben om deel te kunnen nemen aan het Europese Kampioenschap. Het Hongaarse voetbal was vroeger beroemd, ook wij houden ervan in Szeklerland. De naam van László Bölöni is ook welbekend in België en Frankrijk, hij heeft bij Standard Luik gespeeld, hij werd een bekende trainer, als Szekler Hongaar heeft hij meer dan 100 keer in het Roemeense elftal gespeeld.

Wij denken dat de bekendste Hongaar in Brussel geen politicus is, maar Roland Juhász, de legendarische libero van Anderlecht en het Hongaarse voetbalelftal. In Szekler land wonen alles bij elkaar meer dan 600.000 Hongaren, maar we kunnen toch trots zijn op onze voetballers: het zaalvoetbalteam van Székelyudvarhely (Odorheiu Secuiesc) is drie keer Roemeens kampioen geworden. “

Szeklerland is the stronghold of indoor football (futsal) in Romania and has provided champion teams to the Romanian league for five of the last nine years! Székelyudvarhely have been the best team in Romania on impressive three occasions. The team made it into the best 16 in Europe in 2008 and beat the English champions with a score of 18–2 only a couple of years before. Marosvásárhely won the national championships both this year and last. These local boys make up the core of the Romanian national futsal squad and play alongside brilliant footballers from Brazil.

They even beat theEnglish champs

grand PlaceThis glorious main square in Brussels was built in the 18th century and is surrounded with guildhalls. The most significant event staged in the Grand Place is the flower exhibition held here every two years. On that occasion a flower carpet covers an astonishing 1,800 square metres, decorated with a succession of delightful motifs.

grand PlaceBrüsszel gyönyörű főtere a 18. században épült céh-házakkal szegélyezett Grand Place. A téren tartott egyik legnevezetesebb esemény a kétévente meg-rendezésre kerülő virágkiállítás. Ennek alkalmával a téren egy 1800 m2–es összefüggő virágszőnyeget alkotnak, amelyben gyönyörűbbnél gyönyörűbb motívumok képe rajzolódik ki.

bELgIum20.09.2011. 19:30bRuSSELSgRaND PLaCE

COmE ON aNDERLECHT, COmE ON ROLaND JuHÁSZ!“We’ve just seen on the internet that Hungary beat Sweden and Moldova and that means we’ve got a chance of getting into the final stages of UEFA 2012. Hungarian football used to be really famous and we love it in Szeklerland too. László Bölöni was a popular footballer who played in Belgium and in France. He played for Standard Liège and was capped for Romania 100 times as a Szekler Hungarian before going on to make a career for himself as a coach.

We’ve heard that the best known Hungarian in Brussels is not a politician, but a football player called Roland Juhász. He plays central defence for Anderlecht and the Hungarian national squad. There might be more than 600 thousand of us Hungarians in Szeklerland but we still have our own football heroes in the futsal team from Székelyudvarhely, which has won the Romanian championship three times!”

aNDERLECHT VOR, ROLaND JuHÁSZ VOR!„Wir konnten am Internet gerade erfahren, dass das ungarische Fussball–Nationalelf Schweden und Molda-vien besiegt hatte, so dass die Chance besteht, an der Europameisterschaft teilzunehmen. Das ungarische Fussball hatte mal grossen Ruf, auch wir im Szeklerland sind Liebhaber des ungarischen Fussballs. Der Name von László BÖLÖNI klingt auch in Belgien und Fran-kreich als gut bekannt; er spielte bei Standard Liege, dann wurde er ein erfolgreicher Trainer und als Szekler Ungar war er mehr als 100mal Spieler der rumänischen Nationalmannschaft.

Wenn wir es richtig wissen, ist der bekannteste Ungar in Brüssel kein Politiker, sondern Roland JUHÁSZ, der legendäre Mittelverteidiger von Anderlecht und des ungarischen Nationalelfs.Wir im Szeklerland sind mehr als 600 Tausend Ungarn, die enger zusammen leben. Trotzdem haben auch wir unsere Fussballhelden: die Jungs der Futsal–Mann-schaft von Székelyudvarhely (Odorhellen), die dreimal als Landesmeister von Rumänien geehrt wurden.“

Bölöni László és Juhász Roland

Béla Kiss (1995), choir

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Saint Stephen’s Cathedral Saint Stephen’s Cathedral is one of the most beautiful examples of late Romanesque architecture in Europe and the mother church of the Archdiocese of Vienna. Built on the site of a church originally erected in 1137, it was dedicated to the first Christian martyr and patron saint of the Diocese of Passau. The cathedral has a great many links to Hungary and its people. King Matthias of Hungary took Vienna in 1458 and went on to become of the cathedral’s greatest patrons and a commemorative mass was held for him here after his death. Then, many years later, the Archbishop of Vienna celebrated funeral mass here over the coffin of Cardinal József Mindszenty Archbishop of Esztergom on 10 May 1975.

The máriapócs icon in St. Stephen’s Cathedral The icon of the Virgin Mary and Christ Child began to weep at holy mass on 4 September 1696 in the small town Máriapócs. The miracle lasted for 18 days and when he heard news of this, King Leopold I ordered that the icon be brought to Vienna and housed in St. Stephen’s Cathedral but the icon ceased to weep from that day on.

Stephansdom A Stephansdom, amely a késő románkori kőfaragó művészet egyik legszebb emléke Bécs érseki székesegyháza. Az előzményeként 1137–ben emelt kápolna átalakításával épült templomot az első keresztény vértanú, a passaui egyházmegye védőszentje tiszteletére szentelték fel. A templomnak számos magyar kötődése van. A Bécset 1458–ban meghódító Mátyás király nagyobb összeggel támogatta a templom építkezéseit, halála után pedig a Stephansdomban tartották gyászszertartásának ünnepségét. 1975. május 10–én a bécsi érsek itt mutatott be ünnepélyes gyászmisét Mindszenty József bíboros, esztergomi érsek koporsója előtt.

máriapócsi kegykép a Stephansdomban A máriapócsi templom Istenszülő–ikonja 1696. szeptember 4–én a szentmise alatt kezdett könnyezni. A csoda 18 napig tartott, melynek hírére I. Lipót király elrendelte, hogy a képet Bécsbe szállítsák és a Stephansdomban helyezzék el. A kép azonban többé nem könnyezett.

The Sun bride„The Szeklers have a very special religious festival in Csíksomlyó. But it’s not just important to us, it’s important to all Hungarians. Hundreds of thousands of us gather at the Babba Maria, that’s what we call the Sun Bride, the Holy Virgin Mary. People make the pilgrimage to Csíksomlyó all the way from Hungary and even further away, where they congregate at 2 in the morning on the first day of Whit. Hundreds of people set out from Szekler towns and villages with

lanterns and candles and we sing and make music when we meet. I know that the Blessed Virgin is also very important to a lot of people Austria. When we get to Vienna on our little European pilgrimage, we’ll meet Father László Pál at mass in beautiful Saint Stephen’s Cathedral. He was born in Szeklerland and now he ministers to Hungarians living in Austria. It’s a small world.”

Die maria in der Sonne„Wir, Szekler, haben einen eigenen Wallfahrtsort, den besuchen wir zu Pfingsten. Csíksomlyó heißt er, doch gehört er nicht alleine uns. Diese Wallfahrt gilt als religiöses Ereignis für alle Ungarn. Hunderttausende versammeln sich rund um die Babba Maria, denn so nennen wir die Maria in der Sonne, unsere wundertätige Heilige Jungfrau. Am Pfingstsamstag, nachts um 2 Uhr, bricht unsere Pilgergruppe mit den Freunden aus Ungarn und aus anderen Ländern auf, um zu Fuß nach Csíksomlyó zu wallen. So machen es auch die Gläubigen der hunderten von anderen Dörfern des Szeklerlandes, mit Lampen und Kerzen

machen sie sich auf den Weg, treffen unterwegs aufeinander und ziehen gemeinsam singend und musizierend weiter. Wie wir hören, ist die Verehrung der Gottesmutter Maria auch in Österreich sehr verbreitet. Nun wird sich unsere kleine Pilgergruppe, die gerade Europa bereist, mit dem ehemals in Szentegyházasfalu tätigen Pfarrer László PÁL treffen, gerade im wunderschönen Stephansdom. Jetzt ist er Vikar der in Österreich lebenden Ungarn. So winzig klein ist die Welt!“

PENTECOST PILgRImagE IN CSÍkSOmLyÓ Religious and ethnic tolerance is very much part of life in Transylvania. It was here that the Torda Diet issued the Patent of Toleration in 1568, which was the first time in Europe that an edict had been issued declaring that all religions were equal and that no individual should suffer discrimination for their religious beliefs. As the years pass, more and more people are taking part in the Pentecost Pilgrimage in Csíksomlyó. This is the Hungarian people’s greatest place of pilgrimage, where Hungarian, Romanian and languages from around the globe can be heard as the popularity of this religious event grows. More and more pilgrims are experiencing the uplifting atmosphere of this religious gathering. It is primarily a Catholic event but has been truly ecumenical for many years now

with pilgrims of all Christian creeds coming together from across the Carpathian Basin to make a peaceful pilgrimage in the Somlyó Hills. People set off on foot days before to arrive on the first Saturday of Pentecost. They are led by flag–bearers and men ringing bells as they sing their songs of devotion. The procession always follows the exact same order with the people from the village of Gyergyóalfalu (Joseni) leading the way and the Csángó Hungarians ending the line. A labarum is carried as a sign of triumph over evil. According to tradition this symbol, weighing 30 kilos, is carried by the best student from the final year of the local Catholic high school. When the pilgrims eventually arrive at the Salvator Chapel, they sing the hymn “Mary, how beautiful you are”.

Back in 2005, János Bencsik, mayor of Tatabánya (north–western Hungary), decided to walk the 800 km from his home city all the way to Csíksomlyó in Szeklerland. This 40–day pilgrimage has continued to grow in popularity ever since and a whole network of pilgrim houses have opened up on the route to provide a welcome rest for weary travellers. Then in August 2008, a pilgrim walked some 1,400 km from Mariazell in Austria to be able to take part in the Saint’s Day celebrations in Csíksomlyó the following year. A “nostalgia train” started to take even more pilgrims from Budapest to Szeklerland in 2008 and has proved so popular that two trains ran in 2011: the Szekler Swift and the Csík Express.

Dorottya and Renáta with their little sister Borbála and mother Ildikó.

Ildikó was a member of the choir for 26 years where she met her husband and now, of course, she takes her children along, too.

Pilgrims

Dorottya (1995) Renáta (1997), violin

auSTRIa22.09.2011. 19:00VIENNaSTEPHaNS-

DOm

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Pilgrims

I shouted for them to win!“There are lots of ethnic Hungarians living in Slovakia too. There’s definitely one thing that links us beyond our mother tongue and that’s ice hockey. The Szekler lads battle it out on the ice in Csíkszereda (Miercurea Ciuc) against teams from all over Romania and Hungary. Slovakia is really at the top of the sport on a world level and they’ve got some superb players. We’re even a little envious of them because they were in the A group of the world championships. I have to admit that I shouted for them to win not only

because we’ve got Hungarian friends living there, but because they were a great team and they’re virtually our neighbours. I’m glad we’ll get to visit Bratislava on our tour because we all learnt at school that Hungarian kings were once crowned there. After all the European cathedrals, it’ll be great to arrive at Bratislava Castle and give thanks in the church for all the love and goodness we have received and will receive from the Hungarians and Slovakians there.”

Ja som im fandila„Tu na Slovensku žije tiež veľa Maďarov. Čo nás okrem nášho jazyka nepochybne spája je ďalšia vec, ktorou je ľadový hokej. Sikulskí mládenci z mesta Csíkszereda (Miercurea Ciuc) vedú obrovské kvalifikačné zápasy so svojimi rumunskými a maďarskými súpermi. Slovensko predstavuje v tejto športovej disciplíne svetovú špičku, majú skutočných klasikov, trošku im aj závidíme, že v skupine „A” usporiadali majstrovstvá sveta. Priznám sa úprimne, fandila som im, a to nielen preto, že tu žijú aj naši maďarskí priatelia, ale aj preto, že to bolo sympatické družstvo a že sú k nám blízko.

Teším sa, že navštívime aj Bratislavu, pretože v tomto meste – ako sme sa o tom učili – svojho času boli korunovaní aj uhorskí králi. Po návštevách mnohých známych katedrál v Európe bude príjemné pozrieť si bratislavský hrad a v dóme Sv. Martina vysloviť poďakovanie za obrovskú lásku a dobrotivosť, ktorú nám prejavovali a prejavujú národy Európy vrátane tunajších Maďarov aj Slovákov.„

After 30 years of marriageA true Szekler is typically a man of few words, but when he does speak he is usually brief and to the point. Perhaps because of the tough hand destiny has dealt them, the Szekler people are also known for their strength of body and speed of mind. Just as the Scots feature in plenty of jokes, so do the Szeklers. The Scots are derided for their falsely stereotypical meanness while the Szeklers appear in jokes because they really do like to keep things short and sweet.

Szeklers not only say little to strangers, but are also known to say little in the home and so they don’t mean to be rude when they sit and say nothing to people they have met for the first time. It’s often true that those who speak the least, say the most. A typical Szekler joke goes like this: After 30 years of marriage, a wife asks her husband if he still loves her, to which he replies, “I told you I loved on the day we married. If the situation changes, I’ll be sure to tell you in good time.”

If a visitor is greeted with food and drink in Szeklerland it means that the locals are pleased to see you. Even today you can knock on the door of a Szekler home and ask for food and board. Just don’t expect them to say too much! These people prefer to express their love in their deeds and gestures, rather than in words.

Balázs Tünde

Balázs Tünde (1997), violin

Fotó: Ifj. Incze András

Dorottya (1995) Renáta (1997), violin

SLOVakIa23.09.2011. 18:00bRaTISLaVaST. maRTIN’S CaTHEDRaL

mINI EuROPE IN CSÍkSZEREDaWhen you consider the extreme weather conditions often experienced in the area (Szeklerland has the lowest average temperature in all Romania), it is perhaps no surprise that people here have chosen ice hockey as their national sport. The most successful team is that of Csíkszereda, which has won the Romanian championships a staggering 12 times. Although most of the players are locally born, the 25–strong team has recently been joined by a Swedish coach along with three Slovakian players and one Latvian player. It was also the players from Csík who came up with the idea of a Romanian–Hungarian championship, known as the MOL League. The championship is now in its fourth season, and has been won two times by Csíkszereda. Undoubtedly the most successful player to hail from Csík is Árpád Mihály, who signed for the hard–hitting Russian professional league this year after playing earlier across the Atlantic in the National Hockey League for Philadelphia, Ottawa and Pittsburgh.

Saint martin’s in bratislava Construction of the cathedral began in the 13th century. It is dedicated to Saint Martin, Bishop of Tours, who was born at Savaria, Pannonia (now Szombathely, Hungary), and is considered one of the greatest examples of Gothic architecture in Central Europe. Eleven kings and eight queens of Hungary were crowned here with the Holy Crown of Saint Stephen between the years of 1563 and 1830. Cardinal Péter Pázmány, archbishop of Eszter-gom is entombed beneath the cathedral’s altar. He is considered to have been the one of the greatest forces of the Counter Reformation.

Pozsonyi Szent márton székesegyház A Szent Márton püspök tiszteletére felszentelt po-zsonyi székesegyház építését a 13. században kezd-ték meg. A templom a gótika egyik legnagyszerűbb közép–európai remekműve. Az 1563 és 1830 közötti időszakban falai között tizenegy magyar királyt és nyolc királynét koronáztak meg Szent István koro-nájával. A székesegyház szentélye alatt temették el Pázmány Péter bíboros, esztergomi érseket, a ma-gyar katolikus megújulás legnagyobb alakját.

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CHILDREN’S VOICES FOR EuROPEThe name of the tour was the idea of Antal Kiss, head of the HUNINEU Office of the Hungarian National Assembly in Brussels. He was inspired by the success of the events organised to mark the end of the Hungarian presidency of the Council of the European Union and got straight to work on planning the FILI’s European tour. The original idea for the tour came from the tour’s patron László Kövér, Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly. Instead of theoretical and at times sharp political debate between European countries, an open dialogue is at times perhaps better served by events which

present the multifaceted family of nations within the European Union and provide an opportunity to enjoy and explore their rich and diverse cultures.Children’s voices speak straight to the heart while political theories often don’t even make it as far as people’s ears. “A child’s voice and a genuine smile often mean much more than a stack of notes from a committee meeting,” says the tour’s main organiser, who travelled to Szentegyháza in Szeklerland to meet the children and their parents before the big event.

gyERmEkHaNgOk EuRÓPÁÉRTA turné elnevezése Kiss Antaltól, a Magyar Országgyűlés brüsszeli HUNINEU irodájának vezetőjétől származik, aki elmondta, hogy a magyar soros elnökségi záró rendezvények sikerén felbuzdulva láttak neki a FILI turné szervezéséhez, melynek ötletadója és fővédnöke Kövér László, a Magyar Országgyűlés elnöke.Az európai nemzetek közötti párbeszédet ugyanis a teoretikus, sokszor kés-hegyre menő politikai viták helyett sokkal jobban szolgálják a nyitott, sok-

színű rendezvények, ahol megismerhetik egymás értékeit az Unió polgárai. A gyermekhangok a szívekbe jutnak, a politikai érvek sokszor még a fülekig sem érnek. „Egy gyermekhang, egy őszinte mosoly sokszor többet ér kötetnyi bizottsági jegyzőkönyvnél” – tartja a turné főszervezője, aki az esemény előtt a székelyföldi gyerekekkel és szüleikkel találkozott Szentegyházán.

FILI, így hívják a hivatalosan idén 30 esztendős Szentegyházi Gyermekfilharmóniát, akik benne vannak és akik ismerik immár Európa–szerte. A magyar nyelv különben sem könnyű, a csapat hivatalos neve pedig igazán jó nyelvtörő gyakorlat minden európai polgárnak. Maradjanak hát egyszerűen FILI. Ha pedig köszönteni akarják őket, csak annyit mondjanak: SZIA FILI!

FILI is the name the Szentegyháza Children’s Philharmonia has given itself and the one known and loved by all those who have seen them perform. The Hungarian language is far from easy and a tongue twister for most people so that is why we suggest you stick simply to FILI. And if you want to say hello then all you have to say is “SZIA FILI!”

FILI PLuSThe FILI has never done anything like this before. We’ve got young singers joining us from Hungary, Slovakia, Serbia and Ukraine. These children represent the communities whose ancestors were cut off from their mother nation when Hungary lost half of its land and two–thirds of its kin people after the First World War. There are ethnic Hungarian communities living in all of Hungary’s neighbouring states, with nearly 1.5

million living in Romania. Some 612,000 of these live in Szeklerland, the home of the FILI, and that’s virtually the same as the population of other member states such as Cyprus, Luxemburg or Malta.

“Wherever a Hungarian may live, we share the same riches of music and language. Ours is one of the most fascinating and diverse communities in Europe and there are more than 13 million of us,” says Sándor Haáz, founder and conductor of the FILI.

Ilyen még nem volt a FILI életében.Magyarországról, Szlovákiából – Felvidékről, Szerbiából

– Délvidékről és Ukrajnából – Kárpátaljáról két–két kis énekes kapcsolódik a csapathoz. Azokat a határon túli közösségeket képviselik ezek a gyerekek, akik ősei az első világháború után a területének felét és lakosságának 2/3–át elvesztő Magyarország határain kívülre kerültek, ott éltek, élnek. Magyarország mind a hét szomszédjánál élnek

őshonos magyar közösségek, legtöbben Romániában, közel másfél millióan, ebből a FILI hazájában, Székelyföldön körülbelül annyian, mint az EU tagállam Ciprus, Luxemburg vagy Málta lakossága. „Éljen bárhol, bármilyen földön is egy magyar, zenei kincsünk, nyelvünk ugyanaz. Mi így együtt több mint 13 millióan vagyunk Európa egyik értékes, sokszínű közössége” – mondja Haáz Sándor, a FILI alapító karnagya.

Kiss Antal,

head of the HUNINEU Office of the

Hungarian National Assembly in Brussels

Szia Fili!

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Confessions of a conductor

“My name is Sándor Haáz and I’m a music teacher. I was born in Székelyudvarhely in 1955 but my family moved to Marosvásárhely, where I grew up. My grandfather brought the Haáz name to this part of the world from Upper Hungary (now Slovakia). He moved to Székelyudvarhely to take up a position as art teacher in 1906 and founded a museum of ethnology there. My father was also an art teacher and fascinated by Szekler folk costume and traditional embroidery. I’m married with three sons. I have been teaching the talented children of the village at the Mártonffi János School and the local Students’ House since 1978. There is no separate music school in Szentegyháza and the string and wind sections of the orchestra learn to play their instruments at music classes held in the Student’s House. The success achieved by the wind and string orchestra as well as that of the folk choir gave us the impetus we needed to set up the Szentegyháza Children’s Philharmonia in 1982 and it is still going strong. My work has been recognised by numerous awards in Hungary and I was proud to receive the Bartók Béla Memorial Prize in 2006.”

a karmestervallomása„Haáz Sándor vagyok, zenetanár, 1955–ben születtem Székelyudvarhelyen, aztán Marosvásárhelyre költöztünk, ott nevelkedtem. A Haáz nevet nagyapám hozta erre a vidékre. 1906–ban rajztanárként Felvidékről került Székelyudvarhelyre, itt néprajzi múzeumot hozott létre. Édesapám rajztanár, a székely népviseletek és a varrottasok szerelmese.Megnősültem, három fiúgyermek utódom van. 1978 óta tanítom a falu igen tehetséges diákjait az 1. számú „Mártonffi János” Iskola és a Tanulók Háza zeneóráin. Szentegyházán nincs zeneiskola, a vonós– és fúvósrészleg (zenekari tagok) a Tanulók Háza zenekörein tanulja meg a hangszerek kezelését. Az iskolai vonós– és fúvószenekar létrehozása, rendszeres szereplése, a székelyruhás gyermekkórus sikereinek hatására 1982–ben alakult meg a Gyermekfilharmónia együttes, amely a mai napig is létezik.Munkámat számos díjjal és kitüntetéssel ismerték el Magyarországon, 2006–ban megkaptam a Bartók Béla–emlékdíjat is.”

Béla Bartók

Haáz Sándor, conductor

Evening in TransylvaniaThe world–famous Hungarian composer Béla Bartók led the way in collecting folk songs from Szeklerland. He ventured forth into Transylvania and found an untouched fairytale land of folk music in Szeklerland. His groundbreaking work brought an unbelievable 324 previously unknown melodies to the world of music. His rediscovery of the pentatonic scale, long lost to the European music world, proved to provide the classical foundation of Hungarian folk music. It is this musical inheritance that inspired his work “Evening in Transylvania”, in which he played tribute to Szekler musical culture.

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The Wonders of SzeklerlandThe Bear Lake of Szováta (Sovata) formed at the end of the 19th century at the foot of the Salt Hills and covers an area of over 40,000 m2. The salt content of the water increases the deeper you go until it reaches the phenomenal level of 220–300 g⁄l, which is even more amazing when you consider that sea water has a typical concentration of 34 g⁄l. These curative waters are used to treat a number of medical complaints including rheumatism, diseases affecting the nervous system, partial paralysis and gynaecological disorders as well as chronic respiratory conditions. The “Stinking” Baths of Csíkszentimre (Sântimbru) are famous for their sulphurous waters, used primarily in the curative treatment of both rheumatism and motor disorders. This mofetta bath was originally excavated by local shepherds who bathed in the odorous pools.

The Daffodil Meadow of Szentegyháza covers a total of five hectares and is one of the largest protected daffodil meadows in Romania with 180–200 daffodils (narcissus stellaris) for every square metre of meadow. Such a spectacular sight attracts crowds of eager nature lovers to celebrations held here every year in May. Korond (Corund) is inarguably the home of Szekler ceramics. Local craftsmen produce objects of unique beauty and form with decorative techniques that have been used here for centuries. Visitors can take them back both to use and treasure in the home.

Prince Charles learned to scythe in Csíkkate and William in Szeklerland?According to various press sources, the royal couple spent part of their honeymoon in Szeklerland. Kate and William didn’t have to stay in a hotel because the father of the groom, Prince Charles, owns property in the area. The English royals often make visits to Transylvania for family reasons as Queen Elizabeth II’s great great grandmother, Claudia Rhédey, is buried in Erdőszentgyörgy (Sângeorgiu de Pădure) in Maros County (Judeţul Mureş). The family still has relatives residing in Szeklerland, so it is no wonder that Count Tibor Kálnoky was invited to attend the royal wedding in April. He returned to Romania after the change of regime and now runs a collection of exclusive guesthouses in the region. The royal honeymooners enjoyed the luxury of a rustic guesthouse, which has since become a favourite destination for the rich and famous seeking a little rest and relaxation. The quality of the superb service is enriched by a sauna, wine cellar and fireplace decorated with hand–painted tiles. All the food served is accompanied by locally baked bread with fruit and vegetables sourced from organic suppliers.

Prince Charles is quoted as saying that “Transylvania is Romania’s best export” product and he is especially fond of the untouched natural beauty of the local landscape. The prince takes a special interest in the authentic Szekler villages in the area and has encouraged local farmers to stand by local produce and maintain local traditions as well as preserve their picturesque homes. When he visited Miklósvár in Kovászna County, the prince toured the area on foot and horse–drawn cart. On his most recent visit to Csíkdelne (Delniţa), he asked locals to show him how to scythe in the traditional manner and this appealed to him so much that he asked his hosts to send him a hand scythe back to Great Britain.

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•THE CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF SZEGED–CSANÁD / SZEGED–CSANÁDI EGYHÁZMEGYE•THE BUDAPEST CHILDREN’S PHILHARMONIA FOUNDATION / BP. – I GY.FIL. ALAPÍTVÁNY /•LISZT FERENC MUSIC SCHOOL, GYŐR / LISZT FERENC ZENEISKOLA ALAPFOKÚ MŰVÉSZETOKTATÁSI INTÉZMÉNY GYŐR•MÜHLDORF CITY COUNCIL / MÜHLDORF VÁROS ÖNKORMÁNYZATA•GYULA CITY COUNCIL / GYULA VÁROS ÖNKORMÁNYZATA•HUNGARIAN SCOUTING ASSOCIATION, MUNICH / MÜNCHENI MAGYAR CSERKÉSZET•HUNGARIAN CONSULATE, MUNICH / MAGYAR KÖZTÁRSASÁG MÜNCHENI FŐKONZULÁTUSA•HUNGARIAN EMBASSY, BRUSSELS / BRÜSSZELI MAGYAR NAGYKÖVETSÉG•BELGIAN PARLIAMENT / BELGA PARLAMENT•HUNGARIAN CULTURAL INSTITUTE, BRUSSELS / BRÜSSZELI MAGYAR KULTURÁLIS INTÉZET•MINI–EUROPA PARK, BRUSSELS / MINI–EURÓPA PARK BRÜSSZEL•PASSAU–VESZPRÉM GERMAN HUNGARIAN FRIENDSHIP ASSOCIATION / PASSAUI MAGYAR SZERVEZET•AUSTRIAN HUNGARIANS ECONOMIC FORUM – KALÁKA KLUB /

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IMPRESSUMNewsletter issued to accompany the Children’s Voices for Europe Tour.Published by HUNINEU BRUSSELS OFFICE/ AMNKEÉ/ Budapest, Széchenyi rakpart 19.Publishing manager ANTAL KISS, HEAD OF HUNINEU OFFICEEditor GáBOR STIGLMAyER Text KATALIN MáTyUS, OLIVÉR FRáTER, ANTAL KISS English translation RALPH BERKINPhotography ZSOLT REVICZKy Graphics GRAPHASEL DESIGN STúDIó KFT.

CHILDREN’S VOICES FOR EuROPE / gyERmEkHaNgOk EuRÓPÁÉRTTHE SZENTEgyHÁZa CHILDREN’S PHILHaRmONIa CONCERT TOuR OF CITIES aCROSS THE EuROPEaN uNION a SZENTEgyHÁZI gyERmEkFILHaRmÓNIa kONCERTSOROZaTa aZ EuRÓPaI uNIÓ VÁROSaIbaN

CONCERTS / kONCERTEk 14.09.2011 16:00 HUNGARY BUDAPEST PARLIAMENT BUILDING MAIN STEPS

15.09.2011 18:00 HUNGARY GyŐR SZÉCHENYI SQUARE

16.09.2011 18:30 GERMANY MÜHLDORF VOLKSSCHULE ALTMÜHLDORF

17.09.2011 19:00 GERMANY MUNICH ST. MARGARET’S CHURCH

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22.09.2011 19:00 AUSTRIA VIENNA ST. STEPHEN’S CATHEDRAL

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