Diplomacy&Trade 2022-07

U. S. TO VOTE IN COMPETITIVE MIDTERM ELECTIONS

THE RECENT ABORTION RULING BY THE SUPREME COURT, INFLATION, HIGH ENERGY PRICES, ETC. COULD BE CRITICAL GAME CHANGING ISSUES AT THE NOVEMBER 8 VOTING

Diplomacy Needs More Women Switzerland in Debrecen

Hungarian diplomat Katalin Bogyay, a former ambassador and television broadcaster, is the President of the UN Association of Hungary. She is the founder of the organization ‘Women4Diplomacy’ and the Circle of Women Ambassadors in the United Nations. She believes that “the way women are involved in moving the world also depends on how many female diplomats there are,” advocating for more women at the negotiating tables. see interview on page 8

This October, Swiss Days were organized in the eastern Hungarian city of Debrecen, the first time an event of this kind to take place outside Budapest in a large rural city. Thus, the eastern Hungarian city kicked off the ‘Switzerland in your city’ project, a series by the Swiss Embassy to present their country in the Hungarian countryside. see article on page 10

letter from the publisher

In the previous issue of Diplomacy&Trade, our international analyst termed the US policy conducted by President Biden as ‘cautious encouragement’ with an eye to the mid-term U.S. congressional elections in November. Now, taking a closer look at the recent polling data, it seems that the race is tightening. Both Democrats and Republicans are cautiously optimistic and our analyst puts his money on the Republicans gaining a slight majority in the House of Representatives while the Democrats retain the Senate. Our diplomacy page focuses on women in this profession. Former ambassador Katalin Bogyay founded the Circle of Women Ambassadors at the United Nations so that special issues especially important to women would be given attention on the UN agenda as well as the ‘Women4Diplomacy’ movement when she was President of the UN Association. She also lectures regularly, propagating her view that the understanding and use of soft power diplomacy as prevention is important for young diplomats to understand. One of the main tasks of embassies worldwide is presenting the values of their respective country to the people in the country they are accredited to. The Swiss Embassy in Budapest is quite active in this field, showcasing concrete examples of the close relations between Switzerland and Hungary. They have recently completed the first stage of the ‘Switzerland in your city’ project in the Eastern Hungarian city of Debrecen, focusing on business issues.

The WittyLeaks section is authored by the Croatian Ambassador, a great soccer fan, who wishes to recreate the atmosphere of four years ago when he organized – with the participation of several diplomats – ‘jamborees’ of watching World Cup matches at his Embassy. He hopes for “a fair competition, the pleasant socializing of diplomats and ‘civilians’ from various continents and backgrounds will be the most important result.” The wine pages reflect on this year's Budapest Wine Festival where people had the opportunity to taste unique American wines along with regional Hungarian wines. Also, we highlight the Tokaj Wine Business Institute offering of a joint program with its partner business school in Burgundy for Central European professionals.

The war in Ukraine, the energy crisis, out of control inflation, continuing COVID waves, social unrest and countless other issues keeps many of us up and searching for solutions. These are difficult times that call for leadership. Don’t stand by, stand up!

cont en ts

Peter Freed PUBLISHER

13 WHAT’S ON Concerts, festivals, events and exhibitions in and out of Budapest

14-15 WINE

Budapest Wine Festival 2022; Wine professionals of the future in Tokaj

PUBLISHER: Peter Freed PHOTO EDITOR: Dávid Harangozó COPY EDITOR: Héléna Niddam

SALES & MARKETING DIRECTOR: Tamás Varga ADMINISTRATION: Blanka Szalontai

CONTRIBUTORS: Sándor Laczkó, Adrienn Bakonyi-Kiss, Tamás Magyarics, Mladen Andrlić

PHOTO CONTRIBUTORS: depositphotos.com (cover), TRILITE (cover), LAFARGE, Budapest Airport/Róbert Baranyi, Schneider Electric, depositphotos.com, molgroup.info, motor-classic.com, TRILITE, Embassy of Croatia, David Marques, Live Nation, Amber Bracken, The Art of the Brick, Gergely Ripka, Szabolcs Vadnai, MTI Photos: Tibor Illyés, Tamás Vasvári, Dániel Kiss

CZECH FOCUS – COMING SOON

Diplomacy&Trade is preparing a special Focus section on Czech-Hungarian relations on the occasion of the Czech Republic holding the Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of 2022. The priority areas of the Czech Presidency (managing the refugee crisis and Ukraine’s postwar recovery; energy security; strengthening Europe’s defense capabilities and cyberspace security; strategic resilience of the European economy and resilience of democratic institutions), the extensive political, economic and cultural ties will be the subject of our interview with the Czech Ambassador to Hungary, Tibor Bial. Focus topics will also include tools provided by Czech economic diplomacy to their firms in Hungary.

Where finest wines and gastronomy meet page

Event guide to the Hungarian capital page

Croatian Embassy ready to ‘present’ another soccer World Cup page 12

on the record

"To consider these remedial measures to be ‘adequate', the Commission needs to be able to conclude that they will put an end to the identified risks for the EU budget and EU financial interest," Johannes Hahn stressed.

He highlighted that "Therefore, the Commission's assessment is that a risk for the budget at this stage remains. Therefore, we cannot conclude that the EU budget is sufficiently protected. The Commission proposes a suspension of 65% of the commitments for three operational programs under cohesion policy, amounting to an estimated EUR 7.5 billion –which is over a third of Hungary's Cohesion envelope, and the prohibition to enter into legal commitments with the so-called public interest trusts. The measures take into account the remedial measures Hungary submitted."

FOOD AND PETROL PRICE CAP PERIODS EXTENDED

The Hungarian government decided to extend the gasoline and food price freeze, the Minister heading the Prime Minister's Office, Gergely announced in the middle of September. According to the minister, the war and the sanctions in response had led to a brutal rise in energy prices, which in turn had caused a general rise in prices, inflation and an increase in the price of goods, especially food. As a result, the price of petrol and diesel has also spiraled out of control and interest rates have risen sharply in recent months.

The reason given for maintaining the price freezes is the exceptional situation: there will still be basic foodstuffs available at pre-crisis prices. In his opinion, it is the biggest family support program in Europe.

At the same time, analysts warn that the maintenance of the price caps continues to distort prices and results in inflation as shops increase the prices of other food items to make up for their losses that result from having to sell goods at a price that is lower than the price they have to pay for these items to producers or wholesalers.

EUROPEAN COMMISSION PROPOSES TO CUT FUNDS TO HUNGARY

The European Commission, the quasi-government of the European Union, calls for an estimated EUR 7.5 billion in EU funding to be withheld from Hungary over corruption and rule of law concerns that the Hungarian government failed to dispel.

Referring to EC President Ursula von der Leyen's State of the Union address earlier in the month, EC Commissioner Johannes Hahn, in charge of Budget and Administration, said on September 18 that the Commission will also protect the EU budget through the conditionality mechanism.

"In exactly this spirit, the Commission is proposing measures to the Council for the protection of the Union budget against breaches of the principles of the rule of law in Hungary," the Commissioner pointed out.

He added that this case started when the Commission notified Hungary in April earlier this year about its concerns relating to breaches of the principles of the rule of law that create a risk, and it is important because it is about the scope, for the EU budget. These concerns include systematic irregularities and deficiencies and weaknesses in public procurement; insufficiencies in addressing conflict of interest and concerns regarding public interest trusts; weaknesses in the effective pursuit of investigations and prosecutions in cases involving Union funds; and shortcomings in the anti-corruption framework. Over the summer, Hungary committed to 17 remedial measures to address the risks to the EU budget.

The Commission will now monitor the situation. "Hungary has committed to fully inform the Commission about the implementation of the remedial measures by 19 November, as also outlined in the timeline published in our proposal," the Commissioner said.

In the meantime, the Hungarian government submitted a group of measures to parliament that they hope will open the ‘money taps’ in Brussels.

COMPLEX WARFARE EXERCISE IN HUNGARY

'Brave Warrior 2022', a large-scale multinational exercise, involving thousands of allied troops in the execution of joint tasks, took place in the second half of September in Hungary.

It was a multinational (Hungarian, Croatian, Slovakian, Italian and American) complex combat exercise that took place at the Central Training and Firing Range of the Hungarian Defense Forces in Hajmáskér, W Hungary between September 15 and 30. This is the largest multinational warfare exercise of the Hungarian Defense Forces this year and the eighth time Hungary hosting it. More than 1,200 soldiers were taking part in the exercises: 17 units of the Hungarian Defense Forces with almost 600 participants, the largest number of participants being the Italian mountain troops and a US airborne rifle squadron. Croatian forces were participating in the exercise with various combat support and combat insurance forces, and a company of Slovak forces also joined in the framework of Visegrád (V4) cooperation.

In addition, a total of half a hundred technical vehicles took part in the exercises: from the Hungarian side, the Leopard 2 A4HU tank, the BTR-80 armored transport vehicle and the Gidrán armored support vehicle, the BlVIP-1 armored combat vehicle of the Slovak Army and the Centauro armored combat vehicle of the Italian Army. Air support was provided by two pairs of Mi-24 helicopters, one Mi-17 helicopter and, during the different phases of the exercise, a total of five H-145 M helicopters and a pair of Gripen JAS-39 aircraft.

INNOVATION IN THE EU: HUNGARY IN THE 'EMERGING' GROUP

The European Commission has published the 2022 edition of the European Innovation Scoreboard. According to the document, Hungary continues to be in the lowest, 'Emerging Innovators' category along with Bulgaria, Croatia, Latvia, Poland, Romania and Slovakia. The document states that compared to 2021, innovation performance in 2022 has improved for 19 Member States, and declined for eight. Compared to the EU

UPCOMING NATIONAL DAYS

October 1Cyprus National day

1China Independence day

1Nigeria Independence day

3Germany Independence day

3Korea National day

3Iraq National day

10Taiwan National day

10Cuba National day

12Spain National day

18Azerbaijan Independence day

23Hungary National day

24Zambia Independence day

26Austria National day

28Czech RepublicIndependence day

29Turkey National day

November 11Poland Independence day

11Angola Independence day

15Belgium National day

18Latvia Independence day

18Morocco National day

19Oman National day

22Lebanon Independence day

28Albania Independence day

average, global competitors such as Australia, Canada, Republic of Korea, and the United States continue having a performance advantage over the EU. Nevertheless, the EU has closed its performance gap with these nations and has surpassed Japan since 2021. Based on their scores, EU members states fall into four performance groups: Innovation leaders (performance is above 125% of the EU average), Strong innovators (between 100% and 125% of the EU average), Moderate innovators (between 70% and 100% of the EU average) and Emerging innovators (below 70% of the EU average). Sweden continues to be the best performer in the EU. Other Innovation Leaders are Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands and Finland.

In Hungary's country profile, the Commission report says that the Hungarian performance is at 69.8% of the EU average; performance is increasing (7.1%-points) at a rate lower than that of the EU (9.9%-points); the country’s performance gap to the EU is becoming larger.

NYUGATI, A ‘TREASURE OF EUROPEAN FILM CULTURE’

Budapest Nyugati [‘Western’] Railway Station has been selected as part the ‘Treasures of European Film Culture’, the European Film Academy has announced. Treasures of European Film Culture is a growing list of places of a symbolic nature for European cinema, places of historical value that need to be maintained and protected not just now but also for generations to come, the Academy stresses.

On the occasion of this year’s 35th European Film Awards, 22 places have been added to the list, to make it to a total of 35.

One of the new additions, the Hungarian capital’s Nyugati railway station was the starting point where the first Hungarian steam train departed on July 15, 1846 to Vác, 35 kilometers to the north. Budapest Nyugati railway station was opened to the public in 1877. The architectural design is the work of Austrian architect August W. de Serres, while the structure of the hall was designed by Theofil Seyrig, working for Gustav Eiffel’s engineering firm, together with Hungarian engineer Viktor Bernárdt.

company briefs

ERSTE BANK HUNGARY TO ACQUIRE COMMERZBANK HUNGARY

Erste Bank has received regulatory approval to acquire the Hungarian subsidiary of Commerzbank. Migration preparations are already underway and the transaction is expected to be completed in the second half of 2022 with the integration of Commerzbank's Hungarian subsidiary, which will allow Erste to further expand its corporate business.

According to a statement by Erste Bank Hungary, the parties continue to expect a smooth transition, with customers receiving all relevant information directly. Following the closing of the transaction, Commerzbank's customers will also have access to Erste Bank's wide range of services.

On December 17, 2021, Frankfurt-based Commerzbank AG entered into an agreement with Erste Bank Hungary Plc. to sell its Hungarian subsidiary. The sale of the Hungarian subsidiary is

LAFARGE COMMITTED TO THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY

LAFARGE Cement Hungary Ltd., as one of the leading manufacturers of building materials in the Hungarian construction industry, has already introduced a number of measures and programs to implement a circular economy and reduce its carbon footprint. As a result, it has now achieved 100% alternative fuel operation.

In a press release, LAFARGE Cement Hungary Ltd. says it is able to reduce its dependence on natural resources and fossil fuels by using materials that are treated as waste for other industries as a resource in cement production. In doing so, it creates value for society and the environment by offering an alternative way to recover waste (replacing incineration or landfilling). The firm introduced the recovery of alternative fuels under the Geocycle brand in 2014 and today replaces more than 80% of fossil fuels with waste for co-incineration.

"Since the start-up of the cement factory in Királyegyház, we have implemented more than HUF 4.5 billion worth of environmental, circular economy-related investments, which have resulted in a reduction of CO₂ emissions per ton of cement by more than 25%. We are particularly proud that in our cement plant, which is just over ten years old, we have been able to operate the kiln fully, i.e. 100%, with coincineration waste for several shifts this year. And our goal is to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050," Managing Director Tamás Hoffmann says, reporting on their environmental achievements so far.

On the road to a carbon neutral future, LAFARGE plans to recycle construction and demolition waste in cement production, as well as to invest in the use of new material streams as alternative fuels or raw materials.

part of the Commerzbank 2024 Strategy, announced in February 2021, under which the bank will exit certain international markets, including Hungary, in order to rationalize its network.

Commerzbank AG set up its Hungarian subsidiary nearly 30 years ago, with offices in three cities in addition to its Budapest headquarters. Commerzbank Plc. employs around 100 people and serves local and international corporate clients, supporting Hungarian companies' domestic, German and global activities as well as the Hungarian business of German and international clients. The bank has a strong market presence in Hungary in corporate lending, trade finance and foreign exchange. Following the completion of the acquisition, Erste Bank Hungary plans to integrate Commerzbank Plc. into its own organization. The transfer of corporate customer accounts is expected to take place in the second half of 2022, with customer servicing continuing as usual. Both banks expect a smooth transition.

AIRPORT DEVELOPMENTS APPROACHING HUF 80 BILLION

Developments at Ferenc Liszt International Airport have continued in 2022 in the spirit of quality and sustainability. The airport management company Budapest Airport says it spent a total of more than HUF 5.3 billion on various infrastructure and sustainability projects in the first half of the year, bringing the total value of the past three and a half years’ developments to nearly HUF 80 billion. In July, the Universal Airport Hub opened its doors in the city center. At the outlet on Kálvin Square, passengers can drop off their bags for safekeeping before their last sightseeing in

Budapest,

of participating

can check in

and if they are flying with Wizz Air, Air France-KLM, Norwegian or Aegan, they can also tag their hold baggage for later and faster drop off at the airport.

SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC BUILDING SMART FACTORY IN DUNAVECSE

Schneider Electric's new manufacturing plant in Dunavecse (central Hungary), which is expected to start production in 2024, will use stateof-the-art technology and digital solutions. The plant will produce medium voltage equipment for electrical distribution systems. The investment will reach HUF 16bn (EUR 40mn), according to a statement by the company.

The smart factory will cover 20,000 square meters and will meet all the technological, sustainability and digital demands of our time: carbon neutral operation and the most advanced industrial technology will be used to produce medium-voltage equipment for electrical distribution systems.

Easy connectivity to the planned M8 motorway and to Schneider Electric's Central European Logistics Center (CEELog) in Szigetszentmiklós as well as the fact that the company’s Global Procurement Hub (GSC) is headquartered in Budapest played a major role in the choice of the location. The new plant will fully be able to meet European market needs.

“The new investment clearly underlines the prominent role of Hungary at Schneider Electric and will further enhance the competitiveness of our company in Europe in the medium voltage products market. We have significant growth expectations for the future at Group level. Just thinking of the replacement of fossil fuels and the ever-growing share of renewable energy usage both on retail and industrial level, as well as the outstanding rise of e-mobility infrastructure and the growing demand for digitization and data centers. As a result, there’s a need to continuously improve utility networks and optimize energy efficiency. That's why at Schneider Electric we are ready for investments and developments like this one, so that we can serve these emerging needs in the most complex and professional way possible,” the Country General Manager of Schneider Electric, Zsolt Veres, said. The plant is expected to start production in 2024 and will enable 500 highskilled jobs for people living in the area beyond 2025.

The range of services is constantly expanding, with baggage wrapping and baggage size checks soon to be available in-store, to avoid having to wait at the airport during the peaks. On the Terminal 1 apron, the seven stands used by the integrators have been covered with new basalt concrete pavement with a greater load-bearing capacity, replacing the previous asphalt pavement over an area of more than 4,000 square meters, to ensure smooth and safe working conditions. In addition, the joints between the concrete slabs on the Terminal 2 apron are being replaced with a new material that is more durable and flexible than before, to ensure long-term protection of the concrete slabs. During the summer months, developments that are less visible to passengers have also commenced, such as the mapping of utility supply options for Terminal 3 and the demolition of operational buildings at the airport that can no longer be viably refurbished and used in their current condition. They will be replaced by new facilities of high quality and efficient operation.

the passengers

airlines

and print boarding passes using kiosks,

company briefs

scheduled the maintenance for April, but due to the situation on the fuel market, it only started the work at the end of July to ensure the country's gasoline and diesel supplies.

MOL SZÁZHALOMBATTA REFINERY AT FULL CAPACITY AGAIN

The first phase of the planned major shutdown of the Danube Refinery in Százhalombatta, south of Budapest, was completed, the Hungarian oil and gas company Mol kept to schedule and restarted all plants, thus producing fuel at full capacity again, the company said in a statement in the middle of September. The second phase of maintenance is scheduled to start on October 9. The company had originally

MOTOR-CLASSIC IN TATABÁNYA BUILDS NEW PRODUCTION HALL

Tatabánya-based Motor-Classic Plc., a manufacturer of precision metal parts and restoration of veteran cars, is expanding its plant with a new production hall and a modern machining center.

According to marketing director Viktor Tamás, the company is expanding its 5,000-square-meter production area with a new 2,000-square-meter hall, which will house a five-axis machining machine and a 3D coordinate measuring machine. The new equipment will significantly increase the capacity of the company's CNC department, which will be able to produce automotive and energy components with millimeter precision and without scrap in small and medium series.

The company has won a conditional grant of HUF 600 million for the investment from the EU-supported GINOP tender for the promotion of business research, development and innovation. The development also includes the installation of a renewable

It was the largest maintenance operation in the history of this refinery, with more than 1,200 technicians involved in the work, which had a budget of HUF 8 billion. Some 40% of the refinery's equipment was affected.

"The major shutdown was also one of the most complex industrial technical inspections in Hungary, as after the necessary maintenance, the responsible authorities also inspected the equipment," the statement read.

It was reported that the second phase of the fall maintenance will start on 9 October, during which specialists will carry out planned overhauls of other plants. Completion of the work is expected in the first third of November. By fully maintaining the plants, Mol is ensuring the long-term security of domestic fuel production, they said.

The Hungarian government has paid 40% of the construction costs of a new HUF five billion cheese factory complex in Szekszárd, Southern Hungary.

Tolnatej's new plant will have the capacity to produce 19,000 tons of cheese a year, and the development will secure the company's operations and jobs for the coming period, the Finance Ministry said in a statement.

Speaking at the plant's inauguration, Finance

energy production system. Motor-Classic Plc. started in 1985 as a ‘garage company’ for the restoration of vintage motorcycles, and now operates a world-class restoration base on 5,000 square meters in an industrial zone of Tatabánya, west of Budapest. The company is the only such one in Europe to have its own high-capacity galvanizing shop. They refurbish 20-25 cars a year and their most important customers include the Mercedes Factory Museum and the Mercedes Classic Club network. The waiting list for new work is 1-2 years.

Motor-Classic Plc. had a turnover of HUF 2 billion in 2020 and HUF 3.6 billion in 2021. It employs 147 people.

The growth in passenger numbers, typical of the summer months, continued in August, with a total of 1,299,814 passengers passing through Budapest’s Ferenc Liszt International Airport. August was thus the third month in a row when passenger traffic reached or exceeded 80% of the record-breaking 2019 volume before the coronavirus pandemic, and the fourth month when total monthly passenger traffic exceeded one million. In the summer months, the airport handled a total of 3,802,591 passengers, nearly as many as in the whole of 2020, the year most affected by the pandemic. The most popular destinations in August were Tel Aviv, London, Amsterdam, Antalya and Frankfurt, according to the latest airport bulletin published by the airport management company Budapest Airport. In terms of cargo volumes, despite the global downward trend, they remained stable yearon-year, with a 47% increase in the JanuaryAugust period, compared to the same months in 2019, before the opening of the Cargo City. The volume handled in August (15,375 tons)

decreased marginally, by 2.1%, compared to the same month in 2021. The bulletin adds that Budapest Airport is expanding the baggage reclaim area of Terminal 2A, in preparation for the seamless handling of the expected increase in passenger traffic in the future. As a result of the development, from September 15, the flights of Air France, KLM, Finnair, Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, as well as Smartwings flights landing between 14:00 and 23:59 local time arrive at Terminal 2B and receive their hold baggage there. Budapest Airport asks all meeters and greeters; relatives, taxi companies, transfer service providers and travel agencies to wait for the affected passengers in Terminal 2B from mid-September.

The investment is another step in a series of capacity expansion projects which will reduce waiting times for arriving passengers and make it faster and more convenient for them to pick up their bags in the larger space. The works are expected to last until March 15.

Minister Mihály Varga said Hungarian food businesses had increased their investments despite the war crisis, spending more than HUF 170 billion forints on development in the first half of the year.

The share of domestic food products in retail trade now exceeds 70%. The government's goal is self-sufficiency in basic foodstuffs and to achieve at least 80% of all food products to be Hungarian.

NEW CHEESE FACTORY COMPLETED IN SZEKSZÁRD

GOOD SUMMER NUMBERS AT BUDAPEST'S MAIN AIRPORT

BY TAMÁS MAGYARICS

As the British Labor politician and two times Prime Minister Harold Wilson once famously remarked: “a week is a long time in politics.” In fact, the predictions for the Democrats and the Republicans for the upcoming congressional (and gubernatorial) elections in early November haven’t changed overnight, but the last few months have brought about a marked shift in the chances of the two parties. The conventional wisdom is that the midterm elections are sort of referendums on the incumbent President. Recent patterns also suggest that there is a backlash against the party in power. Thus, the Democrats lost their majority in the House of Representatives in 2010, while the Republicans likewise lost control of the House in 2018. It is also a widely shared wisdom that if the incumbent President’s approval rate is below 50%, then, his party is bound to be defeated in the congressional elections. The poor approval rating of President Biden’s a few months ago, in the upper 30s, indicated a massive Republican victory in the midterm elections, and – consequently – their retaking both Houses. This time, the picture is not so clear.

Biden’s upward trajectory

If we start with the numbers, President Biden’s approval rate has improved quite considerably recently. By mid-September, it climbed to the mid-40s – though the disapproval rate is higher by almost ten points. However, if we consider the trajectory, the President may have a chance that his popularity will go even higher, though it is quite unlikely that the approval rate will exceed the disapproval rate. Arguably, the single most important factor behind this shift is the

REPUBLICAN HOUSE, DEMOCRAT SENATE?

AN EVER MORE LIKELY COMPETITIVE MIDTERM ELECTION IN THE UNITED STATES

legislative successes of the Democrats. More specifically, they were able to pass the Inflation Reduction Act (Manchin-Schumer Act), a USD 750 billion health care, tax and climate bill, which was long demanded by the Democratic Party core voters. The President’s tough stand against the Russian invasion of Ukraine has also met general approval among the electorate. The Democrats have pulled a rabbit out of the hat by trying to turn the midterm elections on a referendum not on the incumbent President, but on his predecessor in the White House. They are busy reminding the public of Donald Trump’s questionable political decisions and the sometimes unethical business behavior. The house search at Mar-a-Lago, the congressional investigation of the events of January 6, 2021, and the ongoing court procedure into his business dealings and potential tax evasions in a New York court all serve the same purpose: anyone supporting Donald Trump and, by implication, the Republican candidates he has endorsed is on the side of lawlessness. They also resort to scare tactics: President Biden in a speech delivered in Philadelphia warned that Donald Trump and the ’Make America Great Again’ movement are threats to the American democracy.

Potential game changer issues

The Democrats’ hopes have been given a boost by the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned the Roe vs. Wade ruling (1973) and the federal protection of abortion in the first trimester of pregnancy. In point of fact, it returned the individual states the right to regulate abortion; therefore, in some states, the rules may be even more liberal than under Roe, while in others,

abortion may be made illegal altogether. One of the consequences of the Dobbs ruling is that the issue of abortion is becoming one of the important questions to decide a certain number of congressional contests besides such ’bread-and-butter’ ones as inflation, high energy prices, rising cost-of-living, etc. It is especially the suburban women who have been ’fired up’ by the decision, and their votes may be game changers in a number of contested seats. Another potential problem for the Republicans, especially in the senatorial elections, is the lack of ’quality’ candidates – if we can believe the current Republican Minority Leader in the upper house, Mitch McConnell who is one of the most experienced politicians on Capitol Hill, and if someone really knows the Republican candidates, it is him. Sen. McConnell, by implication, criticized Donald Trump with this comment as practically all the candidates he referred to were endorsed by the former President. Beyond the qualifications of the various candidates, the real problem of the Republicans is the role of Donald Trump. The dilemma for them is that Mr. Trump may be the most popular politician with the majority of the Republican voters, but his standing among the independents (and even among the moderate Republicans), who are instrumental in winning elections, is much more unstable.

Immigration and Kulturkampf

Nevertheless, there are a number of issues which the Republicans are able to campaign on. First among them is the state of the economy, more specifically the high inflation, the high gas price (though it has decreased somewhat recently), the potential disruption of supply chains, and the like. The confused

handling of the immigration question by the Biden administration also works in favor of the Republicans who are urging tougher regulations and, traditionally, are standing on the platform of ’law and order.’ A kind of Kulturkampf is also under way in the U.S., quite a number of people are not in agreement with the rather vocal so-called progressive wing of the Democratic Party and the excesses of woke culture, critical race theory, cancel culture, and so on.

Republican House, Democrat Senate?

Overall, even many Democrats still think that the Republicans will retake the House, though not with a large majority as it was expected a couple of months ago. In this case, the octogenarian leadership of the House Democrats (Nancy Pelosi, Steny Hoyer, James E. Clyburn) is likely to be replaced by younger politicians (for instance, Hakeem Jeffries, who may succeed Nancy Pelosi as the leader of the House Democrats). As for the Senate, recent polls suggest that the Democrats have quite a good chance to retain the majority there. The numbers do not really favor the Republicans: they have to defend 20 seats, and they have to get at least one more seat to attain majority, in contrast with the Democrats, who have to defend only 14 seats, and it is enough for them to keep them to have the technical majority (with VP Kamala Harris’s votes in case of a tie). Moreover, the personality problem identified by Sen. McConnell affects predominantly the senatorial candidates whose personalities generally count more than those of the representatives whose party affiliation plays, in general, more important role in the elections than in the case of the senators’.

Tamás Magyarics is a foreign policy analyst

DIPLOMACY NEEDS MORE WOMEN

Among her outstanding contributions for women in diplomacy, Katalin Bogyay had been actively influencing the establishment of the ‘UNESCO International Day of Women in Multilateralism’ and the ‘UN International Day of Women in Diplomacy’. Overwhelmingly supported by the general assemblies of both organizations, these celebratory days recognize the significant role women play in multilateralism, shaping international relations and in various diplomatic processes.

Ambassador Katalin Bogyay, a Hungarian diplomat, noted author and former television broadcaster, has been the President of the UN Association of Hungary since April 2021. A lecturer at Hungarian and foreign universities, the Hungarian Diplomatic Academy, and many conferences, she also hosts her interview series. She served as the 15th Permanent Representative of Hungary to the United Nations in New York City (2015-2020) and as Permanent Delegate of Hungary to UNESCO (2009-2014). She is the President of the 36th session of UNESCO’s General Conference (2011–2013), the third ever woman elected since 1945 to this distinguished position and was State Secretary of International Affairs of Hungary for cultural, science and education diplomacy (2006-2009). Before that she was the founding director of the Hungarian Cultural Centre in London Covent Garden (1999-2006).

As part of her remarkable work on women in diplomacy, Bogyay founded the organization ‘Women4Diplomacy’ and the Circle of Women Ambassadors in the United Nations. She believes that “the way women are involved

in moving the world also depends on how many female diplomats there are.” Bogyay advocates for more women at the negotiating tables, leading peace talks, finding diplomatic solutions rather than using military actions.

The role with no great history

Women in diplomacy do not have an extensive history, at most, it goes back only 102 years, the first ever Woman Ambassador was the Hungarian Rózsa Schwimmer in 1919. Formerly, for example, English newspapers claimed that a woman was not fit to be a diplomat, then that women diplomats should not be married or have children – however, today’s Britain has women leading the most important diplomatic missions. Similarly, the number of women heads of missions in Hungary is steadily increasing, as emphasized by the President of the UN Association of Hungary. However, Bogyay has encountered the challenges of women's participation in politics and community engagement, which we take for granted in Europe, considering the differences in women’s political engagement in other parts of the world.

For equality

While the proportion of women in diplomacy has increased over time worldwide, it is still not on par with that of men. Currently for example, around 50 out of 193 UN Permanent Representatives are women in New York. This is already a critical mass, hopefully the numbers will grow further, Ambassador Bogyay stressed. Her main commitments as President of the UNESCO General Assembly were to empower women, fight modern day slavery, and for women equal rights for education and participation in public life. She founded the Circle of Women Ambassadors at the UN so that special issues especially important to women would be given attention on the UN agenda. She also founded the ‘Women4Diplomacy’ movement as President of the UN Association. She believes that the creation of the two international days raise global awareness of the important role women play in diplomacy and multilateralism. Men are also involved in the strive for equality at the UN, supporting the 'He for She' process. “We should work together as partners” – she says.

Passing on values and knowledge

Ambassador Bogyay stresses that women rise for all, they rise by lifting other women. Supporting talented young women has therefore become her mission. She gives talks worldwide on many platforms about the values women add to diplomacy. She recently hosted the ‘Women4Diplomacy’ event in Budapest, inviting female ambassadors who currently serve in Hungary. Ambassador Bogyay is lecturing on Soft power Diplomacy at her Alma Mater, the Corvinus University, at the Hungarian Diplomatic Academy, and other international platforms, because she believes that the understanding and use of soft power diplomacy as prevention is important for young diplomats to understand. She also believes that diplomats should be familiar with psychology. Right now, she is working on her latest book on the link between diplomacy and psychology, co-authored by a clinical psychologist of Columbia University. Katalin Bogyay has an encouraging message for all young people: "Be a dreamer, be an optimist, and be an activist! So, be brave to dream, be positive and believe in yourself and work hard for your goals! Because making the world a better place comes from your thoughts!"

KATALIN BOGYAY'S MISSION

SWITZERLAND IN DEBRECEN

THE EASTERN HUNGARIAN CITY KICKS OFF PROJECT SERIES TO PRESENT SWITZERLAND OUTSIDE BUDAPEST

“Our objective is to show that Switzerland is a longtime partner of Hungary with significant political, economic, social and cultural dialogue and cooperation. It is a general task of any embassy to promote the bilateral relations and to nurture a positive image of the country it represents. In the case of this particular project, we do it in a specific way, as we do not communicate just about Switzerland in general, but want to showcase concrete examples of the close relations between the two countries and the two peoples,” the Ambassador points out. The Embassy also wants to emphasize how Switzerland, which is not an EU member, and Hungary are partners for a more prosperous Europe and for economic and social cohesion.

Why Debrecen?

“As we ambition to present Switzerland as a significant partner not only in the capital city, but in many parts of the country, it was a natural choice to start with Hungary’s second largest city, which is developing rapidly and offers an excellent infrastructure for an active economic and cultural presence. The support we received from our local partners, in particular from Mayor Dr. László Papp and his team, especially Dr. Andrea Horváth, was very enthusiastic and helped us develop an ambitious concept for the Swiss Days in Debrecen, which unfolded over a full week. The presence in Debrecen of a notable number of university and high-school students with good knowledge of the English, German or French language enabled me to visit the University and several high-schools as part of the sub-project ‘Switzerland in your school’ and to exchange with young people about my country and its place in Europe, which was also an important objective for me,” Ambassador Paroz explains why Debrecen was chosen to kick off the series of the ‘Switzerland in your city’ project.

Visible Swiss presence

According to the Ambassador, Switzerland and Hungary share many important chapters of European history and are nowadays close partners with mutually beneficial economic and cultural relations. Sometimes called the ‘Hungarian Geneva’, or the ‘Calvinist Rome’, Debrecen has

This October, Swiss Days were organized in the eastern Hungarian city of Debrecen, the first time an event of this kind to take place outside Budapest in a large rural city. As the Swiss ambassador to Hungary, Jean-François Paroz explains to Diplomacy&Trade, the ‘Switzerland in your city’ project is part of the communication strategy of the Embassy.

a close relationship with Switzerland in terms of the history of the Reformation. “Back in 2016, when the Embassy had organized the third stage of the ‘Grand Tour of Switzerland in Hungary’ in Debrecen, I was impressed by the many traces of this common heritage. Also, following the developments linked to the consequences of the Russian aggression against Ukraine, I was struck by the observation that Debrecen, also thanks to its airport, was becoming a humanitarian hub in the region, with important logistical centers of both ICRC and UNHCR, two humanitarian organizations having their headquarters in Geneva… But of course, it is also the increased activity of Swiss companies in the city in the recent years that makes the Swiss presence visible.”

Discussing regional opportunities

One of the important aspects of the Swiss Days in Debrecen was the business line including a factory visit and the Swiss Business Day. The Swiss economic presence in Debrecen has been strengthening in recent years with the expansion of the production plants of the Swiss company Neopac in 2016 and the opening of Sensirion’s electronics factory in September 2021. “Together with Oerlikon, also based in Debrecen, these companies became the main sponsors of the ‘Swiss-Hungarian Business Talks’ we organized

in cooperation with Swisscham Hungary and the Economic Development Center of Debrecen on October 5. During this forum, Swiss and Hungarian economic actors exchanged experiences and discussed the cooperation opportunities between Switzerland and Hungary in the region of Debrecen. The opportunities for cooperation within the new framework of the second Swiss-Hungarian Cooperation Program under the Second Swiss Contribution to promote economic and social cohesion in Europe were also presented at the forum, together with our Hungarian partners from the National Coordination Unit,” Ambassador Paroz highlights.

Historical and cultural connections

Besides the historical dimension related to the Reformation in Europe, cultural connections exist in several fields. The Swiss Embassy promotes a cultural presence in Debrecen as part of the Sehenswert Film Festival, the Verzio human rights Film festival or as part of the Francophonie Festival. The Ambassador notes that this year, he also attended the Wunderbar Festival, which promotes the German language and had a very successful closing event in Debrecen. “As I visited the Bethlen Vocational High School in Debrecen on October 3, I discovered that the school has an

active exchange program with the Sargans High School in Canton Graubünden of Switzerland. Finally, with the presence of five musicians from the Alphorn Academy of Switzerland in Debrecen during the whole week of the Swiss Days program series, we also managed to show the close relationship between the two countries, as one of the two founders of the Alphorn Academy of Switzerland, in 1998, was József Molnár, a musician born in Debrecen.”

Collaborative exercise with local partners

As regards the overall atmosphere of the Swiss Days in Debrecen and what this experience means for such events in the countryside, Ambassador Paroz points out that “when you start a new project, you never know for sure if you will be able to raise the interest of the public and reach the targeted audiences. Our Swiss pavilion in the Deutsches Kulturforum, which was open to the public during the whole week, and the ‘Treasure-seeking walks through the Hungarian Geneva’ were totally new initiatives, and it was difficult to predict how many visitors we could expect. Here, we heavily relied on our partners from the city-owned Phoenix event agency and the local Mediacenter. On the occasion of the Swiss Picnic on Sunday afternoon, we were prepared to receive numerous visitors, but not so many that the supply of raclette and Swiss ‘tête de moine’ cheeses and of Swiss wine would have been exhausted early in the afternoon. So, happily, with our Swiss Days in Debrecen, we not only received a strong support from all local partners from the very beginning, but also enjoyed the participation of the public, which fully met our expectations during the whole week. As lessons learned from this experience, we must conceive the program as a collaborative exercise with our local partners, whose suggestions have allowed us to enrich our presence and whose support was essential for our common success.”

AMBASSADOR PAROZ, MAYOR LÁSZLÓ PAPP AND SWISSCHAM HUNGARY PRESIDENT ISTVÁN BÉRES

GEORG WOHL OF BAUR HÜRLIMANN ZÜRICH, SWISSCHAM HUNGARY DIRECTOR JÚLIA LIPOVECZ, HOFFMANN NEOPAC AG CEO MARK AEGLER AND VICE-PRESIDENT HR AT SENSIRION AG, HEIKO LAMBACH

SWISSCHAM HUNGARY PRESIDENT ISTVÁN BÉRES WITH LÁSZLÓ ÁBRAHÁM OF SENSIRION HUNGARY, CSABA OLÁH OF NEOPAC HUNGARY, ZSOLT POCSAI OF OERLIKON ELDIM, ZOLTÁN PÉCSKAY OF EDC DEBRECEN AND ANDRÁS KISS OF HBKIK

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WORLDCUPFEVER ATTHEEMBASSY

CROATIAN EMBASSY HOPES TO RECREATE THE FOOTBALL WATCHING ATMOSPHERE THEY EXPERIENCED FOUR YEARS AGO

Although hard times usually involve hard power, there is always room for soft power as well. In this highly strained time sequence, the world has been shaken by two major crises, the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian aggression against Ukraine. However, we are approaching a period when football will once again become ‘the most important of the least important things’: from November 20 until December 18, the FIFA WORLD CUP QATAR 2022 will be in the focus of millions all around the globe. Organized in far-away and allegedly safe Qatar, it will offer a splendid opportunity to fascinate the world with spectacular venues, landscapes, side events, thrills and attractions including sports, arts, entertainment, heritage, history, folklore, wildlife, cuisine and whatnot… For Croatia, this will be yet another occasion to show and reaffirm itself among top-level football nations, demonstrating the highest competitive qualities and trying to meet the great expectations of fans. On the other hand, this large-scale international event is also an extraordinary opportunity for each participating country in the sense of promotion activities, spreading information about their national culture, heritage and treasures.

Football cooperation among embassies

The Croatian Embassy in Budapest has some valuable experience, even a kind of model for following the World Cup events with the participation of the diplomatic corps, members of the Hungarian government and parliament, representatives of business, culture, sports, higher education and other professions, dating back to the FIFA World Cup 2018. Four years ago, we joined forces with the embassies of Nigeria, Russia, United Kingdom and France, whose national teams were competing with the Croatian team nicknamed ‘Vatreni’ (‘The Blazers’). The Croatian Residence was transformed into friendly football fan headquarters where besides the basic decoration with small Croatian flags, the national flags of Nigeria and the Russian Federation followed respectively and were later exchanged for the Union Jack and the French Tricolor. For each match, typical national dishes and drinks were prepared by the organizing embassies, including traditional Nigerian food, Russian herrings, caviar and vodka, English whiskey and beer, delicious

French sandwiches, Dalmatian prosciutto and cheese as well as top-quality Croatian wine. Tourist leaflets, small souvenirs and other gadgets were also distributed for the football fans present, who were mainly dressed in their national team’s strips. Their number varied between fifty and over one hundred for the final match which was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister H.E. Zsolt Semjén. The atmosphere during the final match was indescribable. The Croatian team had the knowledge, skill and strength enhanced by

good fortune, to march all the way until the finals, which in itself was an extraordinary achievement. It is hard to imagine to equal this result in Qatar, or even go one step beyond but then again, you never know…

The Embassy gets ready

As the countdown to the FIFA World Cup 2022 has started, we have already made some preparations for a new series of cheering activities. This time, Croatian partners include the Moroccan, Canadian and Belgian embassies with

whom we would organize similar events with a local touch. We hope we hope the highlights of these friendly sessions will be covered also by ‘Diplomacy and Trade’ just to give a followup to those who will not be able to join us. Each country will hope for the best for its own team, and since, as they say, ‘the ball is round’, any outcome is possible. Hoping for a fair competition, the pleasant socializing of diplomats and “civilians” from various continents and backgrounds will be the most important result.

DIPLOMATS

ACCOUNTS OF THEIR EXPERIENCES ON “EXCURSIONS” into Hungarian culture, art, gastronomy & scenery.

BY THE CROATIAN AMBASSADOR TO HUNGARY, MLADEN ANDRLIĆ

MAKAYA MCCRAVEN

NOVEMBER 14, MÜPA PALACE OF ARTS, BUDAPEST

The band leader, Makaya McCraven, is one of the leading lights of the new generation of drummers, a 'beat scientist', whose name can be found on one of the finest records of 2020. Incidentally, he is also of Hungarian origin – and from a musical family at that – his mother, Ágnes Zsigmondi, is a singer and flute player in the legendary group Kolinda. McCraven views contemporary jazz in terms of the layers of the genre's history, and himself adds freshness with a groove-centered sound and hip-hop-style off-beats. His sound is one of the most exciting ones around. Makaya McCraven's parents – Zsigmondi, who defected from Hungary in 1979, and the American jazz drummer Stephen McCraven (the drummer for Archie Shepp, among other activities) met in Paris, where Makaya was born in 1983, before they all relocated to the United States three years later. McCraven began making a name for himself on the Chicago jazz scene in the 2000s among avant-garde musicians breaking down the orthodox limits of the genre. Through his sensational club concerts and live albums, he developed into an increasingly self-confident bandleader. With his 2018 LP Universal Beings, he – like Kamasi Washington, Shabaka Hutchings and Robert Glasper – expanded the audience for the genre. Inspired by and creatively reimagining jazzpoet and proto-rap icon Gil Scott-Heron's final album, 2020's We're New Again, though, was straight-out one of last year's most celebrated albums. This album that also employs folk traditions (including sampling his mother's music) perfectly demonstrates why McCraven is currently one of the biggest figures in spiritual jazz and avant-garde groove music His first concert in Hungary is a cause for celebration, and one to which he is also bringing a new album being released on the Blue Notes label. mupa.hu

DROPKICK MURPHYS

BUDAPEST SPORTS ARENA

FEBRUARY 7, 2023,

One of the most essential Celtic punk bands return to the Hungarian capital. The Dropkick Murphys span the gap from punk rock ragers to melodic, Irish-inspired tunes with their songs. Volume cranked, heads held high, smiles wide, the band charge forward with the same spirit, determination and exuberance that brought them here, in the first place.

Their new album ‘This Machine Still Kills Fascists’, released in September, 2022, has a special theme, as one can guess from the title: the Boston band has taken inspiration from the work of one of their greatest idols, Woody Guthrie, and set to music the legendary singer-songwriter's previously unreleased lyrics.

The band performed at some of Europe's biggest festivals over the summer, and once again took the Best Ambient label from the world stars. Their performances are always an experience, if only because of the enormous energy and fun they bring to the stage.

This fall, they began to head out on tour in the United States, followed by Europe in January with their muchanticipated huge parties.

Formed in Quincy, Massachusetts in 1996, the band was initially signed to independent punk record label Hellcat Records, releasing five albums for the label, and building a reputation locally through constant touring and yearly St. Patrick's Day week shows, held in and around Boston. The 2004 single, ‘Tessie’ became the band's first mainstream hit and one of their biggest charting singles to date.

The band's final Hellcat release, 2005's The Warrior's Code, included the song ‘I'm Shipping Up to Boston’. The song was featured in the 2006 film The Departed, and went on to become the band's only platinum-selling single to date. It remains one of their best-known songs. The band is known for their loud, energetic live shows. livenation.hu

UNTIL OCTOBER 30, HUNGARIAN NATIONAL MUSEUM, BUDAPEST

The public can discover many carefully uncovered stories in the World Press Photo exhibition. The four global winners have each spent years working on their subject. Documenting the Amazonian dystopia for example, took more than 13 years. The Ukraine story illustrates how eight years of work have brought us to the to the current war, and the journey to the storming of the Washington Capitol. Those photojournalists who brought us these stories had to work in an increasingly hostile environment. sometimes risking their lives. In the wake of the new structure of World Press Photo subjects, images, perspectives and formats. The exhibition shows that the same thing is happening pretty much everywhere in the world: the climate crisis, the struggle for social justice, violence against women. We see young people everywhere from Argentina to Sudan standing up for their rights. Atrocities committed against indigenous peoples are coming to light. But it can also be seen that alongside despair, there is always hope, as people around the world try to take control and make a difference, change things if they need to.

(Featured here is the photo ‘Kamloops Residential School’ by World Press Photo of the Year 2022 winner, Amber Bracken) worldpressphoto.org

50 CENT OCTOBER 25, BUDAPEST SPORTS ARENA

50 Cent, born Curtis James Jackson III, is an award-winning rapper, entrepreneur, actor and producer from Queens, New York. Recognized as one of the most talented and prolific music artists of his time, the Grammy Award winner rose to fame with his record-shattering debut album, Get Rich or Die Tryin' and has since sold more than 30 million albums worldwide and been awarded numerous prestigious accolades. Jackson has leveraged his star power to cross over with unparalleled success as an entrepreneur, actor and producer. From Get Rich or Die Tryin' being one of the fastest selling albums in history to creating one of the most influential deals in hip-hop with the sale of Vitaminwater, Jackson continues to break records.

In 2005, he founded G-Unit Film & Television, Inc. which has produced a wide variety of content across numerous platforms and sold a myriad of shows to various networks. Among these is the most watched, critically-acclaimed #1 show on Starz, “Power,” in which he not only co-starred in but also served as executive producer and director. Although he hasn't released a new studio album in recent years, his songs for his various projects continue peaked the charts. livenation.hu

THE ART OF THE BRICK

SEPTEMBER 30, 2022 – JANUARY 31, 2023, KOMPLEX EXHIBITION CENTER, BUDAPEST

Visitors to the “World’s Most Popular Display of LEGO® Art!” can discover over one million LEGO bricks transformed into more than 100 sculptures by artist Nathan Sawaya. This critically acclaimed collection includes Sawaya’s original sculptures as well as re-imagined versions of some of the world’s most famous art masterpieces, such as Michelangelo’s David, Van Gogh’s Starry Night and Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. Other highlights include a 6-meter Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton and an innovative, multimedia collection of LEGO brick-infused photography produced in tandem with award-winning photographer Dean West. This inspiring exhibition has already been seen by over seven million people worldwide! As a part of the exhibition, visitors can enter the FUN ZONE where everyone can express their creativity from the smallest to biggest.

Nathan Sawaya is an award-winning artist who creates awe-inspiring works of art out of some of the most unlikely things. His global touring exhibitions, THE ART OF THE BRICK, feature large-scale sculptures using only toy building blocks: LEGO® bricks to be exact. His work is obsessively and painstakingly crafted and is both beautiful and playful.

Nathan Sawaya has earned a top position in the world of contemporary art and has created a new dimension by merging Pop Art and Surrealism in awe-inspiring and ground-breaking ways. His art consists of playing with the material, color, movement, light and perspective. artofthebrick.hu

WORLD PRESS PHOTO

The 31st Budapest Wine Festival in the Buda Castle between September 8 and 11 celebrated the end of summer with countless wine specialties from more than 100 winemakers and wine merchants. Visitors had the chance to taste a colorful assortment of Champagnes, as well as Crémants, Cavas and sparkling wines from Hungary, while enjoying a variety of remarkable gastronomy, music and exciting programs in splendid surroundings. SPAR Hungary, committed to the development of Hungarian wine culture, has supported the festival as the main sponsor for 15 years. The event was further enhanced by the sensational wines from three American states, as this year’s guest of honor was the United States of America.

Finest Wines in the Spotlight

Since its launch, the Wine Festival has been committed to satisfying its wine-loving public and to supporting less known yet excellent wine producers, as highlighted by Zoltán Zilai, Managing Director of Hungarian Viti- and Viniculture Nonprofit Ltd. Smaller, family-run

WHERE FINEST WINES AND GASTRONOMY MEET

THE LARGEST CULINARY EVENT OF THE WINE HARVEST ATTRACTS TENS OF THOUSANDS OF VISITORS

Visitors of this year's Budapest Wine Festival had the opportunity to taste unique American wines along with regional Hungarian wines. In addition to satisfying visitors' palate with the finest wines, the festival aspired to support conscious wine consumption and help emerging wineries showcase their truly outstanding flavors.

wineries which performed well at the VinAgora International Wine Competition, have taken turns in the festival's VinAgora House of Discoveries. The Wine Festival All-Stars program showcased Hungarian wines that excelled in highly regarded international competitions this year. At the same time, the Wine Festival Premier program presented wines, making their debut during the week of the event. As it has become a tradition, the National Food Chain Safety Office contributed to the visitors' knowledge of winemaking and promoted conscious and moderate alcohol consumption through exciting and meaningful games. In addition,

this year Hungarian winemakers donated their finest wines to the Charity Wine Auction, with proceeds going to the Szimfónia music opportunity program. Complementing the colorful program of the festival, the music menu featured over 30 outstanding performances. Many different styles awaited festivalgoers, including pop, jazz, blues, funk, chanson, gospel and authentic folk music.

Gastronomic masterpieces seasoned with elegance

Five first-rate restaurants awaited food enthusiasts in the Chef Market Gourmet Courtyard where they could taste impressive dishes accompanied by high-quality wines. The chefs of the gourmet courtyard had created an incredible array of mouth-watering dishes. Guests could taste the Asian fusion chicken salad, crab and caviar piled on a burger, foie gras terrine with Tokaj wine from grapes grown on soil that contains the volcanic rock riolit, goat meat and Tokaj gel and crispy pork belly and porchetta sandwiches thanks to the efforts of chefs Péter Endrődi, László Kanász, José Guerrero and Dániel Katona, as said by Richárd Andrejszki, owner-manager of Chef Market.

Responsible waste management

The event, which usually attracts 30-40,000 people accumulates a great amount of waste throughout the event – the largest being glass waste due to the great number of wine bottles, as pointed out by Gábor Antal, the festival's

chief organizer and wine expert. Yet, there is also much food waste. As a result, a great deal of care was taken with selective waste collection in the festival area; approximately 150 containers were placed for glass bottles and around 150-200 m3 of separated waste was collected during the event.

A dream come true – American guests of honor

Outstanding representatives from the states of California, Washington and Oregon offered festivalgoers the chance to taste the most exciting wines from the Napa Valley and the two states further north with their cooler climates, mainly from French grape varieties. As the United States of America was this year’s guest of honor, the festival was attended by the US Ambassador to Hungary, David Pressman, who handed over his letter of credentials the day before his visit to the festival.

The exciting American wines encompassed many styles, they exploded onto the scene with their robust, high alcohol, full-bodied, oak-aged reds and whites with intense woody aromas, Gábor Antal said. He added that these wines on the Wine Festival's line-up perfectly suit Hungarian enthusiasts’ tastes. Recently, lower alcohol, fruitier, fresher, lighter, so-called ‘cool-climate’ wines have been produced in the United States, falling in line with modern trends. These wines are developing an international consumer base, the chief organizer of the festival remarked.

SPAR HUNGARY CEO GABRIELLA HEISZLER, VITI- AND VINICULTURE NONPROFIT LTD.

MANAGING DIRECTOR ZOLTÁN ZILAI, US AMBASSADOR DAVID PRESSMAN AND HUNGARIAN MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, ISTVÁN NAGY

WINE PROFESSIONALS OF THE FUTURE IN TOKAJ

A UNIQUE WINE BUSINESS TRAINING COURSE STARTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TOKAJ

The Tokaj Wine Business Institute is offering a joint program with its partner business school in Burgundy for Central European professionals from the fall semester of this year.

The Tokaj Wine Business Institute (TWBI), under the auspices of the University of Tokaj (THE) in Sárospatak, will launch its one-year wine business manager training course in September. The post-graduate school, led by international wine academic Dr. Attila Fiáth offers students an unparalleled flexibility and at the same time a curriculum of international standards. One of the cornerstones of the world class education is the collaboration with the School of Wine & Spirits Business at Burgundy School of Business (BSB) in Dijon.

Regional leader in wine education

The Tokaj Wine Business Institute was founded on the model of renowned foreign wine business institutes and is engaged in both educational and research activities. With the establishment of TWBI, the Tokaj Wine Region will regain its position as a regional leader in wine education and will strengthen the position of local and regional wine professionals worldwide. The institute has entered into a professional partnership with the BSB, but also draws on local professionals who have successfully represented the Hungarian wine sector on the international stage.

Wine professionals of the future

The Wine Business Manager course provides a unique training that introduces students to current trends in wine production and management, while at the same time equipping them with industry-specific business and economics skills that will enable them to become leaders and pioneers in the wine market, even at international level. Completing the postgraduate course in English will grant attendants the Wine Business Manager Diploma. TWBI, together with its partners and committed players in the Hungarian economy, supports the wine professionals of the future, and the most successful students can win scholarships including full tuition fees. "Wine consumption worldwide has reached unprecedented levels and the growth is far from over. At the same time, supply is outstripping demand, and in this competitive environment, solid professional skills are needed to achieve and maintain success. Tokaj is tradition itself, and we combine this centuries-old authenticity with the fundamental knowledge of modern economics, including creative wine marketing, effective sales techniques and digital solutions, in the training at the Tokaj Wine Business Institute," the Director of the Tokaj Wine Business Institute, Dr. Attila Fiáth stated.