15 February 2021 marks the beginning of the population census in Slovakia, carrying decisive importance with view to the future of Hungarian communities in the historic Upper Hungary region.

The Rákóczi Association seeks to contribute to ensuring that as many citizens with Hungarian roots as possible declare their ethnicity during the census.

In the interest of this, the Association aims to reach out to as many local Hungarians as possible with input from its partners based in Slovakia through Hungarian-language educational institutions and the families of their students, billboards, video clips and other campaign methods. We deem it important to ensure that the largest possible number of our fellow Hungarians are aware of the significance and consequences of the census and receive proper information on its implementation.

The outcome of the census is of key importance to minority Hungarians’ ability to exercise their rights, as well as the future of Hungarian as a mother tongue and Hungarian culture.

Education in the Hungarian language is the chief pillar of preserving culture in the mother tongue. In the upcoming weeks and months, parents in minority Hungarian regions shall also decide on the language of tuition they are to choose for their child reaching school age. In the running year, the Rákóczi Association continues to encourage Hungarian families to choose Hungarian-language education for their children.