Local services
The preparations for the Debrecen Flower Carnival are, as usual, taking place this year with a wide range of community initiatives aimed at beautifying the city.
The details were presented at a press conference in the western section of the Memorial Garden behind the Reformed Great Church, by András Beszterczey, pastor of the Reformed Church of Debrecen-Nagytemplom, Zsófia Juhász, director of the Immánuel Home, Diána Széles, deputy mayor of Debrecen, Réka Mészáros, director of the Főnix Rendezvěrkszervező Nonprofit Kft. and András Törő, President of the Debrecen Charity Board, on 15th of August 2023 – the second day of this year’s carnival week.
András Beszterczey’s introductory thought was that flowers are most often given to those to whom we are grateful, to whom we want to thank. The same spirit of thanks guided the parish and the Immánuel Home when they decided to decorate the Memorial Garden fence with flowers.
They want to give back to Debrecen for being their home, and to join the flower carnival that makes this city famous nationwide, perhaps even worldwide. The young people of the Immánuel Home want to contribute to making this city an even more colourful and grateful community, more aware of the word ‘thank you’.
Zsófia Juhász, director of the Immánuel Home, says their message is very important: that people with disabilities are just as valuable as others. The installation on the Memorial Garden fence – a total of 400 flowers and 180-200 plant cuttings – has been almost three months in the making and was created by them and the Home’s staff. Everyone had a part to play in the activity. The Immánuel Home wants to send a message that people with disabilities are involved in very important value creation and would like to continue to be involved in the future – in many places, also in the labour market, showing what they can do.
“Those who visit the Immánuel Home learn to value their own lives. They learn to see the highs and the lows and learn that by organizing in a community, you can overcome difficulties and reach heights. The work of the young people of the Immánuel Home also shows that the Flower Carnival in Debrecen is, for everyone, a celebration of love and togetherness.” Deputy Mayor Diána Széles said.
She continued that this is also underlined by the fact that a quarter of a hundred employees of the Municipal Social Service will also volunteer to decorate a flower float. Together with employees of the German company, they will decorate BMW’s flower cart, symbolising the community that exists between the car manufacturer and the city of Debrecen. The carriage will also be decorated with live flowers that will be planted in institutions, including the Pallagi Road retirement home.
Réka Mészáros, managing director of Főnix Rendezvěrkszervező Nonprofit Kft.., also stressed that the Flower Carnival is not just about flower floats, cultural programmes and entertainment events but about something more. It is about how we should look out for each other and help each other selflessly because we are a community, she added.
This is symbolised by the fact that two companies, Papp Művek from Pécs and OctoSYS from Debrecen, offered 206 tickets to families and children in need to watch the carnival parade from the stands. The tickets will be distributed to the recipients with the help of the Debrecen Charity Board. Réka Mészáros expressed the hope that this will start a tradition and that in the future, every year, the Flower Carnival will be able to link a similar noble and good cause to the aims of the Flower Carnival, which will send out the message that we look after each other!
András Törő, President of the Debrecen Charity Board, accepted the tickets on behalf of the Debrecen Charity Board and thanked the donors for their gifts. As he said, they want to give the donated tickets to needy families and children who could not afford to buy them.
“I would like to make the celebration of the founding of our state, the feast of King St Stephen, a real celebration for them so that they can feel and experience that when they celebrate, they can break away from everyday life, that something more happens than usual, and that they can draw strength from this to continue on their everyday journey. For children, these experiences can also add positivity to the start of school as they return to their communities enriched with spiritual and intellectual gifts, passing these values on to their peers,” he added.
Source and photo credit: debrecen.hu
