“Just like last year, we participated again this year in the VANFestival of the Hungarian Special Arts Workshop Association, which was held this time in Zamárdi during the first weekend of June. The MSAWA supports the artistic activities and development of our fellow human beings living with disabilities, and provides them with an opportunity for self-expression and to showcase their talent year after year in all branches of art, thereby also promoting their social acceptance. Thus, over the weekend, during the mornings, we were able to watch very diverse and high-quality productions, including modern and folk dance performances, musical and prose plays, but there were also those who played music, sang, or recited poems. The performers took to the stage with incredible enthusiasm and dedication to present the fruits of their hard work and receive their well-deserved applause. And the joy and good cheer of the performers proved to be contagious, reaching all of us and lasting the whole day. The afternoons were spent in a great atmosphere as well; together we enjoyed the concerts stretching into the night and the sunny shores of Lake Balaton.” – Izabella Patyi, Szeged Group 3
“It is important for every person to feel like part of a community. The sense of belonging is what truly shapes our personal identity and contributes to our happiness. For us, the Csányi students, the Guidance Festival represents the greatest opportunity for this connection, because there we experience all at once what it is like to be together with hundreds of our peers, to share the moment, and to spend quality time with each other. It was during an informal conversation over lunch there that the question of social sensitivity arose, as well as the situation of children and adults living in difficult circumstances or with disabilities, and furthermore, the value of the work of the developers and helpers working with them. We wanted to get to know more closely the work that is about supporting those living in the most vulnerable groups. Thus, when the Foundation’s mentor, Edit Ságodiné Samu, offered the opportunity for me to participate in the VANFestival, I accepted it with immense joy.
At the festival, I was able to gain a closer insight into the everyday lives of our fellow human beings who are least heard by the world, even though they possess extremely valuable thoughts and unique insights. The incredible enthusiasm with which they put everything they had into working on the productions was inspiring to me as well. And the pure joy and happiness when they felt the genuine attention flowing toward them will be an eternally unforgettable experience for me. The participants of the festival form a community that is closed, yet endlessly open, where everyone rejoiced from the bottom of their hearts at the meeting. They proudly showed through art who they are and where they came from. I am incredibly grateful that I could be a part of this miracle, if only a little bit. I feel I learned a great deal from those present, the organizers, my fellow Csányi students from Szeged, and also from Edit, who, with her sincere, loving care, represents a true role model for all of us.” – Gyula Pege, Jászság 3
“This year, for the first time, I was able to participate in the VAN festival of the Hungarian Special Arts Workshop Association, and for the participation in it, I thank you for the opportunity right at the beginning of the article. At the event organized in Zamárdi, I was able to encounter for the first time the astonishing sensory world of people living with intellectual disabilities; I found the sincere enthusiasm, effort, and willingness to act shown by them to be stunning, downright moving. I believe that at this age, it is outstandingly important for a person to get to know similar, practically ‘new worlds,’ to face the fact that what had seemed foreign or perhaps scary until then possesses such hidden depths.” – Márkó Felícián Laurinyecz – Sz3
“Over the weekend, we had the opportunity to gain insight into a world completely separate from us. We participated in the VAN Festival of the Hungarian Special Arts Workshop in Zamárdi, where we realized that this world is not so far from us at all. Year after year, within a festival framework, people living with disabilities showcase their talents: through dance, music, and acting.
We received an invitation and the opportunity for this grand event through our mentor, Edit Samu, which we accepted with great joy. For four days, we could enjoy the colorful performances, the dance houses, concerts, and the unclouded joy that the participants provided for us. Of course, in the afternoons, we also went down to the shore of Lake Balaton and enjoyed the good weather, so we can look back on a refreshing weekend both physically and spiritually. It was an incredible experience to see such an enthusiastic community that welcomes everyone with love and a smile. One only realizes on occasions like this how much can be learned in such situations, that joy is given to every person, it just needs to be used. For me, it was an experience to assist in the execution of this festival, as I felt how useful and rewarding even the little we do truly is.” – Hanna Faragó, Sz3
“People always say that giving is good, but until one tries an event like this as a helper, they cannot even imagine how much they get back in return. This was not a simple fulfillment of a task, but a sincerely soul-lifting experience that completely recharged a person. This year, I was in the fortunate position to be a part of the magic of the VANFestival more closely in Zamárdi.
Although the background work and the chaperoning came with responsibilities that seemed daunting at first, the pure energy and openness of the participants dissolved all inhibitions in moments. Watching the stage presentations, which ranged from rhythmic dances to heartwarming poems and plays, it was proven over and over again that art has no boundaries. It was fascinating to see the sincere excitement and pride emanating from the performers when they stepped in front of the audience. Yet, for me as a helper, the most defining experience was the unconditional trust with which they welcomed us. The informal afternoon programs, the shared laughs on the shore of Lake Balaton, and the casual conversations showed that true acceptance lies not in words, but in the lived moments. This weekend was not only a celebration for the performers, but for me too, it was a huge lesson in humanity, perseverance, and that joy of life which we often tend to forget in everyday life.
I am grateful to the team and the organizers, as well as to my mentor, for allowing me to be a member of such a cohesive, loving community during this summer-starting weekend.” – Bánk Kohári, Szeged Group 3
