Hungarian Poetry Day Celebrated Worldwide by the Liszt Institutes
Hungarian Poetry Day has been celebrated since 1964 on the birthday of poet Attila József, April 11. On this occasion, the 26 Hungarian cultural institutes operating in 24 countries around the world paid tribute to Hungarian poetry through literary readings, book presentations, and poems printed on colorful post-it notes. In this article, we’ve selected highlights from the Liszt Institutes’ programs.
The Collegium Hungaricum in Vienna celebrated Hungarian Poetry Day with an evening titled In Verse-Row, dedicated to Dezső Kosztolányi, and a wreath-laying ceremony. At the initiative of the Hungarian Embassy in Vienna, a wreath was laid in honor of György Bessenyei, one of the most prominent figures of the Hungarian Enlightenment and a member of the Royal Hungarian Bodyguard. This tradition was started on Hungarian Poetry Day. Bessenyei is the only Hungarian poet with a full-body public statue in Vienna, located in the park in front of the Trautson Palace — the former seat of the Collegium Hungaricum and once home to the Hungarian Royal Noble Guard.
The Collegium Hungaricum Berlin (CHB) celebrated as usual with its #postitpoetry campaign. On the building’s outer façade, visitors could read poems by classic and contemporary Hungarian poets in both Hungarian and German, printed on colorful post-it notes, which they were free to take with them. This year’s event paid special tribute to the 120th anniversary of Attila József’s birth in 2025. Quotes from József’s poetry were printed on specially colored notes, and one of his poems was displayed in both Hungarian and German in an enlarged format on the window display. Despite the bad weather, this popular initiative was a success once again, with nearly all the post-its taken by the end of the day. The Helsinki Liszt Institute also distributed leaflets containing Hungarian poems in multiple languages.
Organized by the Liszt Institute in Ljubljana, three poets from Hungary — Ágota Katona, András Toroczkay, and Miklós Borsik — visited bilingual schools in the Muravidék region (Dobrovnik, Prosenjakovci, and Genterovci) and in Lendava, where they held creative literary workshops for Hungarian students. The poets also participated in an evening of readings and a roundtable discussion, offering insights into contemporary Hungarian poetry. The event was held in Hungarian as part of the POT-VOT Creative Europe project. On the same occasion, visitors to the Institute were treated to a performance by the Osonó Theatre Workshop from Székely Land, titled “I am not, only others see me” – A theatrical experiment with Attila József.
As in previous years, the Liszt Institute in London commemorated Hungarian Poetry Day via its social media channels. The institute invited Ágnes Lehóczky, a British-Hungarian poet and literary translator, to share a selection of contemporary and classical works — including her own poems and translations — in honor of Attila József's 120th birthday. Lehóczky is the author of several poetry collections published in the UK (Budapest to Babel, Egg Box Publishing, 2008; Rememberer, 2012; Carillonneur, 2014; Swimming Pool, 2017; and Lathe Biosas, or on Dreams & Lies, Crater Press, 2023). In Hungarian, she has published three poetry volumes: Ikszedik stáció (2000), Medalion (2002), and Palimpszeszt (2015). In 2011, she received the Jane Martin Poetry Prize from Girton College, Cambridge. She has co-edited major international anthologies and is currently working on The Song of the Cosmos – József Attila Selected Poems, to be published in 2025 by Shearsman Books.
In Russia, a literary translation competition was announced to mark Hungarian Poetry Day, attracting 160 entrants. Organized by the Liszt Institute in Moscow, this event is especially popular among university students studying Hungarian. The results will be announced at the end of April. The annual competition aims to maintain interest in the Hungarian language, literature, and culture in more remote, rural areas of Russia.
The Liszt Institute in Seoul marked the occasion with a classical music evening. Works by György Ligeti, Franz Liszt, Béla Bartók, Ernő Dohnányi, and contemporary composers were performed by Kang Kyung-min (flute), Ko Young-joo (cello), and Choi Dahee (piano). Composer Jeong In-young also presented her own piece titled Freedom and Love, inspired by a poem by Sándor Petőfi. The poem was read in both Hungarian and Korean during the performance, further enriching the intercultural dialogue.
The Liszt Institute in Paris organized a literary evening to mark the day. During the event, Guillaume Métayer, senior researcher at France’s National Centre for Scientific Research, held a conversation with Ákos Cseke, the institute’s cultural diplomat, at the Bibliothèque Arthur Rimbaud. Adrienne Éva Burányi, director of the Institute, and Guillaume Métayer read poems by Hungarian poets in both Hungarian and French. The warm and engaging event concluded with a reception.
In Bratislava, the Liszt Institute organized a storytelling morning for children, led by Hungarian writer, poet, and journalist Adrienn Vadadi. Held at the Csemadok headquarters, the event marked the first time that Hungarian children from Bratislava and nearby areas could meet the author in person. Her books, including the popular Barkamesék (Barka Tales) series, are also available in Slovak bookstores through the Panta Rhei publishing house.
The Liszt Institute in Stuttgart hosted a performance titled “I Cannot Do Anything But Love”, in tribute to Attila József. The 55-minute lyrical and prose-based performance was delivered by actor Ádám Konrád Kurucz. It traced the life, work, and daily struggles of the iconic 20th-century poet through his most well-known poems. The performance’s centerpiece was József’s autobiographical text Curriculum Vitae. Kurucz, a Latinovits Award-winning actor and interpreter of poetry, embodied the poet in first person, enhancing the dramatic atmosphere with powerful musical interludes that complemented the poems.
The Liszt Institute in Zagreb organized a trilingual (Croatian–Hungarian–Italian) literary and musical evening in honor of János Pilinszky at the ceremonial hall of the Italian Community in Rijeka. After the program, guests and performers were invited to an informal wine tasting session sponsored by Wine&Co, where they could discuss Hungarian poetry and literature. On April 11, excerpts from Pilinszky’s collection “Man is too little for love here” were performed by Hungarian-Croatian historian and lecturer Dénes Sokcsevits, and actors Marica Facskó and István Gyurity. Musical accompaniment was provided by pianist Valér Hegedűs, who performed works by Pilinszky’s favorite composers — J. S. Bach, W. A. Mozart, F. Schubert, and Béla Bartók. Additionally, at Europe Square in front of the Zagreb Liszt Institute, passersby were introduced to the day’s significance through translated verse excerpts in English and Croatian, along with information about the evening event and the important anniversary.
