City of Kranj unveiled bust of Slovenian poet France Prešeren's Hungarian contemporary
In collaboration with the Hungarian Embassy, the City of Kranj unveiled a bust of France Prešeren's contemporary, Sándor Petőfi (1823–1849). This marks the sixth bust in La Ciotat Park in Kranj, known as Prešeren's City, along the so-called Path of Prešeren's Contemporaries. The event was addressed by the President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia, Urška Klakočar Zupančič, and the President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Hungary, László Kövér. Additionally, the City of Kranj signed a letter of intent for cooperation with the Hungarian city of Székesfehérvár.
City of Kranj has placed significant emphasis on international cooperation in recent years. It has taken significant steps in presenting Kranj on a larger stage, from Switzerland to Montenegro. For the first time in history, it twinned with cities outside of European borders - China's Zhangjiakou and America's Colorado Springs - in the last two years. Invitations to lectures and workshops, where they presented their projects and examples of good practices, have come from various parts of Europe. Kranj has also been included in the mission to become one of the 100 climate-neutral and smart cities by 2030, and it is proud to hold the title of European Destination of Excellence 2023.
"In international exchange of experiences and connections, we see a significant acquisition. On the one hand, we follow modern trends, such as sustainability and smart communities, and on the other, we cherish our long history and rich cultural heritage. One of our recent cultural achievements is the Path of Prešeren's Contemporaries in La Ciotat Park, symbolizing Kranj's international connections. Last year, we placed a bust of Prešeren's French contemporary, donated by Kranj's first sister city La Ciotat, after which the park, where the monuments are located, was named. This time, the sixth bust is joined by the bust of Prešeren's Hungarian contemporary, Sándor Petőfi. I thank the Hungarian Embassy for the donation of the bust, high guests, and everyone else for their participation in another beautiful international story of Kranj," said Mayor of City of Kranj, Matjaž Rakovec, during the unveiling.
The Path of Prešeren's Contemporaries was established in the autumn of 2021 during Slovenia's presidency of the Council of the European Union and represents the main theme of the park symbolizing international connections. The bust of Sándor Petőfi was sculpted by the artist László Hunyadi. Sándor Petőfi is considered the greatest Hungarian lyricist; he also participated in the revolutionary movement and died in the struggle, the same year as Prešeren, who was living in Kranj at the time.
The unveiling ceremony was also attended by the President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia, mag. Urška Klakočar Zupančič, and the President of the National Assembly of Hungary, László Kövér, who was on an official visit to Slovenia. Both addressed the audience in the park. Among the guests were also the Ambassador of Hungary to Slovenia, Andor Ferenc Dávid, and the Ambassador of Slovenia to Hungary, Marjan Cencen.
"Poet, revolutionary, and Hungarian national hero Petőfi marked Hungary with his works in a similar way as the greatest poet France Prešeren did in Slovenia. He lived in the same era as our literary figure, shared a similar worldview, and fought for the realization of national ideas," said President of the National Assembly, Urška Klakočar Zupančič, during her speech. She thanked the City of Kranj for enriching the park and the city with memorial commemorations of Prešeren's international literary contemporaries, emphasizing the significance of the historical and cultural events of that time and reminding us of the transience of people and the immortality of their works and ideas.
The cultural program was provided by László Babinszki and András Pártos on violin and Levente Pártos reciting poems of Sándor Petőfi in Hungarian and Slovenian.
Cooperation between Kranj and Székesfehérvár
Following the unveiling ceremony, a reception was held in the city hall on the occasion of Hungary's national holiday, which is dedicated to the memory of the revolution and liberation struggle of 1848–1849. Andor Ferenc Dávid, the Hungarian Ambassador to Slovenia, gave a keynote address, and the mayors of Kranj and Székesfehérvár signed a letter of intent for cooperation between the two cities. The cities have already had one collaboration - a conference on green solutions in cities. In the coming years, they plan to enhance cooperation in the fields of sustainability, smart communities, culture, youth, and sports.
"With friendly, sisterly, and partner bonds, we can truly embody the idea of a united Europe, promoting mutual respect, empathy, and the appreciation of traditions, cultures, and viewpoints among us," said Mayor of Székesfehérvár, Dr. András Cser-Palk