On 20th August we celebrate Az államalapítás ünnepe, the Hungarian State Foundation Day.
On this occasion, Hungarians commemorate Stephen I, the first king of Hungary. He founded the Kingdom of Hungary, more than 1000 years ago. He was canonized by Pope Gregory VII on August 20th, 1083.
However, 20th August is also the Festival of the New Bread in Hungary! Traditionally, it was the last day of the grain harvest, which meant it was also the day when the first bread from the new wheat was baked.
The celebrations for this special day include a lot of food and a huge fireworks show that attracts a great number of spectators on the banks of the Danube. For the occasion, most people wear a set of green, red and white ribbons, the colours of the Hungarian national flag, full of historical significance.
We wish a great celebration to all the Hungarians who will be enjoying many festivities all around their country today!
If you want to join the celebrations and practise your interpreting skills on this occasion, why not take a look at the Speech Repository’s Hungarian language section