President János Áder has handed over high state awards in Budapest.
According to MTI, the president presented this year’s Kossuth and Széchenyi prizes, as well as the Hungarian Order of Merit, Middle Cross, in a ceremony postponed from the March 15 national holiday due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
In his address, President Áder commemorated Hungary’s 1848 revolution, which broke out on March 15, and made special mention of those working behind the front lines. “A wonder of Hungarian history is that joint action to achieve a common goal takes on a special significance: to build a new homeland and to create its freedom and independence in everyday life,” the president said.
The achievements of the awardees have made Hungary richer, he said. “They have been teaching, healing, developing, serving, entertaining, researching, organizing and editing” in a way that is worthy of the heroes of Hungarian history, the president added.