Minister of defence runs together with soldiers for peace

“Beyond camaraderie, the main message of this community run – the idea of peace – is more topical than ever. Although we are soldiers, we are running for peace, because the wind of war is blowing over Europe again, the nightmare that is looming once again is the same in which our fathers and grandfathers suffered many times during the past centuries” – said Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky at the event.

He added that Hungary especially suffered a lot from wars. For this reason, we must do our best so that no wars can affect Hungary again, so that Hungary can prevent its being involved in them.

The minister of defence recalled that the International Military Sports Council (CISM) was established 78 years ago on 18 February. Around the world, soldiers run together to commemorate its foundation and celebrate what connects them with sports. This is because all soldiers are athletes, and perhaps many athletes are soldiers to a small extent.

He went on saying that this spirit, which manifests itself in camaraderie, is important to soldiers in their everyday lives and strengthens the cohesion through which they are able to guarantee the security of Hungarian people.

“While the government is fighting for peace in politics, let us run today to have peace stay with us and the peoples of Europe, and to turn the efforts of the CISM’s founders into reality: sport, camaraderie and peace” – this was how the minister of defence closed his speech, having run the 3200-meter distance together with members of military units at the Honvéd sport facility in Dózsa György Street.

MoD State Secretary for Force Development and Defence Policy Dr. Zsolt Kutnyánszky and Brigadier General Gábor Sánta, Chief of Training Directorate, HDF Defence Staff also participated in the peace run. Before the run, the soldiers of the HDF Sports Company – among them épée fencer Lieutenant Gergely Siklósi, Olympic medalist and world champion pentathlete Corporal Blanka Guzi – held a warm-up practice.