Debrecen4U August 17, 2025

A new exhibition opened in the Memorial Garden

The Municipality of Debrecen, the Debrecen-Nagytemplom Reformed Church Congregation, and the Debrecen Charity Board opened an exhibition titled “Encounters in the Garden of Love” on August 16, 2025, in the Memorial Garden located behind the Reformed Great Church.

In celebration of the Debrecen Flower Carnival, the Memorial Garden has been transformed into a “Garden of Love.” 

Under the theme “Let’s meet in the garden of love, where love comes full circle,” community-made decorations and artworks are continuously being displayed along the garden’s fence.

The exhibition was opened by István Puskás, Deputy Mayor of Debrecen. He emphasized that community collaboration and activity have been integral to the Flower Carnival since its inception. It is heartening to see this tradition growing stronger each year. For example, people can decorate a community flower float at Dósa nádor Square. The Galiba Children’s Festival is made possible through city-wide cooperation, and the creation and decoration of the Garden of Love are also a result of this unity. This is vital for the people of Debrecen, as it strengthens the community and enables them to experience the profound power of belonging. It’s also important that this initiative involves all generations, ensuring that collaboration remains a cornerstone of the city’s cohesion in the future. This spirit of unity also showcases the essence of Debrecen to visitors and tourists—a vibrant, living community. Without it, Debrecen wouldn’t be the peaceful, welcoming city. The deputy mayor expressed gratitude to everyone who nurtures Debrecen’s communities and contributes, in any way, to the enrichment of the city.

Edit Bódor, Chair of the Debrecen Charity Board, highlighted that while decorating the Memorial Garden has become a tradition, never before have so many organizations and creators come together as they have now. For the first time, the focus isn’t just on flowers and beauty, but on many aspects of life—various activities and events spanning several days throughout the carnival week.

She emphasized that this community decoration was born from unity and love, as the Debrecen Flower Carnival truly belongs to everyone. 

She thanked the many contributors, including the Debrecen-Nagytemplom Reformed Church Congregation, the Angyalliget Foundation, the DMJV Family and Child Welfare Center’s summer camp children, the Nagyerdei Cultural Park, the Debreceni Nagyerdőért Nature and Cultural Association, DVSC, Future of Debrecen, DEMKI – Debrecen Cultural Center and Youth House, the Debrecen Csonkatemplom-Kistemplom, Méliusz Juhász Péter Library, Karakter 1517 bookstore and café, the North Great Plain Regional Association of the Visually Impaired, the Debrecen branch of the Hungarian Anti-Cancer League, the Halápon a Gyermekekért Public Benefit Association, Refomix Nonprofit Public Benefit Ltd., first-year students of the University of Theatre and Film Arts, the Karakteres TűBarátnők, the Mosolyvirág Large Families Association of Debrecen, Természettár, Agóra Science Experience Center, the Hungarian Reformed Charity Service, the Hortobágy National Park Directorate, the Mozdulj, Debrecen! movement, and Piknik Varázs—all of whom decorated the fence of the transformed Garden of Love for carnival week.

Edit Bódor concluded by recalling thoughts shared by artists and contributors about the Flower Carnival and Debrecen, expressed earlier in honor of the event’s 50th anniversary.

István Oláh, President and Pastor of the Debrecen-Nagytemplom Reformed Church Congregation, stated that Debrecen is a city where love plays a vital role in community life. Now, in the Memorial Garden—transformed into the Garden of Love—love comes full circle. Anyone walking through the garden these days can see the creations made with love by communities, or signs of the services performed with love to help others. According to the pastor, this love comes from Jesus Christ. As a Reformed city, Debrecen embraces the idea of returning our lives to the source of love—Jesus Christ. True love heals, comforts, brings peace, and is willing to make sacrifices for others.

With the upcoming celebration of the New Bread Festival, he also spoke about the sacred significance of bread, its biblical symbolism, and its role in prayer. Bread can symbolize divine providence, and its pieces can represent unity within a community.

Following the opening ceremony, attendees were treated to freshly baked bread and savory pastries.

The event was also connected to the day’s Church Farmers’ Market, organized by the congregation, and featured performances by traditional dancer Zsigmond Gyönyörű and Heit Lóri and his band. As a closing gesture, the participants began painting a huge mural related to the theme of nature conservation, which was also placed on the fence of the memorial garden, accompanied by music.

Source and photo credit: debrecen.hu