Debrecen4U April 27, 2026

Food Day Brought the Flavours of 36 Countries to Visitors

At the Great Forest Stadium, visitors were able to sample special dishes from 36 nations on 24 April. Alongside the popular Asian cuisines, Food Day also featured lesser-known flavours from Africa and many other exotic regions. International students prepared the delicacies using spices brought from their home countries.

A total of 36 nations presented their own traditional dishes in the area next to the Great Forest Stadium.

“As President of the Student Union, it is inspiring to see that several thousand people from different nations are here, enjoying themselves together. There are no Hungarian or international students as such—there is simply the University of Debrecen and its student community. This is truly an uplifting feeling,” said Kevin Németh, President of the Student Union at the University of Debrecen.

Unique within Hungary, the culinary event was organised by the University of Debrecen for the 21st time.

The aim of Food Day remains to integrate the nearly 8,000 international students studying in Debrecen into the life of the university and the city.

“This event sought to emphasise that students arriving from many different countries can live and study together harmoniously here, despite all the conflicts that exist around the world,” stressed Attila Jenei, Director of the International Education Coordination Centre of the University of Debrecen.

According to Rector Zoltán Szilvássy, shared meals have always played an important role in people’s lives, as gastronomy is not only about flavours but also about coming together.

“A great many things have happened over meals throughout history. A sad example is the Last Supper, but there are also happier aspects, and this has become a tradition here at the University of Debrecen,” the Rector explained.

While visitors enjoyed the exciting national dishes, talents and bands from the international student community entertained the crowd on the festival stage.

Source and photo credit: dehir.hu