"After months of negotiations and brainstorming sessions, we set up the Hungaricum Village in cooperation with the New Hungary Rural Development Programme, supervised by the ministry," said Sziget programme director Fruzsina Szép. A one-hectare area has been selected to present to Hungarian and international visitors Hungary's "regions, diversity, gastronomic culture, fine wines, palinkas, folk toys and various tradition-preserving ensembles."
Head of the ministry's Directorate for Social Relations Zsolt Neupor said that one of the objectives of the New Hungary programme is to improve life in rural Hungary and an important element of this is to encourage rural tourism. "There is no better opportunity to show that it is not just boredom that awaits young people in the countryside," he said. Another important part of the programme is to help local products find a market. Visitors to the Hungaricum village can learn about many of these products, including plum jam, wines and handcrafted goods.
"Wedding ceremonies represent a common motive through which several folk traditions can be best presented, therefore the organisers used it as the central theme for this year's Hungaricum Village," Neupor said.
"A different region is presented each day," said Szép. The wedding procession with live music starts at 5pm every day and it goes around the festival grounds. Several venues get involved and folk dance training sessions are held from 11pm, she added.
"People were dancing not only in the tent but also outside on the grass yesterday," Szép said. The Hungaricum village filled up with mostly international visitors on Wednesday afternoon. Many German, French, Italian and Dutch youth were interested in trying their skills at traditional folk games and wanted to sample traditional dishes.
Source: Hungarian News Agency (MTI) / Photo: MTI
