Intercultural dialogue is not a priority of cultural policies in Hungary. There are no specific state programmes to support intercultural dialogue.
On the cultural arena, especially on the alternative scene, there are ample international and intercultural interactive projects. Some genres lend themselves to such fusions, e.g., jazz and world music, in which Roma musicians play an eminent role. The government (and the National Fund) subsidise these projects without placing special emphasis on interculturalism.
A special feature of cross-border co-operation is the lively interaction that takes place with the ethnic Hungarian artistic communities and public living across the border in the neighbouring countries – which, by definition, is not “intercultural”.
In Hungary there have been no significant migrant communities; the number of migrants and their rate within the entire population has been very low: about 2% of the entire population is of foreign origin. Hungary has not been a popular or attractive destination for migrants.
Due to the rapid processes of assimilation of those minorities (Germans, Slovaks, Croats, Serbs etc.) that remained after various forms of cleansing, their culture has not developed greatly beyond folkloric nostalgia acts. The only intercultural relationship that has been an issue in today’s Hungary is the one between the Roma and the majority society. The large number and the geographic spread of this minority group produces occasions for interaction and opportunities for exclusion, inclusion, and assimilation; however, it is difficult to quote proven good practices of conscientious intercultural dialogue on the state level.
There is another relationship that is heavily laden with historical legacy and remains a latent source of tension: that of Jews who are estimated to represent around 1% of the population. Regardless of the recent phenomena of displaying or reconstructing Jewish art (there are Jewish festivals, cultural centres etc.), one cannot speak of a separate Jewish culture inside Hungarian society, with which to pursue intercultural dialogue.
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