"Hungarians have always used humour to live and to survive," Kalmár says, quoting the great Hungarian writer and humourist Frigyes Karinthy.
Kalmár was inspired by Karinthy - who once wrote an account of his treatment for a brain tumor without a hint of morbidity - to start an initiative for an International Humour Day, even lobbying UNESCO on the idea. UNESCO was not amused. So Kalmár established a Hungarian Day of Humour, on June 25, Karinthy's birthday.
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| Márton Karinthy |
For this year's Hungarian Day of Humour, the Játékszín Theatre hosted a gala evening entitled Humour as Medicine. Future plans to mark the day include opening a House of Hungarian Humour, launching a journal of Hungarian humour and establishing an award to acknowledge humourists.
