Meeting place for Slovenian, Hungarian communities opens in Murska Sobota

"Friendly coexistence does not mean only that people live peacefully side by side, but that we co-create our joint environment, that we enrich each other, learn from each other about mutual respect and affection," Humar said at the opening of the new venue, which is managed by the Hungarian minority-run company Minta.

The renovation and equipment for the House of Harmony were fully funded by Hungary, Minta CEO Milan Varga said.

Humar told the STA she hoped the new rooms would become a meeting place of the Hungarian and Slovenian identities and culture.

Hungarian State Secretary for National Policy Lorinc Nacsa said that cooperation in the region was crucial for stability and development. "In this part of Europe, we must work together for peace, economic opportunities and minority rights. Only through peace can we achieve the progress that is needed for development."

Hungary has invested EUR 500,000 in the House of Harmony, which will serve as a meeting place and a venue for cultural events, he said.

Varga would like the space to be a kind of "window to Hungary". "We are already presenting the internationally renowned travelling exhibition Hungarikumi, and the space will also be open to Hungarian and Slovenian artists and tourists," he said. The Hungarian cultural association Barati Kör from Murska Sobota will also use the place for rehearsals and socialising, he said.

Andrea Kovacs, head of the Association of Slovenians in Hungary, who came to congratulate her colleagues on the new venue, told the STA she wished a similar space would be created in Budapest in the future. "A Slovenian House in Budapest would bring a lot to our community and our country, as it would enable the presentation of Slovenian cultural and natural values," she said.

The House of Harmony in Murska Sobota will host various cultural events and promote cooperation between Slovenians and Hungarians in the border area.

The Hungarikumi exhibition presents Hungary's greatest achievements and sights and has so far toured many places in Europe, from Brussels, Luxembourg, Rome, Prague, to Vilnius, from where it came to Murska Sobota. It will be on show at the House of Harmony until 16 April.