„Miracle of Roses” 

2nd International Children's Travelling Art Exhibition – award ceremony

Those visitors who came to the garden of the Moldvay Győző Gallery at 3 pm on 23 September 2007 were vitnesses of a very fascinating event. The award ceremony of the Miracle of Roses Drawing Exhibition about the life and legends of Saint Elisabeth of Hungary took place here at that time. The patrons of the exhibition were: Anna Jókai, holder of the Kossuth-prize and Stephanus-prize; the Hungarian Art Teachers’ Association; and Women for the Future of the Nation Association.

It was Mrs Ottó Basa, Révész Erzsébet who initiated the exhibition of the drawings. In response to her invitation 800 drawings arrived from Hungary, Transylvania, Moldavia, Slovakia, Serbia, Finland, Peru, Ukraine, Canada, Poland and Italy, including the work of children from nursery school up to high school.

Many people came before 3 pm. to have a look around the pictures created by adults on the ground floor, and then they viewed the children’s drawings. Women dressed in folk costumes served to the visitors delicious food and cakes made by mothers from Galgahéviz, Boldog and Hatvan. You could meet among the visitors Bishop Miklós Beer and the diocesan priest of Hatvan, Fr József Koza, too. In the tent of the Red Cross of Malta women from Kecskemét dressed in costumes of the Elisabethan period scattered rose-petals over the visitors and the performers.

The high quality cultural ceremony celebrating Saint Elisabeth began at 3 pm. with a folk dance from Galgahéviz. Next came performers Anna Rába singer, accompanied by Márta Gál harpsichord artist, then Mrs Tordai, Ildikó Koczka and her son Norbert performed „Dialogue about Love”, Júlia Papp secondary shool student recited a beautiful poem about Saint Elisabeth, Levente Balassa sang wonderful songs about love. The most beautiful moments of the afternoon were when Bishop Miklós Beer and Anna Jókai gave their enthusiastic speeches on the importance of having people who help children to use their imagination to create wonderful pictures. They also drew attention to the good example of Saint Elisabeth who, even as a child, shared everything she got with the poor children, and later, too, always helped the poor and looked after the sick people.

After greeting the visitors, Mrs Takács, Erika Palásthy, headmistress of the Nursery and Primary schools of Óhatvan, and Mrs Ottó Basa, Révész Erzsébet the initiator of this drawing competition, and the representative of Women for the Future of the Nation Association handed out the 34 gold medals and special awards to the children.

The diamond diplom of the Miracle of Roses Competition was given to Erzsébet Varga from Mezőkövesd. As this competition is the continuation of last year’s „Together in Love” competition, Dorottya Kevés, a very hardworking and excellent students was awarded „The Rose of Hatvan” for her last year’s artwork. Lili Helga Hubert received the special prize of the mayor of Galgahéviz.

34 gold 34 silver and 34 bronz certificates were handed out. The children with gold prize received scarves and canvas bags with a rose emblem on each, a book of author Anna Jókai, specially inscribed and personally handed over. Some other small presents and commemorative plaques were also given out.

After this Anna Jókai recited her poem „ Prayer for Hungary” and The Grassalkovich Choir directed by Tamás Molnár sang nice songs.

The organisators were delighted to see young artists coming even from abroad to the award ceremony. The hospitable residents of Hatvan put up 29 people from Transylvania and 6 from Sicily in their flats and houses for 2-3 nights. Even a visit to Parliament was organised for them on 22 September.

We hope that everybody was satisfied after visiting our exhibition. Those who couldn’t come can view this exhibition on the website

www.g-portal.hu/kicsinyek60

People of Hatvan were able to see this exhibition from 23 September to 17 October, Tuesdays to Fridays from 9 am to 5 pm, Saturdays from 9 am to 2 pm.

Exhibitions were held in Hatvan, Esztergom, Vác, Csongrád, Terrasini-Sycily-the 1st place abroad.