The Hungarian Information and Cultural Centre sends out individual invitations to all of its events according to the interests of people in its large database. The centre has developed a reputation for putting on the best programmes and won the confidence of more Indians, indirectly bringing more Indian investments to Hungary, according to Lázár.
The centre recently completed a six-week programme - called Magyar Masala - with thirty events at several big cities around the country. Because of its similarity to their own classical music, Indian audiences were enthralled by performances by several of Hungary's masters of jazz improvisation: Béla Lakatos Szakcsi, The Mihály Dresch Quartet and György Vukán.
After Magyar Masala, the centre celebrated its 30th anniversary with an exhibition of contemporary art from the Hungarian city of Pécs entitle Masters and Students. The exhibition, which is part of Pécs's 2010 European Capital of Culture programme was shown in Bangalore and in New Delhi.
Among the other successes of the centre Lázár noted was an exhibition of photographs by Júlia Ekhardt of the Hungarian dancer Beáta Barkóczi performing Indian dances.
Lázár recently edited a book, in English, entitled Hungarian Researchers and Travellers in India. The book contains photographs and short descriptions of the lives and work of the India expert Ervin Baktay, the ethnographer Lajos Bíró, the orientalist Gyula Germanus, the architect Aurél Stein, the art historian Edit Tömöry, the linguist Sándor Csoma Kőrösi, the writer and poet Györgyi Kuti and the painter Erzsébet Brunner Sass.
The centre's staff has not forgotten its youngest audience either. It regularly holds open-door days for school children, and, as part of Hungary's Renaissance Year 2008 programme, it organised a drawing contest to illustrate the folk tales of King Matthias, Hungary's Renaissance King.
Photo: Balassi Institute
