Preservation of Language Is the Basis for the Preservation of Identity

[Judi Lynn]

MTI-Hungary Today 2025.04.04.



Hungarian is not an endangered language, because there is a motherland that keeps it alive and Hungarian communities living in the Hungarian diaspora region can preserve it, emphasized Katalin Szili, the Prime Minister’s senior advisor in Pécs on Thursday.

The politician was speaking on the opening day of the two-day international conference on Hungarian communities in the Hungarian diaspora region, entitled Diaspora 2025 – Revitalization, organized by the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences of the University of Pécs and the Pécs branch of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. She pointed out that

there are 6,000 languages spoken in the world, “of which, according to optimists, about 600 are safe,” and 500 are only known by 50 people per language, meaning that the latter are “extremely endangered.”

The preservation of language is the basis for the preservation of identity, if we lose language, we lose culture, traditions, everything, she stressed.

Katalin Szili pointed out that in order to preserve the Hungarian language in diasporas, it was necessary to create an institutional system that not only facilitates dialogue and shared knowledge, but also helps Hungarian communities to preserve their identity. This is achieved through the Kőrösi Csoma Sándor, Petőfi Sándor, and Mikes Kelemen programs, providing cultural support.

More:
https://hungarytoday.hu/preservation-of-language-is-the-basis-for-the-preservation-of-identity/