Prince Ermias Sahle Selassie recently completed a formal visit to Hungary from August 18 to August 23, 2024. The President of the Crown Council, HIH Prince Ermias Sahle-Selassie, visited Budapest accompanied by a delegation including HIH Princess Saba Kebede, lij Anania Abebe, and lij Yitayil Berhanu. The visit included a series of formal events, ceremonies, and social activities.
The delegation received a warm welcome by local hosts and visited the Hungarian Parliament,. They later attended an inauguration at the Royal Castle of Buda. The ceremony, held in the historic Habsburg family crypt, was one of the highlights of the visit, including a state honours ceremony and champagne toast. Zsolt Semjén, the Deputy Prime Minister of Hungary, presented Prince Ermias with the Hungarian Order of Merit Commander’s Cross in recognition of his work for the promotion of Christian values between the two countries and for working to enhance Hungary’s good reputation. This presentation was accompanied by the investiture of the Deputy Prime Minister of Hungary with the Grand Collar of Ethiopia’s Order of the Trinity, The day concluded with a gala dinner at the Carmelite Monastery hosted by Deputy Prime Minster Zsolt and his wife and prominent Hungarian dignitaries.
The subsequent days were filled with rich cultural experiences. On Hungary’s National Day, the group attended a Holy Mass at St. Stephen’s Basilica, followed by a procession and an evening fireworks display viewed from the Carmelite Monastery. A trip to the Tihany Abbey and a boat tour on the Danube River rounded out the midweek activities. The visit culminated with a farewell dinner hosted by Dr. Ádám Berniczei-Roykó, providing a final opportunity for participants to exchange diplomatic gifts before departing Budapest on August 23rd. Upon returning from Budapest, Prince Ermias reported to supporters of the Ethiopian Crown that “The trip not only honored historic ties between Ethiopia and Hungary but also deepened diplomatic and cultural relations.”
He also stated that “there will be ongoing initiatives and work in the fields of education and cultural conservation.”
