János Quittner, a choreographer and director who founded the Szőttes Chamber Folk Dance Ensemble, was presented the award by Slovakian Deputy Prime Minister Rudolf Chmel.
Chmel, who is in charge of human rights and minority affairs, and is an MP of the Hungarian-Slovak Híd party, expressed his appreciation of Quittner?s many achievements. Híd chairman and deputy speaker of the Slovak parliament Béla Bugár also attended the award ceremony.
Quittner has been a crucial force behind the development of the dance house movement in Slovakia and he is a well-known and highly respected figure. For years, he has worked for Csermadok, an ethnic Hungarian organisation in Slovakia.
Quittner emigrated in the early 1980s and settled in Australia. There he established the New Szőttes Folk Dance Ensemble.
Quittner received a Csemadok Life Achievement Award in January.
Source: Hungarian News Agency (MTI)
