This is not only a day of remembrance, but also a day of thankfulness. The perseverance and heroism of one generation gives strength to the upcoming generations, Hungary s prime minister said in a video posted on social media, to mark Hungary s national holiday. "Remembering together" despite today s unusual circumstances, Viktor Orban greeted Hungarians all across the globe in a letter "on the day marking the birth of Hungarian freedom".

„This is not only a day of remembrance, but also a day of thankfulness. In 1848-49 Hungarians stood their ground, and their perserverance offered us a source of strength to draw on in 1956 and later, in 1989-90. This is how a nation is built. The perseverance and heroism of one generation gives strength to the upcoming generations,” the Hungarian premier said on social media.

„This is also the case today. We must not only save lives and contain the disease, but we must also set an example for our children and grandchildren through our successful management of the epidemic and our brave perseverance… so that they have something to remember if they are in trouble. So that it can be recalled how our grandparents and parents held out in a difficult situation in 2021,” Viktor Orban said. 

„I do hope that we will have something to pass on to our children,” the prime minister added.

In a letter written to Hungarians living across the globe, Viktor Orban noted that „on this day every year, red-white-and-green rosettes appear everywhere where Hungarians live. They proclaim that we hold our head high and proudly remember our heroes who sparked the flame of Hungarian freedom in the spring of 1848, which still shines bright in Europe, fed by millions of Hungarians through the generations on both side of the Carpathians.”

He said: „We, Hungarians, learnt what we know about freedom in the grip of hostile powers, on battlefields and under the gallows of our heroes. We learnt that freedom is not an ideology but our right earned with blood, to use our language, to nurture our exceptional heritage and to arrange our lives according to our own thinking.”

The prime minister added that the events that took place 173 years ago „send us the message that the betterment of our collective destiny is in the hands of those who can, want to and dare to do for the betterment of the Hungarian nation. This is the faith and courage we need now when we are battling the renewed attacks of an invisible enemy.”

Viktor Orban underlined that the descendants of the soldiers of 1848 are doctors, nurses, scientists and law enforcement officers; tens and hundreds of thousands of people who – despite the risk of infection – go to work every day. They are warriors who fight tirelessly during this prolonged war to enable us to regain our lives and – after the virus has retreated – to continue building the common home of Hungarians, the Carpathian Basin, together with the other peoples living with us.

„Allow me to respectfully greet you on this day marking the birth of Hungarian freedom, hoping that we can remember together despite the current, unusual circumstances.”

„Hungary before all else, and God above all of us! Long live Hungarian freedom, long live the nation!” the prime minister concluded.