Hungary marked its national day on 20 August, commemorating both the founding of the Christian Hungarian state by King St Stephen in the year 1000 and the ‘Day of the New Bread’, which signals the start of the harvest season. In 2025, Hungary as a state turned 1,025 years old—an anniversary of such significance that it prompted numerous world leaders to send congratulations.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a statement on Wednesday, declaring: ‘This day is an important celebration of your nation’s enduring spirit, deep cultural roots, and unwavering commitment to the principles of freedom and prosperity.’ Rubio added: ‘We reaffirm our shared responsibility to defend these values, to preserve what endures, and to build a partnership grounded in courage, clarity, and common sense.’ He concluded: ‘May the enduring friendship between our countries inspire patriots everywhere to stand firm in defence of liberty.’
From the European Union, European Council President António Costa extended his congratulations in a post on X, writing in Hungarian: ‘Boldog Nemzeti Ünnepet, Magyarország (Happy National Day, Hungary)!’
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar also sent his congratulations in a post on X. ‘This is a moment to celebrate Hungary’s history and heritage, and to reaffirm the deep friendship between our nations. Israel values Hungary’s steadfast support, and we look forward to further strengthening the close bonds that unite us,’ he wrote, concluding his message in Hungarian: ‘Isten éltessen Magyarország’ (God bless Hungary).
At the level of heads of state and government, several countries also congratulated Hungary and its government on Wednesday. From the Middle East, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar all sent greetings to the 1,025-year-old nation.
‘On behalf of the Republic of Armenia and personally myself, I warmly congratulate you and the people of Hungary on the occasion of the National Day,’ Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan wrote. The two countries only recently restored diplomatic relations, which had been severed in 2012 when Hungary extradited an Azerbaijani military officer to Baku who had murdered one of his Armenian counterparts during a NATO event in Budapest.
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov also sent their warm congratulations to Hungary.
In his message, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko highlighted the friendly and pragmatic relations between Minsk and Budapest, stating that ‘Belarus highly values’ Hungary’s commitment to peace. ‘St Stephen’s Day embodies the deep roots of Hungarian statehood, the spiritual unity of the people, and their historical wisdom, which for centuries has helped the country advance along the path of independent development,’ Lukashenko wrote.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán also addressed the nation on 20 August in a post on X. ‘We celebrate our thousand-year-old Christian Hungarian state, the foundation of our nation—a pillar of Christian Europe,’ he wrote, adding that he proudly carries forward this legacy of faith, strength, and independence.
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