Between 25th and 27th of August, 2024, the Cultural Diplomatic Conference took place with great success. The attending Hungarian cultural diplomats participated in various programs at different venues during the "50 Hours of Cultural Diplomacy."
On the evening of August 25th, the Arts and Culture division of the MNB invited cultural diplomats to an introductory event at the Q Contemporary Gallery on Andrássy Street. Gábor Csaba, the Deputy State Secretary responsible for Cultural Diplomacy, and Kinga Hamvai, the artistic director of MNB Arts and Culture, welcomed the guests. They discussed the division's objectives and current projects, as well as the successes of the collaboration between the network of Hungarian cultural institutions abroad and the division. During the evening, guests had the opportunity to see the largest exhibition of the MNB’s art collection, “Képgyakorlatok,” which opened in mid-August. By exploring the new waves of Hungarian contemporary art and the fresh variations in panel painting, a discourse began around shared ideas and the future of Hungarian cultural diplomacy.
On 26th of August, the first day of the annual Cultural Diplomatic Conference was held at the Palace of Arts. It was attended by foreign diplomats and representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Ministry of Culture and Innovation. The opening ceremony featured performances by the Tímár folk dance group, which showcased dances from Kalotaszeg and Dombóvár. Following the performances, opening speeches were delivered by Csaba Káel, the CEO of MÜPA and Hungarian Film Commissioner responsible for the development of the Hungarian motion picture industry; Boglárka Illés, Secretary of State responsible for the Development of Bilateral Relations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade; and Balázs Hankó, Minister responsible for Culture and Innovation. In his speech, Minister Hankó emphasized the importance of the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, which provides significant international visibility for Hungary to communicate its valuable and value-creating messages. "The mission of Hungarian cultural diplomacy is to represent and convey the culture of peace and value in the community of nations, drawing on our rich heritage and stability-giving national traditions in this challenging world," he stated.
After the opening, presenter Angéla Galán moderated three panel discussions on various topics. The first discussion featured Pál Rókusfalvy, the government commissioner for national wine marketing; Zsófia Jakab, ministerial commissioner responsible for the development and coordination of the creative industry in the Ministry of National Economy; and Olivér Csendes, CEO of Visit Hungary. The participants shared insights from their respective fields regarding the opportunities for Hungarian country marketing and emphasized ways to cooperate with the cultural diplomatic institutional system.
In the second panel discussion, Erika Miklósa, founder of the KvintEsszencia Masters School and chairman of the board of MOL-Új Európa Alapítvány; Zsófia Bánhegyi, commercial director of Szerencsejáték Zrt.; Fruzsina Zakariás, Audi brand director of Porsche Hungaria Kft.; and Zoltán Péter Nagy, marketing and communications director of OTP Bank Nyrt., exchanged views on cultural patronage and the role of market players in supporting culture.
The final panel discussion included the rectors of six Hungarian art universities—the Hungarian Academy of Fine Arts, the Moholy-Nagy University of Arts, the University of Theater and Film, the Hungarian Academy of Dance, the Metropolitan University of Budapest, and the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music—who engaged in a dialogue about the international relations of Hungarian higher education and the debut of outstanding young students.
In the afternoon, regional section meetings were held, organized into six different groups based on their locations. Participants had the opportunity to discuss their experiences, best practices, and perspectives on developing regional cooperation. The heads of the Hungarian Cultural Institutions reported on their activities and achievements from the past year, as well as their future ambitions, to Minister Balázs Hankó, Magdolna Závogyán, Secretary of State, and Gábor Csaba, Deputy Secretary of State responsible for Cultural Diplomacy.
The first day of the conference concluded with a guided tour of the Parliament and a reception for the diplomats. István Bellavics, Director of Public Collections and Public Culture of the Office of the National Assembly, and Gábor Csaba greeted the participants. "The Parliament, which embodies our national identity and rich cultural heritage, can rightfully be a prominent symbol of modern Hungary, which we wish to present to the rest of the world," stated Gábor Csaba in his speech.
