6 October is a National Day of Mourning in Hungary remembering the Thirteen Martyrs of Arad who made the ultimate sacrifice for Hungary’s freedom and independence after the defeat of the 1848–49 Revolution and Freedom Fight.

5 October is dedicated to Raoul Wallenberg, who saved the lives of one hundred thousand Hungarian Jews during World War II.

Over the last couple of years the censorship of historical narratives has intensified in China. The assault on history is shared by all communist dictatorships and it goes against the conservative understanding of societies.

On 30 September, Hungary celebrates its folk tale heritage. Folk stories teach Hungarian children about the importance of courage, love and honesty on the journey of life.

30 years ago, dozens of statues were removed from public places all across Hungary. The Iconoclasm of the 1990s was not only a symbolic event of the regime change, but also a moment of democratic awakening for Hungary.

Secondhand Time by Noble laureate Svetlana Alexievich is a powerful account of what Russians really think about the demise of the USSR. The views on the collapse of the regime are revealed to be much more complex and varied than what the overused media catchphrases ‘nostalgia’ and ‘sentimentalism’ suggest.

The United Kingdom’s new ruler, Charles III is one of the less popular royals, with some predicting that he may become a meddling monarch.

Mária Wittner, one of Hungary’s last 1956 revolutionaries, passed away on 14 September, at the age of 85. Today, we remember her life, her dedication to the fight against communist authoritarianism, and the sacrifices she made for Hungary’s freedom.

The governor of New York has declared a state of emergency over polio, following two other states of emergency over COVID-19 and monkeypox. While encouraging polio vaccinations is important, New York should consider trust issues as well before scaring residents over a single known polio case.

The amendment to the Hungarian abortion law, which has been unchanged for about 30 years, now requires mothers to listen to the foetal heartbeat before obtaining an abortion.