In a solemn ceremony, the first Hungarian-Ukrainian bilingual primary and secondary school was opened in Budapest on Saturday.
After the Hungarian and Ukrainian national anthems were played, Liliána Grexa, the Ukrainian nationalities' parliamentary spokesperson, welcomed the participants, calling the school’s opening a historic moment. She also thanked the leaders of the House of Ukrainian Traditions for founding the school. Ms. Grexa emphasized that Levente Magyar, the Hungarian Foreign Ministry’s parliamentary state secretary, played a key role in elevating bilateral relations between Ukraine and Hungary to the level where they could now open this school in Budapest.
Ms. Grexa also highlighted that 350 children have already enrolled in the Hungarian-Ukrainian bilingual school, expressing hope that this number will further increase this year. Viktor Mikita, the governor of Transcarpathia, noted that the new school would give children who have arrived in Hungary the opportunity to learn both Ukrainian and Hungarian.
This, he said, would help integrate the children while allowing them to preserve their culture and mother tongue.
Mr. Mikita emphasized that the bilingual school in Budapest was established following an agreement between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. At the end of the ceremony, Liliana Grexa, Viktor Mikita, and Erzsebet Szalay, Hungary’s deputy ombudsman for nationalities, among others, cut the ribbon symbolizing the colors of the Hungarian and Ukrainian flags.
