In celebration of the Day of Hungarian Culture, the Tulipán Foundation, in collaboration with the American Hungarian Schools Association, hosted a special AMIT-Tali Online event designed for teachers from community-led weekend schools across the U.S. As these schools play a vital role in teaching Hungarian language and culture to children growing up in the diaspora, the event aimed to equip these educators with practical tools to integrate Hungarian folk traditions into their curriculum, recognizing the unique challenges of raising Hungarian-American children far from their cultural roots.
The event was led by Mihály Vetró, a felt maker, vocational teacher, and artistic director at the Nádudvar Folk Handicrafts Vocational High School, who is also a Tulipán Foundation grant recipient. Vetró’s passion for traditional folk crafts, particularly felt making, spans over several decades. He has studied felting techniques in countries such as Anatolia, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan, and his expertise has made him a leading figure and educator in the world of felt art.
In addition to his work as an educator, Vetró has co-curated nearly 80 exhibitions in Hungary and internationally and has contributed to numerous publications on felting, weaving, and folk crafts. His contributions to the field of folk art have earned him many accolades, including the Young Master of Folk Art award in 2001 and the Zsuzsanna Erdélyi Award in 2018 from the Folk Art Section of the Hungarian Academy of Arts. His dedication to preserving and revitalizing traditional folk crafts has had a lasting impact on Hungarian and international cultural life.
At the AMIT-Tali event, Vetró shared a range of traditional Hungarian folk craft activities related to Hungary’s spring festivals and notable cultural days. His demonstration gave teachers practical, hands-on projects they could implement in their weekend school classrooms, ensuring that children born in the U.S. could connect with their cultural heritage in a tangible way. Vetró’s deep knowledge of folk arts, combined with his engaging teaching style, made the event both informative and inspiring for the attendees.
For children growing up in the U.S., many Hungarian traditional tales, rhymes, and games can feel distant without the cultural context they would naturally encounter in Hungary. This event sought to bridge that gap by offering teachers innovative ways to make these traditions more accessible and engaging, helping diaspora children connect with their Hungarian roots in a meaningful way.
The craft activities Vetró demonstrated weren’t just educational—they offered a multifaceted approach to cultural learning. By incorporating these hands-on projects into the classroom, teachers could foster creativity, enhance fine motor skills, and encourage problem-solving abilities in their students. More importantly, these activities helped nurture a deeper sense of identity and belonging for children growing up outside of Hungary.
Our AMIT-Tali Online event provided a valuable platform for teachers to exchange ideas, learn new techniques, and gain insights into how to bring Hungarian traditions to life in their classrooms. By empowering these educators, we ensure that Hungarian culture remains a vibrant and cherished part of the lives of Hungarian American children, even as they grow up far from home.