The Bálványos Free Summer University and Student Camp ( hu, Bálványosi Nyári Szabadegyetem és Diáktábor; ro, Universitatea de Vară și Tabăra Studențească „Bálványos”; commonly known as the Tusványos Festival or just Tusványos) is a large-scale intellectual workshop of the Carpathian Basin held annually in Băile Tușnad, Romania ( hu, Tusnádfürdő). It was originally intended to promote cross-border co-operation, Romanian-Hungarian dialogue and cultural Hungarian- Hungarian political exchange. Besides the political and public themes, there is also the opportunity to relax and have fun and to participate in sporting and cultural events or visit concerts of Hungarian and Transylvanian Hungarian ensembles.

History

The first edition was held in 1990 at

Balvanyos Balvanyos ( Hungarian: ''Bálványos'') is a spa resort in Covasna County, in the east of Transylvania, central Romania. It lies at an altitude 840–950 m on the southern slopes of the Bodoc Mountains, some 67 km from Sfântu Gheorghe, th ...

, with the intention to promote dialogue between Romanians, Hungarians from Romania, and Hungarians from Hungary. The early camps were attended by several high-ranking politicians both from Romania (such as

Emil Constantinescu Emil Constantinescu () (born 19 November 1939) is a Romanian professor and politician, who served as the President of Romania, from 1996 to 2000. After the Romanian Revolution of 1989, Constantinescu became a founding member and vice president ...

, Traian Băsescu,

Adrian Severin Adrian Severin (born 28 March 1954) is a Romanian politician and former Member of the European Parliament. Adrian Severin started his politics career under the Communist rule, as Instructor (''lector'') at Ștefan Gheorghiu Academy, the univer ...

) and Hungary, and it was well received by both communities.Tusványos, sau când dialogul seamănă a monolog

Adevărul ''Adevărul'' (; meaning "The Truth", formerly spelled ''Adevĕrul'') is a Romanian daily newspaper, based in Bucharest. Founded in Iași, in 1871, and reestablished in 1888, in Bucharest, it was the main left-wing press venue to be published dur ...

, July 29, 2015Tusványos: kapocs a nemzetek között
Erdélyi Napló, February 14, 2014 In 1997, the event was moved from Balvanyos to Tușnad (hence the Hungarian informal name ''Tusványos''). Around 2000, it started turning from a political workshop into a student summer camp; some critics consider that to have a negative effect on the event. Around 2010, a new transformation took place: the Viktor Orbán regime from Hungary became heavily involved by using the summer university to exhibit the politics of Fidesz. The Romanian media became critical and the Romanian participation diminished. Many politicians refused invitations for the fear of being stigmatisedBăile Tuşnad, „Bazinul Carpatic“ şi viitorul Europei

, July 30, 2018 and disapproved of the event because they considered that used to be a dialogue has turned instead into a monologue by the Hungarian side.

References

{{reflist Festivals in Romania Székely Land Hungarians in Romania 1990 establishments in Romania