For the support of Hungarian education in Transcarpathia – Donation handover at Ferenc Rákóczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian College of Higher Education (Video)

On August 21, 2025, the performance of Stephen, the King – The Concert took place in Gödöllő, serving a charitable purpose: the donations collected at the event were allocated in Beregszász, Gödöllő’s twin city, to support Hungarian-language education. The main patron of the event was Balázs Hankó, Minister of Culture and Innovation. The collected sum was handed over on September 21 at the Ferenc Rákóczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian College of Higher Education by Minister Balázs Hankó.

Balázs Hankó expressed his joy at being in Transcarpathia and emphasized that it is always a special feeling to be with compatriots. He stated:

“Thanks to the College for this, thanks to Ildikó Orosz, thanks to István Csernicskó, that Hungarian life and learning continue here, in Transcarpathia. In the 2025–2026 academic year, a record number of 634 new students enrolled at the College, bringing the total to 1,582 students starting the year. The Hungarian government stands behind Hungarian-language education with a Hungarian heart and soul.”

Minister Hankó highlighted that this academic year will be special as it will mark the 350th anniversary of Ferenc Rákóczi II’s birth, alongside the College’s elevation to university status.

“We, Hungarians, deserve to have a Hungarian-language and Hungarian-identity university here in Transcarpathia” – he added and also recalled that a charitable concert was recently organized in Gödöllő, resulting in a donation of 10 million HUF to support Hungarian education in Transcarpathia. Following this, the money was then handed over to Tünde Tóth, director of the Charity Foundation for the Transcarpathian Hungarian College, which will distribute the funds to the schools in need.

Ildikó Orosz, President of the College, thanked the Hungarian state and Hungarian taxpayers for their support and for always standing by the community.

“Although many have written off the Hungarian community in Transcarpathia, statistics still show that our community is viable, and the number of our students has never been higher in the past 30 years. With the arrival of peace, we hope that even more people will return home and raise children, thereby strengthening the future Hungarian community in Transcarpathia. The donations collected from the charitable concert have made it possible to renovate and save the educational institutions most in need” – she stated.

Finally, István Csernicskó, Rector of our institution, also expressed his gratitude to Minister Balázs Hankó and to the Hungarian community.

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Anita Kurmay

  Visit of the Advisory Committee representatives of the Council of Europe to Rákóczi College Memorandum signed between the Charity Foundation for the Transcarpathian Hungarian College and the Association of Border Municipalities of Transcarpathia