Spring Semester Opening in the Spirit of Hungarian Culture at the University of Sopron

The guests were welcomed by Katalin Krajczár-Sári, Head International Coordinator, followed by a presentation by Dóra Kulcsár, International Coordinator, who introduced some distinctive elements of Hungarian culture. The students learned about Hungarian folk tales, national holidays, important historical and cultural landmarks, as well as some everyday traditions and customs.

The presentation was followed by a special musical moment that created a warm community atmosphere. The Hungarian folk song “Tavaszi szél vizet áraszt” (“Spring Wind Brings Flooding Waters”) was performed by three students from the Benedek Elek Faculty of Pedagogy as a symbol of international cooperation. Réka Varga and Réka Anna Kertész sang the song, accompanied on the piano by Yelizaveta Khagay from Kazakhstan.

The program continued with informative presentations. Fruzsina Tamás, Dean’s Office Administrator, introduced the opportunities offered by the Pannónia Scholarship Programme, while Erzsébet Szaniszló presented the StudentHelp service, highlighting the work of the university’s mental health supporters and the student mentor network that assists international students during their stay in Sopron.

The second half of the event turned into a lively international showcase. Aida Tokhtarova, a student of the Benedek Elek Faculty of Pedagogy, gave a presentation about the surprising linguistic connections and shared words between Hungarian and Kazakh. This was followed by interactive country presentations: Noah Caro introduced France, Julie Mia and Mika Keanu spoke about Germany, and Caroline Americo presented Brazil. The audience also enjoyed an impressive nunchaku demonstration by Alfredo Salazar from Peru, while Faith Christopher from Nigeria performed a song. The musical atmosphere continued with an international trio: Idal Tanriöver (Türkiye), Nawres Dhoub (Tunesia) and Yelizaveta Khagay (Kazakhstan) performed an enjoyable jam session together.

To conclude the evening, the focus returned to Hungarian traditions. The Ürmös Folk Dance Ensemble gave a lively performance followed by a traditional táncház (dance house), where participants were invited to join the dancing. The shared dances provided a joyful ending to an evening dedicated to cultural exchange, new friendships, and community.

The event was organized and hosted by international coordinators Boróka Buzsáki and Erzsébet Szaniszló.