Presentation of the Gabor Aron Award to the Hungarian Delegation of the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly

The Szekler National Council has decided to give 2011’s Gábor Áron Award to the Hungarian Delegation of the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary assembly. The awarding ceremony will be held on the 10^th of March 2012, in Marosvásárhely, in the Grand Hall of the Palace of Culture, as part of the presentation honoring the Award’s recipients, which will begin at 7:00 PM. Prior to this, we will commemorate the Szekler Martyrs at 5:00 PM by the monument on the Postarét (Post Meadow). This was the site of the execution of the Szekler members of the Makk conspiracy, Török János of Bágy, Gálfi Mihály of Martonos, and Horváth Károly of Nagyvárad, on the same day of the year 1854.

The monument was engraved with the words of Jókai Mór, who described the goal for which the martyrs gave their lives, as the “legitimate, free and independent national statute”

For eight years, the Szekler National Council has been fighting for Szeklerland’s right to self determination, which, through the institutions of territorial autonomy, would be the XXIst century realization of the “legitimate, free and independent national statute”.

Each year, the Gábor Áron Award is presented to those who did the most for this goal. This is why the Szekler National Council connects the presentation of the Gábor Áron Award, with the memorial day of the Szekler Martyrs.

The delegation of the Szekler National Council has consulted with the members of the Hungarian delegation, who have agreed to support and represent Szeklerland’s aspirations for autonomy, in the Council of Europe. In the ensuing sessions, the Hungarian delegation too advantage of every opportunity to bring Szeklerland into the center of attention, so the General Assembly could understand the Szeklers’ rightful aspirations, which are in tune with the documents of the Council of Europe. The real breakthrough was Resolution 2011/1832, which, due to Hungarian initiative, made the guaranteeing of autonomy to ensure self determination, a responsibility of all member states.

The organizers expect participants from all of Szeklerland, especially the delegates of the Szekler National Council and the members of the local Szekler Councils, but are also pleased to welcome all visitors.

Press Office of The Székely National Council

Csaba Ferencz, vice president for communication
Sepsiszentgyörgy, 20th February 2012