Australia Day celebration

| January 26, 2012

The Australian Ambassador to Hungary, John Griffin has invited guests to his new residence in the Buda Hills to celebrate Australia Day, the official national day of Australia. The Day commemorates the arrival of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove in 1788 and the proclamation at that time of British sovereignty over the eastern seaboard of New Holland.

Finnish Independence Day

| December 6, 2011

The Finnish Ambassador to Hungary, Jari Vilén hosted a reception Monday evening on the occasion of Finland's independence day, a national public holiday held on December 6 to celebrate Finland's declaration of independence from the Russian Empire. As the holiday season is getting near, guests were entertained by a mixed choir singing in Finnish and Swedish. Since the 'original' Santa Claus is of Finnish origin by the name of Jolopukki, he was also present - accompanied by a female Santa Claus!

Polish Independence Day

| November 10, 2011

Hundreds of guests gathered Thursday evening in the Museum of Fine Arts in Budapest's Heroes' Square to celebrate the Day of Polish Independence at the invitation of Poland's Ambassador to Hungary, Roman Kowalski.

In his speech, Ambassador Kowalski stressed that "Freedom has always been for us, Polish people, a motor of activity, a priceless value for which we were and still are able to sacrifice a lot. That’s why this day – an anniversary of retrieving independence by Poland has a special dimension for us. Although it is a very joyful day, it also has a dimension full of reflection. It is also a day of remembering of those who paid the highest price for Polish independence."

He added that "93 years ago Poland returned to the map of Europe after 123 years and now how symbolic is 11th November 2011 when Poland is holding the rotating Presidency in the Council of the European Union and it turns out that in many aspects in Europe we are given as an ex ample to be followed. We are proud of this and we know that today the success of Europe becomes a guarantee of our independence."

Turkish national day

Sándor Laczkó | October 28, 2011

A large number of guests gathered in the Museum of Fine Arts in Budapest Thursday evening at the invitation of the Turkish Ambassador to Hungary, Kemal Gür to celebrate the Turkey's national day.
The celebration was held to coincide with the opening of an exhibition about Hungarianss in Turkey. In his speech, the Hungarian Minister of National Resources Miklós Réthelyi talked about the hundreds of years of frienship connecting the two peoples.

Queen sends National Day greetings to Hungary

Sándor Laczkó | August 18, 2011

Message from Her Majesty The Queen on the occasion of Hungarian National Day

Her Majesty The Queen has congratulated His Excellency President Pál Schmitt on the occasion of the Hungarian National Day on 20 August.

"On the occasion of your National Day, it gives me much pleasure in sending Your Excellency my warmest greetings, together with my best wishes for every success for the people of the Republic of Hungary in the coming year."

Elizabeth R.

French National Day

Sándor Laczkó | July 15, 2011

Hundreds of guests gathered at the residence in Budapest of the French Ambassador on July 14th for a reception on the occasion of the French National Day to enjoy the hospitality of Ambassador René Roudaut.

France celebrates Bastille Day as a national holiday on July 14 every year which was known as Fete Nationale or le quatorze juillet. Bastille Day is celebrated to commemorate the Storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789. Storming of the Bastille, a fortress-prison which housed many political prisoners, arms and ammunition, symbolized uprising by the oppressed people in France and end of Monarchy in the country.