On March 15, the Liszt Institute Beijing commemorated the heroes of the 1948/49 revolution and war of independence at the Petőfi Statue in the Chinese capital. They organized a dulcimer concert featuring Hungarian and Chinese performers. A selection of films from the BUSHO Film Festival was also presented, and the Liszt Institute participated in China's largest alcoholic beverage fair, showcasing the cultural program of the Hungarian Pavilion, as Hungary was the guest of honor this year.
On March 15, 2024, in the morning, the Liszt Institute Beijing held a wreath-laying ceremony and commemoration at the Petőfi Statue located in the garden of the Lu Xun Museum. Hungarian language students from Beijing Foreign Studies University, Beijing University of International Studies, and the Communication University of China attended the event. The ceremony began with the playing of the Hungarian national anthem, followed by four students from the three universities reciting Sándor Petőfi's poem "The Sea Has Risen" in Hungarian. After a festive speech by Director Anna Lujza Honecz, accompanied by First Secretary Péter Király, they laid a wreath at the poet's statue. The commemoration concluded with a recitation of Sándor Petőfi's poem "A Thought Weighs on My Mind" in Chinese.
On March 15, 2024, Viktória Herencsár, the President of the Dulcimer World Federation, held a joint Hungarian-Chinese dulcimer concert with Professor Li Lingling, the head instructor of the dulcimer department at the Chinese Conservatory of Music, Associate Professor Vu Huanghuang, and five dulcimer students from the conservatory. During the sold-out concert, traditional dulcimer music from both countries and various types and sizes of instruments were presented. At the end of the program, the guests enjoyed fine Hungarian wines and engaged in conversations with the artists.
From March 21 to 24, 2024, the 20th International Alcoholic Drinks Fair was held in Lutou Town, Sichuan Province. This year, Hungary was the guest country of honor. (Lutou Town is also known as the "City of Alcohol" in the country, as it is a famous region for producing alcoholic beverages. Their most renowned product is the Lutou Laocsiao, a sorghum brandy that is popular nationwide.) The large Hungarian pavilion featured 11 Hungarian wine merchants. The opening ceremony included a speech by Pál Rókusfalvy, the Government Commissioner for National Wine Marketing. Viktória Herencsár, the President of the Dulcimer World Federation, and Professor Li Lingling, the Vice President of the Federation and also the supervisor of doctoral candidates at the Chinese Conservatory of Music, performed a unique production combining Hungarian and Chinese songs. Inside the pavilion, visitors could see three traditional Hungarian costumes, Sissi-era dresses, Chinese-language presentations about Hungary (culture, education, general knowledge, gastronomy), and Hungarian image photos. Dávid Varga-Sabján, the president of the Chinese branch of the Hungarian Craftsman Winemakers Association, signed a cooperation agreement with the Lutou Paityiu Industrial Development and Investment Group. The event was covered by the MTV news, and the coverage can be found at this link. During the expo, approximately 530,000 visitors attended the venue.
On March 23, 2024, the Liszt Institute Beijing held a short film event in collaboration with Toucsiang Media Company at The Box, one of Beijing's most popular cultural and entertainment centers. Five short films from the BUSHO Film Festival were screened: Bianka Szelestey's "Pragma," Anna Gyimesi's "Affrikáta," Domonkos Erhardt's "Corner of My Eye," Karchi Perlmann's "Dinner," and András Reszeli-Soós's "Café Marilyn." The event was highly successful in Beijing.
