Intertwinings - the latest family interview volume by KINCS
As a continuation of the inspiring books about Roma women and men, we have now presented “Intertwinings”, a family interview volume that showcases the diversity of family life through the personal stories of 11 families. Published by the Mária Kopp Institute, the book offers a glimpse into the everyday lives, joys, and struggles of well-known and respected couples and families—stories woven together by respect, commitment, humility, and adaptability.
At the book launch, Tünde Fűrész, President of KINCS, emphasized that the Advent season particularly highlights the importance of family relationships, therefore it was the perfect time to present this volume which focuses on family values and the significance of marriage. As she noted, the aim of the interview collection is to shed light on the resources and achievements we owe to our Roma compatriots—contributions without which Hungary would be significantly poorer. The stories of the eleven couples convey a clear message: we can choose, we can shape a vision of family life that both respects heritage and builds the future, since identity is not an obstacle but a source of strength in both family and professional life.
According to Attila Sztojka, it is a misconception that one can start a family only when security is already guaranteed—rather, it is the family itself that creates security, and the Roma community follows this traditional model. The State Secretary responsible for social opportunities and Roma relations highlighted that Hungary sets an example in the fight against poverty, producing tangible results. In the settlements included in the Emerging Settlements programme, the proportion of children born with low birth weight has decreased by 15 percent, showing that Roma parents are preparing for family formation with increasing awareness. Forty-three percent of Roma aged 20–24 now have an upper-secondary qualification, and within a decade the number of Roma university graduates has doubled. All this, he added, is concrete evidence of social advancement and the government’s policy measures.
Dr. Attila Beneda pointed out that in many respects the fate of the Roma and the Hungarian population resembles one another, but their most important common denominator is the love and importance of family—foundations on which one can rely in a world full of challenges. This is why the government aims to strengthen marriages and families, supporting them through more than 30 different measures. The effects of these measures are clearly visible in the statistics: between 2010 and 2023, Hungary saw the greatest increase in marriage and childbearing intentions at the EU level, the number of divorces fell to a 60-year low, and Hungary recorded the largest growth in the share of children born to married parents.
István Antal, the editor of the volume, introduced the participants of Intertwinings, who were invited from the fields of culture, science, public administration, media, civil society, business, and sports. The presidential advisor of KINCS highlighted the key points of intertwinement that underpin a stable marriage. He emphasized that the key to a lasting relationship is mutual adaptation, which can only succeed if rooted in respect and humility; this is how a strong family fabric can be woven—one that draws on traditions and inherited family patterns.
Following the presentation of István Antal, the couples featured in the volume participated in roundtable discussions where they shared their thoughts on what makes their marriages work, the significance of family patterns and traditions, and the secrets of a successful family life. In the first discussion—moderated by Ferenc Papinót, communications officer at KINCS—journalist and reporter Béla Baranyi and his wife, Judit Regős, president of the Parents’ House Foundation, recounted the unusual story of how they met and shared their experiences of an intercultural marriage. Researcher and teacher Tímea Mezei and her husband, Roland Markócs, discussed the development of their relationship and the challenges arising from cultural differences. All participants agreed that every family faces difficulties, sometimes even tragedies, but overcoming them—adapting to one another and maintaining mutual commitment—is the foundation of a successful marriage.
The second roundtable discussion focused on the transmission of cultural values. Participants included jazz pianist and performer Károly Nyári and his wife, Edit Lányi, a literature and music teacher; Kálmán Káli-Horváth, Director of RefoRom (Budapest Reformed Roma Special College), and his wife, Marianna Borkó, a teacher; as well as communications director Tibor Balogh and his wife, Virág Baloghnė Balogh, a child protection administrator. The invited couples recalled how they met, discussed the development of their careers, how they raise their children, and the values that guide their everyday lives. They emphasized the identity-shaping power of cultural traditions, art, music, and dance, while also noting that children must be given the freedom to find their own path. The discussion was moderated by Mónika Raffael, researcher at the Mária Kopp Institute and co-editor of the book.
Intertwinings is now available in Hungarian in the Institute’s bookstore:
https://www.koppmariaintezet.hu/books25/HU/2025/Fono%CC%81da%CC%81sok_ebook.pdf
