Chongqing- At 3:00 pm on March 15, 2020, the Consulate General of Hungary in Chongqing held a commemorative ceremony for the 172nd anniversary of the Revolution and Independence War of 1848-1849 in Hungary. Attending the event were Dióssi Lóránd, Consul General of Hungary in Chongqing, Tang Wen, Deputy Director of the Chongqing Foreign & Overseas Affairs Office, and Xu Peng, Deputy Director of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Yuzhong District. It is the first event that the Consulate General of Hungary held since the resumption of work in Chongqing. The Consulate General of Hungary in Chongqing actively cooperated with the Chongqing Municipal Government's policies and requirements to combat the epidemic.

Dióssi Lóránd (L), Consul General of Hungary in Chongqing, and Tang Wen (R), Deputy Director of the Chongqing Foreign & Overseas Affairs Office

The ceremony was held in E'ling Park, Yuzhong district where the sculpture of Sándor Petőfi, a Hungarian poet and liberal revolutionary, and his wife.  The event started with the Hungarian National Anthem and the National Anthem of the People's Republic of China. Dióssi Lóránd delivered a speech and together with Tang Wen presented wreaths to the famous poet Sándor Petőfi and his wife Júlia Szendrey. Vörös Péter, Deputy Consul General of the Hungarian Consulate General in Chongqing, and Széll Vanda, Director of the Secretariat, addressed the ceremony. Dióssi Lóránd, said that this day in history, the martyrs of Hungary had sacrificed their lives for national liberation, whereas today, China is making significant efforts to tackle the COVID-19 epidemic.

Mr. Dióssi Lóránd introduced that the tri-color flower tie worn on the chest of the attendees of the event originated from a story: Sándor Petőfi's lover, Júlia, personally made it for him before his revolutionary expedition (Revolution and Independence War of 1848-1849), entrusting his family's love and hope were always with him. Mr. Dióssi Lóránd said: "spring is just around the corner; new hopes and dawn are ahead. I am convinced that China will be able to resolve the crisis, and the people of the world will be able to overcome this epidemic. I wish Hungary-China friendship last forever! Today, infected patients (of COVID-19) in Chongqing have discharged from the hospital. Congratulations! "

a commemorative ceremony