Magyar Cymru is hosting its inaugural Welsh-Hungarian Friendship Day celebration in Newport this week, featuring Welsh language singer Gwilym Bowen Rhys and Bristol’s Hungarian folk dance ensemble DunAvon. From 3–5pm on Saturday 18 May at the Pill Millennium Centre, this first-of-its-kind event will aim to showcase the Welsh language and an interactive Hungarian ‘dance house’ under one roof.
Today, 14 May, is the third annual Welsh-Hungarian Friendship Day. It’s an initiative launched in 2022 to commemorate the growing links between the two nations. Other community-led activities to mark this special day over the course of the week include Welsh-Hungarian art workshops in Pontypridd and a literary discussion in Cardiff.
An immersive cultural experience
“Our aim is to unite people from Wales and Hungary who feel a strong sense of attachment to the other nation and its people.”
Balint Brunner, founder of Magyar Cymru
Most events have been organised by Magyar Cymru and the Hungarian Cultural Society of Newport. Balint Brunner says, “This year, our goal is to create an immersive cultural experience that strengthens the bond between our two nations. We’re excited to introduce our Welsh friends to Hungarian folklore and to share the beauty of the Welsh language with even more Hungarians in South Wales.”
Marta Kecskes of the Hungarian Cultural Society of Newport says, “As the largest Hungarian community in Wales, we’re proud to see Newport becoming a hub for Welsh-Hungarian Friendship Day celebrations this year. We hope to be able to turn the event into an annual tradition over the coming years.”
Our initiative’s website hosts an ever-growing calendar of Welsh-Hungarian Friendship Day activities. You’ll also find a trilingual ‘Get Involved’ guide with tips and ideas for families, businesses, schools, libraries, and artists wanting to join in with the festivities this week.
Magyar Cymru
Magyar Cymru CIC is a not-for-profit organisation committed to fostering cultural and economic collaboration between Wales and Hungary. Founded in 2019 as a grassroots cultural diplomacy initiative, we facilitate meaningful relationships across public, private, and third sector organisations in both countries.
We’re the driving force behind many initiatives in addition to Welsh-Hungarian Friendship Day. These include celebrating Wales Week in Hungary. And in another event, Hungarians from all walks of life came together to send a powerful ‘love letter’ to Wales, with the message “Let’s build bridges!”
The campaign was a hit with Welsh and Hungarian media. And the town of Montgomery in Powys responded with a beautiful short film.
Saturday’s celebration in Newport is supported by the Arts Council of Wales Night Out scheme, the Liszt Institute – Hungarian Cultural Centre London, and Ceredigion-based Best of Hungary fine food and wine shop. The latter will provide a delicious buffet for all those attending.
Welsh-Hungarian Friendship Day
The main event on Saturday is just one of many community-led activities that celebrate Welsh-Hungarian Friendship Day this year. Between 17-19 May, Hungarian community artist Eden Ivicz will host a series of activities at Clwb y Bont in Pontypridd, including a drop-in embroidery workshop, a poem library, and a Welsh-Hungarian maypole celebration.
Tomorrow, Wednesday 15 May, the University of South Wales (USW) will host a free event at its Cardiff campus with Hungarian author Andrea Tompa and translator Jozefina Komporaly, moderated by Hungarian-born USW academic Dr Marta Minier. It takes place from 4–6pm, and is organised by USW’s Centre for the Study of Media and Culture in Small Nations.
‘In-Between Languages, Cultures, and Genres: A Conversation on Writing, Theatre, and Identity’ will focus on negotiating multiple belongings – in terms of transcending places, languages, and allegiances – and reflect on how creative practice enriches academic careers. The English translation by Komporaly of Tompa’s novel Home was recently published by Istros Books.
Tickets to the flagship Newport event with Gwilym Bowen Rhys and the DunAvon Hungarian Folk Dance Ensemble on Saturday 18 May are available online. Admission is by pre-booked ticket only: adults £8, children (aged 2–14) £5.
