Faculty of Pedagogy

XI. NATIONALITY CONFERENCE

This year, the 11th edition of the Nationality Conference was held at the Faculty of Pedagogy of the Gál Ferenc University, which provides an annual opportunity to share the results of the nationality teacher training that started in Sarva six and a half decades ago and to learn about the experiences of practicing teachers and educational professionals.

The title and theme of this year’s conference was “Nationality Education and Teaching – Opportunities and Solutions in an International Context”.

The morning programme of the conference included a series of welcome speeches and professional presentations. The conference was opened by Dr. László Kiss-Rigó, Bishop of the Diocese of Szeged-Csanád, the main patron of the event. The participants of the conference were welcomed by Dr. László Dux, Rector of the Gál Ferenc University, Daniel Banu, Consul General of Romania in Gyula, Traján Kreszta, Romanian nationality advocate, Antal Paulik, Slovak nationality advocate. The welcoming speech of Attila Sztojka, Government Commissioner for Roma Relations, was read by Tiborné Romhányi, member of the board of the Békés County Roma Nationality Self-Government, and the message of the President of the National Self-Government of Hungarian Germans, Ibolya Englenderné Hock, was interpreted by Mónika Mittag, President of the Békés County German Nationality Government. Roland Gaál, head of the Szarvas district office, represented the Békés County Government Office and Mihály Babák, Mayor of Szarvas, welcomed the participants of the conference.

The opening speech of the morning programme was given by Dr. Ákos Kozma, the Commissioner for Fundamental Rights, who touched upon the legislation guaranteeing the fundamental rights of minorities in Hungary, the issues falling within the competence of the office of the Commissioner for Fundamental Rights and the tasks related to the protection of the rights of national minorities living in Hungary.

The morning programme was closed with a presentation by Attiliane Kállay, Head of the Nationality Pedagogical Education Centre of the Education Office. The Head of Department presented the areas that the Centre for Nationality Pedagogical Education deals with and can provide support to the heads and teachers of nationality institutions. In her presentation, she drew the attention of the participants to the website of the Centre for National Minority Pedagogical Education, which is constantly updated with good practices, and where they can find information on further training courses, study competitions and various professional and cultural programmes organised by the Centre.

As part of the morning programme, the pupils of the Benka Gyula Evangelical English Bilingual Primary School, Kindergarten and Primary Art School in Sarva contributed with a national cultural programme; pupils of the Magdu Lucian Romanian Primary School and Kindergarten in Battonya; former and current pupils of the Slovak Primary School, Kindergarten and College in Sarva; pupils of the Petőfi Sándor Evangelical Secondary School, College and Primary School in Mezőberény. We thank their teachers for preparing the students.

During the afternoon, the work continued in the Roma, Romanian, German and Slovak nationality sections, where national and international experts, teachers, researchers and practicing educators shared the results of their professional activities, focusing on the aspects of transmitting national language, culture and identity.

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