Bálványos Free Summer University And Student Camp
History
The first edition was held in 1990 at Balvanyos, with the intention to promote dialogue between Romanians, Hungarians from Romania, and Hungarians from Hungary. The early camps were attended by several high-ranking politicians both from Romania (such as Emil Constantinescu, Traian Băsescu, Adrian Severin) and Hungary, and it was well received by both communities.
In 1997, the event was moved from Balvanyos to Tușnad (hence the Hungarian informal name Tusványos). Around 2000, it started turning from a political workshop into a student summer camp; some critics consider that to have a negative effect on the event. Around 2010, a new transformation took place: the Viktor Orbán regime from Hungary became heavily involved by using the summer university to exhibit the politics of Fidesz. The Romanian media became critical and the Romanian participation diminished. Many politicians refused invitations for the fear of being stigmatised and disapproved of the event because they considered that used to be a dialogue has turned instead into a monologue by the Hungarian side.
References
- ^ Péter Bándy: Tusványos huszadszor - Demokrata - July 22, 2009
- ^ Tusványos - Program
- ^ Tusványos, sau când dialogul seamănă a monolog, Adevărul, July 29, 2015
- ^ Tusványos: kapocs a nemzetek között, Erdélyi Napló, February 14, 2014
- ^ Băile Tuşnad, „Bazinul Carpatic“ şi viitorul Europei, Adevărul, July 30, 2018