The trip was organised by the Office of the National Programme for History, which was set up in 2003 by the then Ministry of Education to broaden Hungarian students? understanding of history, national identity and commitment. Educational trips to Auschwitz and Birkenau have already been made under the programme, as have trips to mark two different uprisings against the Hapsburgs by the Hungarian nobles István Bocskai and Ferenc Rákóczi II.
The students were chosen for the trip based on competitive applications selected by a jury organised by the Association of History Teachers and the Ministry or Education and Culture.
Hunyadi defeated the troops of Sultan Mehmet II at the Siege of Belgrade with an army of fewer than 10,000 on July 22, 1456. The victory saved Hungary from conquest and prevented the Turks from entering further into Europe. The Turks did not launch any further attacks for another 65 years.
The students will visit several other historical sites during their four-day trip, including Mohács, the site of another famous battle against the Turks in 1526.
Source: Hungarian News Agency (MTI)
