Opening speech by Enikő Győri

The Hungarian Camino, the trail of heritage, a soullifting insight into Hungary’s natural and cultural treasures

This exhibition was born from the experience when a remarkable artist, photographer Barna Burger fulfilled a childhood dream by walking the Hungarian National Blue Trail, meeting a unique cultural-natural challenge. We speak of a trail comprising 27 sections. In 2020, National Geographic listed it among the 25 most recommended travel destinations worldwide.
It encompasses 100 peaks (albeit peaks by Hungarian standards), 150 stamping locations, 340 hours of hiking, nearly 1,180 km, 31,000 m of elevation gain, and over 10,000 people who have successfully completed it.

The trail starts at the country’s western border (Írott-kő) and stretches to the northeastern Zemplén Mountains, covering most geographical regions of Hungary. Hikers encounter Hungary’s natural beauty and cultural treasures along the way. The trailpasses historic towns and villages, and famous wine producing regions like Eger and Tokaj.

As an experienced Blue Trail hiker, I can say it is not just sport but also a philosophy of life. Although today it lacks the religious connotation of the Camino pilgrimage, it is equally spiritual. Andlet me recall it began as Saint Stephen’s Pilgrimage in 1938,named after our first king, the founder of the Hungarian State. The closeness to nature, its simplicity, the mixed feeling of permanent challenge and freedom provide a life-changing experience. Every step is filled with excitement, doubt, and self-reflection. Because you must also conquer yourself during the hike.

And then we have the artist, the Budapest born figure in contemporary Hungarian photography. Barna Burger over his career, worked for several prestigious magazines, capturing public figures, and buildings with exceptional sensitivity in his portraits. His works have been exhibited not only in Hungary but also in New York, Berlin, Leipzig, and Frankfurt. In 2009 at the Frankfurt Book Fair, the Hungarian stand was adorned with his portraits of contemporary Hungarian writers, including Nobel prize winner Imre Kertész. Despite his serious illness, he continued to create, leaving a lasting legacy in Hungarian visual culture.
He was taken from us at a very young age, leaving behind his wife and three small children. Thank you, Fanni, for being here with us today.I met Barna in the world of politics, as a photographer. He captured important events and moments with subtlety while he remained unnoticed. He didn’t orchestrate scenes; instead, he captured the moment.

In 2013, Barna completed the Blue Trail, taking thousands of photographs. His album Blue Wanderer was published by the Hungarian Hiking Association. His thoughts during the long journey were recorded by Zoltán Kőrösi, creating a “fragmentary diary”, as Barna called it. He was not a man of words; he thought and communicated through images. And how fate works – today’s exhibition was made possible by the Budapest museum named after the world-famous photographer, Robert Capa, and the museum’s current director isOrsolya Kőrösi, the widow of Zoltán Kőrösi, who also passed away young.

Some complete the Blue Trail on foot, others by bicycle or horseback. It can be done all at once or in sections. There is no time limit. I have completed 97% so far. With friends, we have been hiking it for years. I have also walked the Camino in Spain, and based on these two experiences, I can say that walking allows you to experience things you never would otherwise.

We walk away the tension, experiencing and immersing ourselves in what Barna described as “wild, untamed, lush, and beautiful” nature, surrendering ourselves to it. There are moments when you can even “hear the silence.” Completing the trail is a deeply personal experience, but also a shared one for all of us. As you walk, you not only discover the landscape and cultural wonders, but also the people living there and yourself. You push your limits.

The most treasured possession of a hiker is the trail logbook. I have brought mine with me. Along the way, we all become passionate stamp collectors, just like children. At some point, a hiker is left with only one fear: what happens when it’s over? Because we always have to walk, we need to find new challenges. The solution: the trail has been extended with the Great Hungarian Plain and Southern Transdanubia. So new objectives emerge.

Being so close to Christmas, let me conclude with the quotation from the Bible that is close to my heart, what  Jesus said on the eve of his death to prepare his faithful apostles for hardships: “I am the way and the truth and the life.” (John 14:6)

Ladies and Gentlemen, let me thank our President, Roberta Metsola, who is really the president of all MEPs of this House for accompanying us today. Also special thank to