Flag-Raising and Officer Commissioning Ceremony

The flag-raising and officer commissioning ceremony at Kossuth tér (Kossuth Square) is the opening event of the August 20 state celebration. In front of the Parliament building, the Hungarian national flag is raised amid a ceremonial military tribute. Alongside state leaders, representatives of the Magyar Honvédség (Hungarian Defence Forces) and honour guard units also take part in the event. This is followed by the commissioning of the newly graduated officer cadets of the National University of Public Service: their public oath-taking is one of the most important events in Hungarian military tradition, through which the young officers express their commitment to serving their country.