Support for the 400th anniversary celebrations of Bethlen Gábor College
The Bethlen Gábor Foundation has received a substantial grant from the Communitas Foundation for the organisation of the 400th anniversary celebrations of Bethlen Gábor College. The celebration took place on 11 June 2022, with a very colourful programme of events, including the presentation of the commemorative album, Renaissance activities, a time travel, a high-quality commemorative ceremony and a buffet reception for the invited guests in the hall of the college. In the framework of the Alba County Hungarian Days, the jubilee tree-planting ceremony was held on Friday by the entire student body and staff of the college. Symbolically, 40 ornamental trees were planted in the gymnasium and in the courtyard of the college.
As a background institution of the college, the Bethlen Gábor Foundation used the entire amount of the grant received to organise the event and implement the programmes listed above.
A significant part of the grant was used to cover the costs of publishing the commemorative album. This financial support was a huge help, without which the album would not have been possible.
On 11 June, in the morning, a commemorative album was presented, which brings together the thoughts and personal experiences of the institution’s supporters, past and present leaders, teachers and students, who have a connection with the College. The various writings recall the past, glimpses of the present and many encouraging thoughts for the future.
“Who are the authors of this album? Retired teachers, principals, alumni, supporters, who have taken and still carry the fate of the 400-year-old Bethlen College on their heart. I really wanted to create a “bridge” between the 300th and the 400th anniversary. But there are also some of the writings of present-day students who are our hope, our pride, and for whom and with whom we should celebrate.” – Turzai Melania, editor of the commemorative album, retired teacher of Hungarian language and literature at the college
The grant was also used to purchase promotional materials, advertising flags were purchased and placed in the courtyard and at the entrance to the college, thus contributing to the high-quality image of the event.
T-shirts were provided for volunteers who contributed to the event, rewarding their work and making it easy for guests to identify volunteers if they needed help. T-shirts were also purchased for the Foundation, featuring motifs and inscriptions related to the 400th anniversary.
As our commemoration was organised in conjunction with the Alba County Hungarian Days, 40 trees were symbolically planted on Friday in the gymnasium and courtyard of the college. All the departments, as well as the faculty, the management board and the town council, took part in the tree planting programme and undertook to take care of the trees. It turned out to be a very convivial and community-building event. The anniversary tree planting symbolizes commitment and a more sustainable future. The planting of the saplings represents not only the past 400 years, but also a new beginning and faith in the future. The 40th ornamental tree was also partly funded by a grant from the Communitas Foundation.
During the morning, there was a parallel Renaissance activity for the students of the college and the public. A wonderful journey back in time was organised by the Order of the Golden Griffin. It was a taste of a time when life in Transylvania was bustling, the Renaissance was flourishing, merchants, travellers and armies marched on the King’s military journeys. The association’s programme included weapon display, archery, spear throwing, a glimpse of Renaissance life and a display of period torture devices. There was also a performance by the Collegium Gabrielense, a Renaissance dance group run by the Bethlen Gábor Foundation and made up of students from Bethlen Gábor College. This activity was also partly financed by the grant received.
After the official opening ceremony, a buffet reception was held in the College’s banquet hall, where all the guests were thanked for their presence.
So, to sum up, the 400th anniversary celebration of Bethlen Gábor College we can largely thanks to the Communitas Foundation. A secure source of funding was essential for the organisation of this high-quality event.
The Bethlen Gábor Foundation applied for the grant. Following the award of the grant, the implementation of the planned programmes/activities was also carried out by our Foundation.
We feel that it was a celebration worthy of the 400th anniversary, a true celebration of joy. One of our main goals was achieved, to gather as many alumni as possible and to give everyone the chance to recall the good memories that link them to the college.
In the years to come, we will continue to build the future of Bethlen Gábor College with strong faith, creating opportunities for future generations to experience the moral values that the College offers to all its students.
Thank you for the dedicated support!