The Diplomat
The Hungarian Embassy in Madrid celebrated the Hungarian National Day on 15 March with a series of events. From 8 to 21 March, the programme in Madrid included events related to fine arts, classical music, gastronomy, sports, as well as Hungarian community and film programmes, among others.
On the 8th, Péter Szilágyi, Undersecretary of State for National Policy, opened the travelling exhibition Hungarian, Artist, World at the Occo Art Gallery in Madrid.
On 15 March, the Hungarian Embassy held a reception on the occasion of the National Day at the residence of Ambassador Katalin Tóth, who together with György Szöllősi, Ambassador for Hungarian football and Puskás affairs, welcomed the guests, mostly Hungarians living in Spain, who numbered around 100. The event was enhanced by a performance by the Korossy Quartet.
On the 16h, the Budapest Festival Orchestra performed at the Auditorio Nacional de Madrid. The Orchestra gave a concert in front of an audience of almost 2,000 people on the country’s most prestigious classical music stage. After the concert, Ambassador Katalin Tóth congratulated conductor Iván Fischer and the nearly 100 musicians of the orchestra at a reception organised by the Embassy.
Later, on the 19th , the first international Teqball tournament, the European Teqball Tour, was held in Madrid. After the event, the Hungarian ambassador presented the prizes to the winners of the men’s individual category. The event was attended by Viktor Huszár, representing the International Teqball Federation (FITEQ), Károly Henczi, President of the Spanish Teqball Association and Head of Sports of the Province of Madrid, as well as the head of the Spanish football league. The Teqball Tour was also broadcast on Eurosport.
On 18-19 March, the Vice-President of the Hungarian National Assembly, István Jakab, made a trip to Madrid. On Saturday, the Vice-President visited the Hungarian stand at the KERMES Charity Bazaar. The following morning, accompanied by Ambassador Tóth, he visited the exhibition at the Casa de los Húngaros Húngaro, artista, mundo. In the afternoon, he also attended the Hungarian Bread programme, an event held by the local diaspora organisation, where he and the Hungarian Ambassador presented the Hungarian Bread to Ildikó Talló, the local leader of the MADACH Association. The event also included a dance party and a raffle with souvenirs donated by the Embassy and Vice-President István Jakab.
The series of festive events held on the occasion of the Hungarian National Day ended on the 21th, when the Hungarian Film Club organised a screening of the film Mama and other family lunatics. Before the screening, the Hungarian lecturer at the Complutense University, Gergő Tóth, and the literary historian, Márton Fábián, gave a short talk to the 90 or so spectators who filled the cinema hall. The filmgoers enjoyed a toast in the foyer with wines provided by the Sterlik Winery.
