The settlements of Viszák in Őrség and Petišovci in the Mura region have maintained good relations for years, but in the summer of 2025, the relationship between the Viszák Veterans Club and the Tourism and Environmental Protection Association of Petišovci reached a new level. The two NGOs launched a joint small-scale project called Neighborhood “Neighborhood from Őrség to the Mura”, which aimed to increase community activity, diversify the cultural palette of the region and strengthen cross-border relations. The project was built on conscious, mutually reinforcing program elements. First, a delegation of 40 people met in Oszkó, Hungary, as part of a study tour at the invitation of the Viszáki Veteran Club in May 2025, and then in June, the Hungarian group visited Dobronak, Slovenia. Within the framework of the programs, the participants learned about the natural and cultural values of the border area. These meetings provided an opportunity to prepare a larger initiative, the Őrség-Muravidék Meeting and Cultural Festival series of events, which provided an opportunity for border nationalities to meet and introduce themselves in the form of two 1-day meetings and festivals.

In May 2025, the partnership announced a photo competition, which was open to all amateur photographers from Hungary and Slovenia whose works were in line with the spirit of the NEIGHBORHOOD project and were made with a demanding approach and at an artistic level. The basic idea of the “Neighborhood from Őrség to the Mura” photo competition was that sustainable human existence can only be imagined in harmony with nature. The main goal of the initiative was to capture the natural values and built heritage of the Slovenian-Hungarian border area, the atmosphere and sense of life of the countryside, and to draw attention to the importance and vulnerability of local values. With the support of the visual arts, the organizers sought to popularize local natural and cultural values and the protection of nature. Through the artistic vision of the photographers, not only can the wonderful manifestations of the forest and nature be seen, but also the rural feeling that man is part of the great system of nature. The call received 100 works from 7 Hungarian and 7 Slovenian amateur photographers. The partnership, with the help of a professional photographer familiar with both Hungarian and Slovenian border regions, finally put together an exhibition of the 40 best works, which could be viewed on both sides of the border in the form of a temporary exhibition.

The first event of the Őrség-Muravidék Meeting and Cultural Festival series took place in Petišovci on July 26, 2025, in the yard of the former school, which is an iconic location for local community life. The colorful program included a cooking competition, Slovenian and Hungarian gastronomic specialities, recipes and a chefs’ competition, with cooking and tastings, a mass in the Petišovci church, an exhibition of Slovenian and Hungarian craftsmen and artists, and a presentation of creative crafts. During the Gastropicnic program, the local organizers offered all hungry visitors lángos. The jury of the cooking competition was composed of well-known chefs. As part of the event, the photo exhibition “Neighborhood from Őrség to the Mura” was opened in a ceremonial setting, and the awards for the best works were presented. During the afternoon and evening, performances by Hungarian and Slovenian performers, singing and dancing groups ensured a good atmosphere. The successful event in Petišovci was followed by the program in Viszák on August 9, 2025, where the program of the event, in addition to the transmission of artistic values and gastronomy, also touched on the topic of sustainable farming. During the Viszák event, those interested had the opportunity to participate in a demonstration combined with tasting at a local home-made pálinka distillery. Hungarian and Mura region choirs, music ensembles, and dance groups entertained the audience during the stage programs. Both large-scale events, which were attended by nearly 1,000 people in total, were spiced up with program elements that built on the discovered artistic values of the project area, the common points of connection, and the human relationships that ensure community strength.

Photos by Neighborhood