The Prime Minister reminded that when asked what gives higher meaning to finite life and to the homeland, Petőfi provided the answer: ‘Stand up, Hungarian! Shall we be slaves or free? Long live the free and independent Hungary!’

In the spring of 1848, there were a series of revolutionary movements aimed to overthrow or reform monarchical government systems and create new nation states throughout the whole of Europe, which partly contributed to the outbreak of the Hungarian Revolution in Pest on 15 March 1848.

Although the revolution and freedom fight was crushed, 15 March is not a day of mourning, but of delayed victory. While the defeat of the Revolution and Freedom Fight was followed by ruthless retaliation and even more oppression, eventually the Habsburg Empire was forced to reform and bow to many of the demands of the revolutionaries.

This year, 15 March falls on a Wednesday, and programmes have been put together accordingly. On 14 March, the Kossuth and Széchenyi Awards will be presented. On the day of the celebration the next day, the national flag will be raised in the morning as usual.

2022-2023 is dedicated to the bicentenary of Hungary’s greatest national poet, Sándor Petőfi. He is one of the internationally best-known Hungarian poets and the most influential representative of Hungarian Romanticism. He has given his life for his ultimate ideal – the liberty and independence of Hungary.