A documentary film detailing the mission, history, and achievements of the Hungary Helps Program, which supports persecuted Christians, debuted at the Uránia National Film Theater on Tuesday.
“We must do everything we can to combat the persecution of Christians and to alleviate the suffering of persecuted Christians,”
emphasized Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semjén at the Budapest premiere of the film Hungary Helps: Where Hungary Means Life (Hungary Helps – Ahol Magyarország az életet jelenti). The politician noted that every day 12 Christians are martyred and 400 million Christians suffer persecution because of their faith.
In recent times, the number of Christians in the Middle East has dwindled to a fraction of what it once was, which is not only the fault of Islamism but also of the West, as the “Arab Spring,” for instance, caused immeasurable suffering in the region, the deputy prime minister underscored.
“Our task is active solidarity,”
said Semjén, adding that as part of the Hungary Helps Program, 500 projects have been implemented in 68 countries, reaching 2.5 million people.
The deputy prime minister described it as unique in the world that the State Secretariat for Persecuted Christians operates not as an NGO, but within the Hungarian government, providing not only physical assistance to those in need but also ensuring they feel they are not alone.
Tristan Azbej, State Secretary for the Aid of Persecuted Christians, said at the film screening:
“We wish for ourselves to be able to remain in our homeland while preserving our Hungarian and Christian identity. It is no coincidence that we enshrined in our Fundamental Law our recognition of Christianity’s nation-preserving power. And what we expect for ourselves, we now wish for others as well.”
He recalled that it was from this idea that the government organization responsible for programs aiding persecuted Christians and the Hungary Helps Program it operates were born, a program whose fundamental component is personal contact with the beneficiaries.
This program is not merely a government initiative, but a national calling, the helping hand of all of Hungary,”
Greek Catholic Father Ákos Makláry spoke about how followers of Christ have practiced providing practical assistance from the very beginning. “For a state founded on the Christian faith, caring for the vulnerable and the poor is a fundamental human, social, and ethical duty. The measure of any community is how it treats the most vulnerable,” said Makláry.
The documentary Hungary Helps – Where Hungary Means Life, supported by the National Film Institute, was directed by András Árpád Novák and produced by György Tálas.
Hungary launched a unique program in 2017 to champion the cause of persecuted Christians, elevate efforts to assist them to the international level, and protect Christian and other communities afflicted by religious persecution, armed violence, or disasters. The Hungary Helps Program has helped millions of people remain in their homeland rather than emigrate.
