Körösszakál
Hungary
Jot s Jol a Szatmári Kistérségben Egyesület
Hungary
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Dear Visitor,
In 2024, the Homoródalmás Village Days were organised again, this time under the title “Solidarity and equality in changing times”.
This event was a unique opportunity for representatives of five municipalities from three countries to meet in one place and share their thoughts and experiences on the current situation and future of the European Union.
The programme gave an insight into the past and current challenges facing the EU – from the impact of Covid-19 to the war in Ukraine and discrimination against women.
This exchange of views not only revealed the problems, but also gave us the opportunity to share solutions that work well and can help our communities to thrive.
In addition, we have placed great emphasis on preserving and transmitting Europe’s cultural and linguistic diversity, values that bind us together and give us strength for the future.
Tikosi László
Mayor of Merești
Objectives
- To motivate and encourage citizens to be active part of the communities
- Municipalities should be aware of the diversity of their culture, the importance of preserving it to maintain a multicultural Europe and EU, strengthen their cultural awareness, develop a sense of tolerance towards cultural diversity
- Presentation of EU perspectives
- Discuss future cooperation
- Promoting solidarity and volunteering
The meeting was mainly attended by adults, representing various institutions (local governments, non-profit organizations, cultural organizations, etc.) from local and cross-border partner communities, as well as by civic people who came on behalf of the community. The different perspectives provided an opportunity for delegations to approach the issues under discussion in different ways and with different solutions.
In addition, young adults (18-25 years old) were also given the opportunity to engage in the discussions, and young adults were among the participants, as programme elements were also designed for them.
Over the weekend, we also launched an online solidarity campaign on our social media platforms, with three posts featuring messages of solidarity being published each day of activity. The aim of the campaign was to strengthen the solidarity of both direct and indirect participants.
Partners
Csemadok Csata
Slovakia
Tokod
Hungary
Magyaralmás
Hungary
Events
Town twinning in times of solidarity
The event primarily targeted adults and middle-aged individuals, but all teams ensured a focus on gender equality in the selection of participants.
Additionally, we encouraged our partners to prioritize selecting participants who are facing life challenges, whether social or economic, and who otherwise would not have the opportunity to join similar international programs.
On the opening day of this year’s Cave Festival, the traditional Cave Cup mini-football tournament took place, where teams showed their skills, courage and commitment to sport and their teammates in friendly matches.
After a short break for lunch, Titkosi László and Rigó Mihály, Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Homoródalmás, together with the representatives of local and international twin villages, welcomed the participants from the regions of Hungary and Slovakia, who are from the same Motherland but from beyond the border. After the official greetings, a reception was held, where delegation members and guests had the opportunity to talk to each other in person, learning about the history and specialities of each other’s regions and communities.
The event was mainly aimed at adults and middle-aged people, but special attention was paid to gender equality. In addition, we encouraged our partners to select participants who face social or economic difficulties in their lives and who would not be able to participate in similar international programmes.
At the end of the day, for those who want to wind down, the Street Ball in the Culture Garden was a great option. Here, DJ Karcsi provided the music to keep everyone having fun and dancing.
Early on Saturday morning, the streets of Homoródalmás were buzzing with the sound of a brass band.
After the thanksgiving service in the Unitarian church and the mayor’s greeting, the cultural programmes began, with Enikő Sorbán singing folk songs and the folk dance workshop of Odorheiu Secuiesc. Meanwhile, in the culture garden, visitors could visit the fair of small producers and craftsmen from Homoródalmás.
After the lunch, Sándor Oláh presented a book which initiated an interactive discussion about the problems and changes of the past and modern society.
The aim was to develop not only local, but also regional and international preparedness, so that the region can respond in a coordinated and effective way to emerging crises. Throughout the day, the exchange of ideas and planning process, participants worked together to develop strategies that would contribute to solving the problems in the areas concerned.
After this, a friendly football match took place, and in the evening the almás mobs set the mood for the participants at the harvest ball.
The final day, in keeping with tradition, took place at the Christmas Dam clearing near the Almás cave, where the teams of guests represented their communities with all their might, presenting the gastronomic specialities of their cultures in a cooking competition that turned into a big friendly cookout and a meal together at the end.
Once again this year, Homoródalmás hosted the three-day Cave Festival in magical locations, where culture, sport, relaxation, concerts and games were among the many activities on offer.
A short film of the event has been produced, which includes highlights of the meeting and gives an insight into the daily life of a truly international Cave Festival, including a conference on twinning.
The fantastic event was closed by the Titan band. Thank you to all participants and interested people for their dedication.
We are grateful to the European Union for its support, without which this event would not have been possible. We hope to organise this event again in the future, here or in our twin towns.
Results
A short film was produced about the event, showcasing the key moments of the meeting and featuring interviews with town representatives and citizens.
The video has been uploaded to the event’s website, the websites of the participating municipalities, and will also be presented at the educational event.
The event was published in two languages, available in both print and online formats.
The publication will be distributed at educational events, and the municipalities are responsible for sharing it with local cultural and other institutions, encouraging them to organize and participate in similar events.
The publication can be downloaded here.
We organized informative events with our partners to present the results of the event, with each town hosting 20-25 participants.
In addition to sharing our experiences and the outcomes of the meeting, we aimed to inspire other organizations to create similar programs and projects.
During these events, we also showcased the video, website, and publication from the meeting.
Primarily, representatives from local institutions and associations were invited to attend.
Project website – Trilingual website where all relevant information about the meeting is published: summary, images, video, publication, etc.
The content of the website is also shared by the sister municipalities.
Contact
Tikosi László
Mayor of Mereşti
+40 733 313 003
laszlo.tikosi@gmail.com
Rigó Mihály
Vice Mayor of Mereşti
+40 726 436 914
rimisi1@yahoo.com
Golicza Gyöngyi
Secretary-Cler
+40 745 195 321
gyongyi701121@yahoo.com
Contact details of the municipality
+40 266 220 688
comuna.meresti@yahoo.com
Address: str. Főút, nr. 144, Merești, jud. Harghita
Postcode: 537195