The Day of Hungarian Culture

Culture is the cohesive force that binds together a nation through both space and history, Minister for Human Resources Zoltán Balog said on Wednesday on Hungarian Culture Day at a gala program involving all national cultural institutions.

Zoltán Balog was of the view that culture always unites and never divides, adding that economic growth is futile unless it also means more funding for culture: “only those nations can progress, who hold on to their language and culture,” he said.

Mr. Balog stressed that this year the state budget for culture is EUR 17 billion (EUR 56 million) higher than in previous years. Among recent state investments in culture, he highlighted the restoration of the Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest, “the most defining investment in national culture”, the renewal of the Fejér county state archives, the opening of the Budapest Music Centre with a state investment of 600 million forints (EUR 2 million) and the current reconstruction of three historically significant buildings in Budapest.

The Minister also presented several cultural awards to individuals and institutions involved in culture.