The Szeklers (in Hungarian: Székely), are a group of the Hungarian people living mostly in the Székely Land, an ethno-cultural region in eastern Transylvania, Romania, for more than 1,000 years. The Székely Land consists of the Harghita, Covasna and Mureş counties, in which the Hungarian-speaking Szeklers collectively form the majority. In order to preserve their ethnic identity, the Szeklers have been calling for territorial autonomy within Romania. To emphasize the need for territorial autonomy, three organizations in Szekely Land has called for a worldwide demonstration on March 10, with its centre in Marosvasarhely and with demonstrations in other cities in the world, including Toronto and Ottawa.
As the Board of Directors of the National Alliance of Hungarians in Canada, we support the Szekler’s Demonstration for the territorial Autonomy of Szeklerland (Terra Siculorum) in Marosvásárhely on Szekler’s Freedom Day, March 10, 2013, organized by the National Szekler Council (CNS), National Council of Transylvania Magyars (CNMT) and the Transylvania Magyar People’s Party (PPMT). The aim of the Szekler autonomy initiatives, launched by local patriots, is to achieve the self-governance of Szeklerland inside Romania , restoring the traditional territorial autonomy, the only way of prosperity and peaceful coexistence of Szekler and Romanian people in this region.
Szeklers, as free citizens of Romania and the European Union, are exercising their democratic right of free association and free expression of opinion, cognizant of their responsibility to future generations.
- According to the Statute of the Council of Europe, Szekler-Magyars in Transylvania have right to feel at home in their ancient homeland.
- They must have the right to use their mother tongue and national symbols freely.
- They must have the right to independent education, from kindergarden to university.
- They must have the right to the control over their natural resources.
- They must have the right to be able to make decisions in matters concerning their life.
We agree that autonomy is the part of federalism and therefore autonomy, and federalism is the only solution for maintaining peace in the Carpathian Basin.