Karacsony said in his speech that if a community failed to recognise the wounds of its fellow members and the memory of their humiliation, the victims suffered not only from the violence endured but also from being forgotten.

Remembrance, he said, was not just about the past but a prerequisite for shaping the future, as only confrontation could establish a shared moral foundation for society.

The mayor recalled that during the 2008–2009 series of attacks on Roma, which affected several settlements, six Roma individuals were killed, including the then five-year-old Robert Csorba.

He stressed that the murders occurred recently, in Hungary, and against Hungarian citizens, calling it a grave moral issue if an entire generation grew up unaware of these events.

Integrating the victims' stories into collective memory, the mayor said, strengthened society by enabling it to confront its own responsibility and vulnerability.

Karacsony called memory as a moral space in which a society's self-image and value system could take shape.

Addressing current social processes, he slammed the legislative and social policy practices of recent years, which, he argued, had contributed to racial exclusion, the criminalisation of poverty, and selective access to education and housing.
 

Source: MTI – Hungary’s national news agency since 1881. While MTI articles are usually factual, some may contain political bias, and readers should be aware that such content does not reflect the position of XpatLoop, which is neutral and independent.

Since the goal of XpatLoop is to keep readers well briefed, right across the spectrum of opinions, MTI items are shared to ensure readers are aware of all narratives within the local media.

XpatLoop believes in empowering readers to form their own views through complete and comprehensive coverage. To facilitate this XpatLoop has a balanced range of news partners, as you can see when you surf around XpatLoop.com
 

*********************************************************************************************

You're very welcome to comment, discuss and enjoy more stories via our Facebook page: 

Facebook.com/XpatLoopNews + via XpatLoop’s groups: Budapest Expats / Expats Hungary

You can subscribe to our newsletter here: XpatLoop.com/Newsletters

Showcase Your Business to Expats in the Loop:

As an independent portal we’re grateful to all commercial supporters who help keep you in the loop with fresh insights and inspiration. Do you want your business to reach tens of thousands of potential high-value expat customers? If so please contact us here.