On 6 February 2024, the documentary Some Kind of Liberating Effect was screened with the participation of the film’s director Dr Valerio Severino in the Danube Institute. Several different aspects of science and religion were discussed both in the film itself and after the screening in a panel discussion.
‘The notion of ‘Judeo-Christian’, putting aside its religious connotation, as the foundation of Western civility is rather arbitrary, if not ambiguous. Various Christian fundamentalists and self-proclaimed traditional Catholics have employed the ‘Judeo-Christian’ discourse to justify their backing of Israel, despite the term being neither eschatological nor doctrinal. ’
Members of the American Political Science Association came up with a peculiar ranking, trivializing catastrophic events in American history that led to the suffering of many in the process, such as the American Civil War, white supremacist terror in the South, and the Great Depression.
‘This scandal is a self-inflicted catastrophe for Fidesz. The prime minister plainly understands this, and is taking concrete steps to reform. Yet the idea that the political and cultural Left in Hungary is trying to capitalize on this crisis to sell itself to the Hungarian people as the real protectors of children is a farce—and a dangerous one.’
How should we Hungarians relate to our heroic dead who perished in the two world wars? Some thoughts and proposals by our Sopron-based contributor Botond Szabó.
The star last visited Hungary in September 2019. This year, he will perform at the MVM Dome in Budapest on 14 October.
The annual analysis of media consumption showed that in 2023, the attention of news readers was primarily captured by events such as the papal visit, the earthquake in Turkey, the uprising of the Wagner Group, the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, and the death of Hungarian mountaineer Szilárd Suhajda.
The periodic graphic design exhibitions were launched in 1978, with the aim to comprehensively present the Hungarian and international development, values, and generations of graphic design styles.
Over the course of three days, attendees can expect 36 programmes across seven locations, offering cinema experiences, Slam Poetry nights, and enchantment-themed tastings inspired by the Harry Potter universe.
The cute feline was born on 21 November to her parents Coolio and Jilin. North-Chinese leopards, also known as amur leopards, are the rarest big cats in the world, with only around 100 living in the wild right now.
The protracting NATO accession process of Sweden seems to be reaching its conclusion, following the announcement of support for ratification by Fidesz parliamentary group leader Máté Kocsis.
Borsodi Brewery is targeting consumers least affected by last year’s crisis with a premium product: it was announced that starting from February, Borsodi will distribute one of the world’s most renowned beer brands, Coors, in Hungary.
A bipartisan US Senate delegation visited Budapest over the weekend to exert pressure on the Hungarian parliament to advance the ratification of Sweden’s NATO membership. The senators also held consultations with opposition politicians and NGO representatives, and are planning to propose a resolution condemning Hungary.
Presidents’ Day was originally celebrated on George Washington’s birthday, 22 February, but it was later moved to the third Monday in every February—which is today. Since this is a presidential election year in the United States, let’s take a look at the way the very first POTUS led the country in its infancy.
At the event, visitors will have a chance to acquaint themselves with various dances across different age groups, engage in dance houses, enjoy stage performances, browse through the folk art fair, and participate in handicraft workshops.
One hundred programmes are being organized this year to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Hungary and Türkiye. The programmes of the 2024 Hungarian–Turkish cultural season will run concurrently in the two countries for one year.
Minister of Defence Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky of Hungary participated in the commemorative run celebrating the anniversary of the foundation of the International Military Sports Council (CISM).
On Saturday, 17 February, Viktor Orbán delivered his 25th State of the Nation address, which was centred around topics such as the scandal surrounding President Katalin Novák, the reinforcement of the child protection system, Hungary’s relationship with the European Union, and the forthcoming EU and US elections.
Among other programmes, between 20 and 23 February the museum’s historians will hold presentations for secondary school students interested in history. During these sessions, students will be able to learn about the Sovietization in the Hungarian countryside after 1945, Communist propaganda posters, and the terror of the ÁVO (the State Protection Authority) between 1945 and 1956.
‘While Hungary and Poland ensure their reactionary abilities remain strong through their respective memberships in NATO, the rapidly developing world of cyber affairs and the dangers they come with require a proactive approach to avoid potential vulnerabilities in national infrastructure. Budapest has already begun to implement such an approach.’
Applications for the CSS programme are accepted on the Harvard Medical School website, requiring a professional CV, a cover letter, and a letter of recommendation. Early applications and submissions for the supportive scholarship are open until 12 May, with the final application deadline on 26 May.
Paradoxically, it seems that democracy can only sustain itself and protect itself from collapse, (tyranny and chaos) precisely by what is not democratic in it. It seems that it is always easier to justify democracy with a quasi-mystical hypothesis than with one that starts from the existing conditions of political realities. In democracy, we can clearly say that there is a huge gap between the ‘ideal’ and the ‘realistic’ and precisely because of this democracy definitely needs a ‘leap of faith.’
‘When we put on the costume and the mask, we are busós, not men. A busó without a mask, even if he is wearing a cowbell, traditional trousers, or a haversack, is not a real busó, but a clown showing himself off to tourists.’ A Magyar Krónika report about four masks, four characters, and four different stories, linked forever by the same city and passion!
The renovated heritage buildings, evoking the golden age of Nagyvárad in the early 20th century, remind visitors that after Budapest, Nagyvárad used to be the second most important economic and cultural centre in the region.
‘Only the West killed God, and they did it twice for good measure: once on the cross, and more recently via the Enlightenment project to transform the world through progress, secularism, and science, rendering religion either rational or irrelevant.’
‘We have to rid ourselves of the fundamental cultural Marxist idea that we must destroy European identity at its very fundamentals. That we must destroy the classical nuclear family. We must destroy nations. We must destroy classical aesthetics. We must destroy the Christian faith. That’s wrong,’ says Dutch politician and author Thierry Baudet in an interview with Wael Taji.
Hármashatár Hill, Camel Rock, Iron Gates, Lad’s Cave and Epöl Rocks: all wonderful hiking destinations that can be easily reached if you are based in the Hungarian capital.
MP Fekete-Győr was convicted of assault on a public official, for throwing a smoke grenade at police officers at a 2018 protest. István Hollik of the ruling Fidesz party has called on him to resign, which he is refusing to do.
Balog’s resignation was prompted by a recent scandal that caused public outrage where former President Katalin Novák granted clemency to an accomplice of a convicted paedophile. Novák resigned on 10 February after the events, closely followed by the resignation of former Minister of Justice Judit Varga.
The exhibition, which features Pál Kepenyes’s small sculptures, life-size statues, and large-format photographs of his works, will be open until 9 March at the Aba-Novák Agora Cultural Center.