Last week, “Nicolae Bălcescu” High School in Gyula, the only school serving the children of Romania’s community in Hungary, celebrated its 75th anniversary. The ceremony, held in the school’s festive hall, gathered students, teachers, alumni, and officials.
His Grace Bishop Siluan of Hungary remarked: “The way students assimilate essential knowledge for their personal and professional lives, as well as their ability to identify with and preserve their Romanian, spiritual, Orthodox national identity, largely depends on the dedication of the teaching staff.”
“Fortunately, under the leadership of the school administration, there has always been a commitment not only to education but also to Christian values,” he added.
Maria Gurzău Czegledi, the highschool’s director, highlighted its unique offerings: “Both in the past and today, the school has provided valuable gifts, including studies in Romanian, Hungarian, and foreign languages, as well as Romanian and Hungarian culture and civilization, all within the broader context of European and universal culture.”
Gyula’s mayor, Görgényi Ernő, emphasized the school’s significance: “This educational institution is, above all, the pillar of the Romanian community and plays a crucial role in preserving the Romanian language and culture.”
The Romanian Primary and Secondary School “Nicolae Bălcescu” in Gyula was established in 1949 through a Hungarian state law that introduced generalized state education for minority groups in Hungary.
Photo: Facebook / N. Bălcescu Román Gimnázium
