The Australian Hungarian Cultural Convention opened on Australia’s Gold Coast on Thursday, with Hungarian artists and government representatives in attendance.
Speaking to MTI by phone, Árpád János Potápi, the state secretary in charge of policies for Hungarian communities abroad, said he told the opening gala event that all diaspora Hungarians were ambassadors for Hungarian culture in one way or another.
The convention is organised every three years, Potápi said, noting that this year’s event is the 17th. Anticipation for the four-day convention has been high, the state secretary said, noting that the 2020 instalment had to be cancelled due to the pandemic. This year’s event has been organised by the Australian Hungarian Federation and the Cultural Council of Hungarians in Queensland.
Thursday’s opening gala concert featured performances from opera singers Krisztina Szeredy and Győző Leblanc as well as rock star Attila Pataky. The event was also addressed by Zsolt Csenger-Zalán, Hungary’s ambassador to Australia. Over the next three days, convention-goers will get to take dance lessons, attend shows and art exhibitions and get acquainted with Hungarian gastronomy, Potápi said.