At Tusványos 2025, leaders of Hungarian communities gathered to discuss ethnic minority rights, diaspora engagement, and regional geopolitics. From Ukraine’s demographic crisis to Serbia’s improving ties with Hungary, the National Policy Roundtable highlighted shared struggles and progress, featuring Deputy Prime Ministers Zsolt Semjén of Hungary and Barna Tánczos of Romania.
A united European army remains an illusion, argued Hungarian and regional experts at Tusványos. Citing historical, political, and structural obstacles, panellists instead urged member states to focus on NATO, develop national defence industries, and prepare for a shifting global security landscape.
‘But even if the numbers were accurate, one must ask: Is high consumption of alcohol, tobacco, and drugs really something Hungary should aspire to? And this leads us to another fundamental weakness of the AIC indicator: it assumes that all consumption is inherently good.’
Szeged’s Botanical Garden welcomes visitors this weekend with the Lotus Days festival, showcasing Central Europe’s largest blooming Indian lotus population alongside a colourful mix of Asian music, dance, crafts, and cultural programmes.
Hungary’s quest to make history in men’s water polo fell just short, as the national team lost 15–13 to Spain in the World Aquatics final in Singapore. Despite a late-game lead, Zsolt Varga’s squad could not hold off the reigning European champions. A win would have secured Hungary a record fifth world title—cementing its legacy as water polo’s undisputed giant.
Former US Ambassador to Hungary has published an opinion piece in The New York Times, comparing the supposed authoritarian power grab by President Trump to that of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán of Hungary—certainly not the first such piece in a Western mainstream media publication. Bryan Leib has responded.
On 14 September, Szeged will host the E Street Parade, Hungary’s largest e-mobility event, featuring cutting-edge electric vehicles, extreme race cars, and insights into the future of sustainable transport, all in a dynamic, family-friendly setting.
As the war in Ukraine drags on, experts at Tusványos warned that a definitive peace is unlikely. Panellists debated whether the conflict will freeze like others in the post-Soviet space, and what that means for Europe’s security and Ukraine’s future.
Budapest welcomed 10 per cent more tourists during the week of headline concerts by Guns N’ Roses, Jennifer Lopez, and Lionel Richie, with hotel occupancy and local guest numbers also seeing a major spike, according to Visit Hungary.
‘In an age where a phone tells better time than any Rolex, watches are thriving—not despite their obsolescence, but because of it. They are beautiful, technical, embodied objects in an abstract and disposable world. They are the final adornment, the last private ritual, the culture of time made visible—and kept close to the skin.’
The US has returned a priceless 17th-century manuscript stolen from Budapest to Hungary. Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó called the gesture a milestone in cultural restitution and praised the renewed Hungarian–American partnership.
At a panel discussion at Tusványos 2025, Hungarian MP Zsolt Németh shared his hopes on how the second Trump administration could bring about ‘Pax Americana 2.0’. This and other important questions were discussed by him, Carlos Roa, Botond Csoma, and Zsolt Szilágyi.
Will Brussels dictate the future of Europe, or can member states reclaim control? A high-profile panel at Tusványos, including Hungarian EU Affairs Minister János Bóka and Rod Dreher, criticized the EU’s centralization drive, arguing that the European Commission now holds more power than many national governments.
At Tusványos 2025, global thinkers from all around the world, from Lebanon, the UK, and Hungary, discussed the decline of liberalism and rise of post-liberal democracy. Speakers like Balázs Orbán, Lord Frost, and Philip Pilkington argued that Western liberalism failed to deliver its promises, while others stressed the need to protect traditional values.
‘Russian responsibility in this failure is becoming increasingly clear,’ said Zsolt Németh, referring to the failed peace talks in Ukraine during the opening of the 34th Bálványos Summer Free University. At the same event, State Secretary for National Policy Lőrinc Nacsa also delivered remarks, emphasizing that the Hungarian government stands for Hungarians both beyond and within its borders.
Two Hungarian films—Orphan by László Nemes and Silent Friend by Ildikó Enyedi—have been selected to compete for the Golden Lion at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, marking a rare dual presence for Hungarian cinema at the prestigious event.
The Hungarian men’s water polo team defeated reigning Olympic champions Serbia in the semi-finals of the World Championships in Singapore, taking a crucial step towards making history by aiming to secure a record fifth world title—an achievement no other country has managed. In the final, the men’s team will face Spain, while the Hungarian women’s team will take on Greece on Wednesday.
Hungarian families with children spend far more on telecom services than childless households, mainly due to increased use of streaming and mobile subscriptions, according to the latest survey by the National Media and Communications Authority.
The 34th Bálványos Summer University and Student Camp, better known as Tusványos, begins Tuesday in Băile Tușnad with the slogan ’You Can Count on Us’, offering political debates, cultural events, and high-level speeches through Sunday.
Edwin Feulner co-founded the influential American conservative think tank Heritage Foundation in 1973, then served as its president for 36 years, between 1973 and 2013, and again for a year, between 2017 and 2018. He passed away on 18 July 2025.
With support from the National Film Institute, Hungary is reviving its beloved Hungarian Folk Tales series and launching a diverse slate of animated and documentary films exploring everything from myth and music to political repression and forgotten heroes.
Budapest has been named one of the world’s 50 most innovative cities in the 2025 Bloomberg Mayors Challenge, winning funding to pilot a project that transforms unsold produce into healthy meals for schools and elderly homes.
In its ‘Beyond the Óperencia’ series, Magyar Krónika is looking at the meeting points of America and Hungary, and at Hungarians in America, from penniless peasants to political emigrants and soldiers of fortune. This part will be about Lázár Mészáros, former Hungarian Minister of War, who tried to make a living as a farmer growing melons in America.
‘Whether, in light of all this, she truly managed—as she claimed in her oral history interview—“to strictly observe Jewish teachings” is something only posterity can judge.’
We can learn about the incomprehensible tragedies of Baroness Laya Inkey’s life from her son Jenő Thassy Jr’s book. Serbs, Russians, murders, rape, deportation, emigration: these are the keywords that describe Laya’s ordeal. An empowering story about willpower and perseverance.
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert will be coming to an end in May 2026, the American TV network CBS has announced. Colbert has been criticized by conservatives for being too partisan for a mainstream talk show ever since he took over David Letterman’s spot in 2015.
Over 130 Hungarian artists are protesting the inclusion of Northern Irish hip hop group Kneecap in the Sziget Festival’s line-up, citing the band’s support for the Islamist terror groups Hamas and Hezbollah. Signatories argue this goes beyond free expression and promotes hate, contradicting the festival’s core values.
A new podcast series launched by Hungary’s media authority marks 100 years of national radio. In the first episode, veterans László Jáksó and Attila Várkonyi explore how radio adapted to change—and why podcasting is reshaping its future.
Although Géza Seifert later became a loyal Communist collaborator and President of the National Representation of Hungarian Israelites, he briefly led a ‘revolutionary committee’ within the Budapest Jewish community during the 1956 uprising—a role long forgotten and absent from scholarly accounts. This article revisits that moment, based on newly examined archival sources.
To mark the 75th anniversary of Greater Budapest, the city is launching its first travelling outdoor cinema series, Road Movie, featuring free screenings of beloved Hungarian films in unique locations like beaches and community centers.