Exchanging experiences on the EU at the meeting

A sister community meeting will be organized in Székelyhíd between August 26-29. The event, entitled Building a more cohesive EU through agricultural information exchange will bring together delegations from Edelény, Héhalom, Múcsony (Hungary), Kamocsa and Kürt (Slovakia).

One of the aims of the four-day meeting is to bring together the sister communities from the three countries. Together, the delegations will learn about the functioning of agriculture and the trade that underpins it across the European Union. They also exchange experiences on the kind of national or regional regulations, laws and features that will help these communities to develop and survive in the future, in the context of a healthy competitive environment in the European Union.

The invited guest will be Gyula Winkler, Member of the European Parliament and Vice-Chairman of the European Parliament’s Committee on International Trade, who will give a presentation on the Common Agricultural Policy and the new EU guidelines. There will also be an interactive presentation on the situation and opportunities of youth.

Delegations and participants will also discuss other topical issues affecting the EU. For example, the following topics will be explored in presentations and round table discussions: the future and prospects of the European Union, considering both the external and internal processes of the Community; among other thing, migration trends and the impact of Brexit on the geopolitical, social and economic aspects of the Union also will be discussed.

The program of the twinning meeting will be made even more attractive and interesting for the participants by a number of other events, such as a small-scale producers’ exhibition, a cooking competition, a folk dance and folk music show, and many other leisure activities. Detailed information can be found in the draft program below.

The event is organized by Ér Hangja Association in cooperation with the Mayor’s Office of Székelyhíd and with the support of the Europe for Citizens program.

Draft program:

(The organizers reserve the right to change the program reserved!)

Thursday, 26 August

until 19:00: arrival of delegations and accommodation

from 20:00: dinner

Friday, 27 August

9:00: Opening ceremony. The guests will be welcomed by Mayor Csaba Béres and the President of Ér Hangja Association Tímea Aszalós, who will present the objectives, program and expected results of the event. The heads of the delegations will also speak.

9:30: The location and presentation of the participating municipalities. The delegations will give a presentation on the location of their localities, their economic and tourist situation, their investments and developments, other values and achievements of the European Union.

12:00: Common problems, challenges (Euroscepticism, Europhobia, refugee crisis, Brexit) – presentation and round table discussion.

13:00 – 17:00: lunch break and free program

18:00: Folk music and folk-dance afternoon: delegations perform folk music and/or folk dance for each other and for the audience; they present their folk costumes, creating a colorful folklore cavalcade.

20:00: dinner

Saturday, 28 August

9:00: Our agricultural holdings – presentation. Delegates from the participating municipalities will give a 10-10-minute presentation on their agricultural situation: how typical this occupation is for their locality (what proportion of employment is covered), what products they produce, where they sell them, what difficulties their producers face.

10:00: An international (but also local) exhibition and product show: individual members of the delegations, together with local and regional farmers, exhibit products typical of their area (honeys, jams and flavors, cheeses, teas, syrups, etc.).

11:30: The EU budget of 2021-2027, new challenges for the Common Agricultural Policy and Cohesion Policy – Gyula Winkler, Vice-Chairman of the European Parliament’s Committee on International Trade, will present the new EU guidelines.

The EU is about young people – the MEP will also give a short interactive presentation to young participants on the Erasmus Plus program and its opportunities, as well as on the EU’s youth policy ambitions.

13:00 – 16:00: lunch break and free time (under planning)

16:00: Radio and TV interviews on volunteering: participants will be interviewed on TV or radio to explain why volunteering is good for them, the personal benefits of volunteering for themselves and the target group (e.g. personal development, belonging to a community, etc.). The materials will be promoted on our association’s community page.

17:00: Participants will visit the local children’s home, where they will have the opportunity to learn about the institution and the mission of the Dévai Szent Ferenc Foundation, established by Brother Csaba, the process of its creation, its current activities, and at the same time to help with the activities of the home.

19:00: dinner

Sunday, 29 August

8:00: cooking together, participants prepare a dish typical of their municipality or region, be it a soup, a meal and/or a dessert, and then the delegations taste each other’s food. Each delegation will receive a commemorative plaque.

13:00: The future of the EU – presentation and exchange of views. Mayor Csaba Béres will give a short presentation on the prospects for the EU: is there a chance for the community to survive in the long term? During the performance, the audience will also be involved in the discussion. Opportunities for collaboration – exchange of ideas. How can participants work together in the fields of culture, tourism, economy or other areas? We will also discuss how to continue this initiative, for example by creating a network.

15:00: going home