Diplomacy & Trade 2016 October

OCTOBER 2016 HUF 1710

EUR 6

56 SIXTY YEARS ANNIVERSARY October 23, 1956 saw the start of a popular uprising against the Stalinist regime in Hungary. The revolution was crushed within a few weeks by Soviet troops but the effort was not in vain: Stalinism was never restored and Hungary earned the respect of the world.

SEE COMPILATION ON

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Saudi Arabia

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FOCUS

“Saudi Arabia, as a key player in the GCC, Arab League and OIC, and Hungary, as a key player in both the Visegrád Group and the European Union, can work positively and effectively on many issues at regional and international levels,” the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed Abdulhadi Almatrafi, who presented his credentials in Hungary in February, 2015, tells Diplomacy & Trade. The two countries commemorated the 20th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic relations last year. see articles on pages 8-17

World Press Photo

Hailed as the Oscars of photojournalism, the world's most prestigious annual photo exhibition returns to Budapest this fall to be on show until October 23. A photo series by Reuters titled ‘Exodus - Witnessing modern migration’ accompanies the exhibition. see page 27

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letter from the publisher

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­­ contents AccorHotels aims to create the maximum value page 22

25 INDIA

8-17 SAUDI ARABIA FOCUS 18 SOCIETY 19 WITTY LEAKS

26-27 CULTURE

20-21 '56 COMMEMORATION

30-31 GASTRONOMY

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Cinema Weeks World Press Photo Exhibition 2016

28-29 WHAT'S ON

Concerts, festivals, events and exhibitions in and out of Budapest

Music, flavors and cityscapes

22-24 BUSINESS

AccorHotels HBLF Brexit conference EU Commissioner for Trade in Hungary

Truffle Hunt at Szalajka Valley Truffle Weeks at Pomo d'Oro The New Bikavér Chimney Cake Fest

PUBLISHER: Peter Freed, EDITOR: Réka A. Francisck, COPY EDITOR: Joyce Freed PHOTO EDITOR: Dávid Harangozó SALES & MARKETING DIRECTOR: Tamás Varga, DISTRIBUTION MANAGER: Tibor Ocsenás ADMINISTRATION: Judit Ludányi ASSISTANT: Ágnes Rapaport CONTRIBUTORS: Sándor Laczkó, Tamás Magyarics, Réka A. Francisck, Maria del Carmen González Cabal, Dorka Tamás, Alexandra Ruff PHOTO CONTRIBUTORS

GERMAN FOCUS - COMING SOON

ERICH LESSING (COVER - 1956), CHRISTIAN WALGRAM/AUSTRIA/GEPA PICTURES (COVER - WORLD PRESS PHOTO), 123RF.COM, SHUTTERSTOCK.COM, GE, BUDAPEST AIRPORT, BARBARA KINNEY/HILLARY FOR AMERICA, WWW.DONALDJTRUMP.COM, EMBASSY OF THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA, JUDIT FIGULI, SABIC HUNGARY, GODOLLOIHIREK.HU, SAUDI PRESS AGENCY, ERICH SCHMID/WIKIPEDIA, KAICIID.ORG, EMBASSY OF ECUADOR, CAN STOCK PHOTO INC., ANITA NAGY, AMRITA SHER-GIL CULTURAL CENTRE, KEVIN FRAYER/CANADA/GETTY IMAGES, LÁSZLÓ BALOGH, NACHO GOMEZ, S. DELEU, TAMÁS DOBOS, MUGA MIYAHARA, PEXELS.COM, WWW.PIXELTASTER.COM, ZOLTÁN VANIK, MTI PHOTOS: TAMÁS KOVÁCS, JÁNOS MARJAI, TIBOR ILLYÉS, PÉTER KOMKA, SÁNDOR BOJÁR

Diplomacy & Trade is preparing a special Focus section on Germany, Europe’s financial powerhouse and Hungary’s most significant investor. German companies provide jobs for nearly 300,000 Hungarians and subsistence for more than a million, including family members.

The Focus will feature an interview with the German Ambassador to Hungary, Dr. Heinz-Peter Behr who discusses issues of economic relations (including trade and investment) as well as cultural, social and civil ties. You can also read about the German-Hungarian Chamber of Industry and Commerce, the Deutsche Wirtschaftsclub, the Goethe Institut and other organizations as well as several of the many German companies present in Hungary.

Copyright 2004-2015 Duax Kft., all rights reserved | ISSN 1589-8075 This magazine is produced by Duax Kft. The opinions published in the magazine do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Duax Kft. COPIES ARE AVAILABLE AT SELECTED RELAY AND INMEDIO OUTLETS IN MAJOR HUNGARIAN CITIES.

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Chances for the White House

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07 ANALYSIS

‘Blood in the water’; The Painter Picture compilation

Peter Freed

What's on - cultural programs in October

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October 23, 2016 marks the 60th anniversary of the popular uprising against the Stalinist regime. Some 200,000 Hungarians were forced to leave the country fearing reprisals following the crushing of the revolution – among them was water polo player Antal Bolvári, who returned to Hungary five years after the Hungarian-Soviet match famous for ‘blood in the water’ at the Melbourne Olympics and has now given an exclusive interview to Diplomacy & Trade on his recollections of the match from inside the pool. You can also read about who the mysterious ‘Painter’ was visiting the Indian Embassy in Budapest in the fall of 1956.

The country in focus in this October issue of Diplomacy & Trade is the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, an influential regional power in the Middle East. We feature an interview with the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed Abdulhadi Almatrafi who talks about his country’s active role in international relations, including the fight against terrorism (especially Daesh), initiating and supporting humanitarian and relief efforts as well as world financial institutions in which Saudi Arabia holds a key position. DT’s Saudi focus delves into these issues and others, including Saudi Arabia’s impressive ‘Vision 2030’ program to reform the country’s economy towards a more diversified and privatized structure. The Hungarian side of bilateral cooperation with Saudi Arabia is highlighted in an interview with the Deputy Minister of the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

This month, our analyst looks at the chances – and possible reception among the voters - of the two main candidates at the US presidential elections on November 8.

Our business section features an interview with the Central and Eastern European CEO of the world’s largest hotel chain as well as reports on the Hungarian conference held in the aftermath of the Brexit vote as well as the visit to Hungary by the EU Commissioner for Trade.

Our culture section introduces this year’s World Press Photo exhibition in Budapest while this month’s WittyLeaks article has been authored by the Ecuadorian Ambassador, María Del Carmen González Cabal as she shares her thoughts about how much she has been charmed by Hungarian generosity and friendliness. Of course, we also have, for your enjoyment the usual culinary guides, restaurant offers and Society picture compilations.

White House: who will be the next tenant?

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on the record UPCOMING NATIONAL DAYS October

SEPTEMBER 11 COMMEMORATION AT THE AMERICAN EMBASSY A commemoration was held in Budapest to mark the 15th anniversary of the terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington, DC. Those gathered in front of the US Embassy were addressed by the American Ambassador Colleen Bell.

In her speech, she said that September 11 was a day of pointless violence, but at the same time of heroism and solidarity, too. "For me, and for many Americans and people around the world, 9/11 will always be a day that represents humanity at its worst, and humanity at its best; a day when many people experienced senseless violence and tragic, unspeakable loss, but when all of us witnessed the heroism, the generosity, and the compassion that represents the utmost of human good," she pointed out.

She added that the commemoration gives strength to face old and new challenges and reinforces a commitment to shared values.

Also speaking at the ceremony, Hungarian interior minister Sándor Pintér stressed that September 11 weighs heavy upon countries around the world, and we must prevent a similar incident from happening again. We must unite our forces to stop terrorist organizations from jeopardizing democracy.

He added that the democracies of the world must give an adequate response through international cooperation, and by making available the legal framework that is necessary for prevention. At the same time, the intelligence services must keep track of any changes, and must prevent terrorist attacks. “The trust of our citizens, and the blood of our heroes compel us to do so”, he said.

The commemoration was attended by Dan Daily, retired head of New York’s Fire Department, who had participated in rescue operations at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.

November

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Cyprus

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China

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Nigeria

Independence day

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Germany

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Iraq

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Korea

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Taiwan

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Cuba

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Spain

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Azerbaijan

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Hungary

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Zambia

Independence day

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Austria

National day

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Czech Republic

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Turkey

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Poland

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Angola

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Latvia

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Morocco

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Oman

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FUNDING CONTRACT FOR FOUR-NATION GAS PIPELINE SIGNED

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TAMÁS KOVÁCS/MTI, JÁNOS MARJAI/MTI, GE, 123RF.COM

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EU officials and energy ministers signed a EUR 179 million funding contract for the Bulgaria-Romania-Hungary-Austria (BRUA) gas pipeline project at the end of a two-day meeting of the Central and South Eastern Europe Gas Connectivity (CESEC) working group in Budapest this September.

As reported by the Hungarian news agency MTI, the BRUA interconnector is one of the key energy infrastructure projects promoted by the EU with a grant allocated from its Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) fund. Miguel Arias Canete, EU commissioner for Climate Action and Energy, assessed the meeting as the most successful event moving key EU cross-border energy infrastructure projects ahead since the creation of CESEC (Central and South Eastern Europe Gas Connectivity) in February 2015. The working group was set up by Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia and the EU to coordinate efforts to facilitate crossborder projects that diversify gas supplies to the region in the aftermath of Russia’s cancellation of the South Stream project. The European Commission Vice-President for Energy Union, Maros Sefcovic, called the agreements signed in Budapest “a milestone” in setting up a system that will ensure safety and diversity in South-Eastern Europe’s energy supplies.

HUNGARIAN PHYSICIST WINS GE’S GLOBAL CHALLENGE 29-year-old Hungarian physicist Zoltán Szabó has won GE’s unique global contest, “GEeks go for gold”, de-coding the conversations of some of the smartest GE machines. It took him over two weeks to crack the code – but he was the first person to do so – and win the USD 10,000 prize. As reported by GE, “challenged by us, more than 1,000 information technology professionals, software engineers, data scientists as well as professional and amateur programmers from 25 countries entered the challenge via Twitter and used their computing and de-coding knowledge to proceed through the challenge stages.”

According to GE, “the ‘Internet of things’ – that is, the more integrated network of machines, people and data – will change our lives much more fundamentally and will create twice as much value as the civil internet. It is therefore important for us to start a conversation with the world’s brightest, talented software engineers and data scientists who can be identified for the future to design, develop and operate digital systems and digitalize industrial products which our company manufactures.”

Szabó said “this was the right challenge for me. I did not think twice about entering (the contest) as I became passionate about cryptography over the past year.” The young physicist of the Institute of Technical Physics and Material Science in Budapest is a cryptography, cypher and modern information technology algorithm de-coding fan who entered the GE challenge as a passion to refresh his mind while preparing his PhD study. w w w . d t e u r o p e . c o m

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HAPPIEST

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HAPPY

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HOW HAPPY HUNGARIANS ARE The World is Better With You Foundation (Jobb Veled a Világ Alapítvány), has created Hungary’s first ever Happiness Map. The detailed report evaluates Hungarians’ state of happiness and discusses how it is related to age, marital status and education. The survey was taken to show the location and happiness of Hungarians based on different social factors, as well as their capability of achieving and preserving happiness. “It turns out that the Hungarian population’s happiness level varies widely, therefore, not all Hungarians are as melancholic as many believe,” says Bella Bagdi, president of the foundation. “Those aged between 30 and 50, living in West Hungary with a big family and able to handle stressful situations more efficiently are happier in the long run as well," Bagdi continues. Prof. Attila Oláh, leader of the ELTE Positive Psychology Laboratory and professional partner of the research foundation adds that people with higher education and women in general tend to be the happiest. Specialists are looking to reprise the survey every year, in order to track how Hungarian happiness levels changes.

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­company briefs Mercedes-Benz is to implement projects totaling HUF 600 billion (appr. EUR 1.9 bn) in the near future in Hungary, Minister for National Economy Mihály Varga said following a meeting with Daimler Bus CEO Hartmut Schick and Mercedes-Benz Hungary CEO Jörg Schmidt this September. He added that the company is assuming a leading role in bolstering the domestic bus manufacturing sector and the promotion of electric cars in Hungary.

“We are proud that one of the world’s most successful car makers regards Hungary as a long-term partner,” he stated. Mercedes is building a new factory in Kecskemét at a cost of HUF 313 billion (roughly EUR 1 bn), which is to employ 2,500 people. The existing production facility will be expanded through a project costing HUF 185 bn, to make new-generation compact cars, and a new site for the construction of car bodies will be added for HUF 80 bn and a logistics base for HUF 4 bn.

According to a statement by the Ministry for National Economy, Mercedes has also proven its long-term commitment through launching a low-rent housing program, and having joined Hungary’s dual training system and research development programs, the Minister said. The Hungarian Government is to begin large-scale energy supply and road development projects in the Kecskemét region in order to provide flawless energy supply and further improve the transport route between the plant and motorway M5, Mihály Varga stressed.

Daimler and Hungary are also forging closer partnership regarding education and research, as the Cabinet has doubled allocations for R&D for the period 2014-2020.

The time capsule of the first hotel in Hungary with direct terminal access was placed at Ferenc Liszt International Airport early September. The 145-room Ibis Style Budapest Airport Hotel, also featuring conference facilities, is scheduled for completion in 18 months.

The hotel, to be developed in the cooperation of Budapest Airport and WING Zrt, will be erected on the site of the external car park in front of Terminal 2. Grading works and the installation of the required infrastructure were commenced by Budapest Airport several months ago, and construction works of the hotel building itself have also started. The specialty of the new hotel is that it will be directly connected with Terminal 2 via a covered walkway that allows passengers to simply walk from the hotel to the airport. The developers will hand over the hotel to the Ibis Style hotel chain, a member of the Accor group, for operation. According to plans, the 5,200-square-meter five-level hotel featuring an atrium will offer 145 rooms reflecting the airport vibe and the trends of contemporary interior design, and multiple conference rooms will also be available for organizers of business conferences. The 350-square-meter conference section, which can be divided into two separate rooms, can accommodate 120 persons and will also offer smaller seminar rooms and a separate meeting room for business travelers.

“With the new airport hotel we continue to enhance the profile of Budapest Airport and strengthen our competitiveness in the region. The record two-digit growth of the last few years, which is continuing this year, makes the timely implementation of this hotel project even more crucial,” the CEO of Budapest Airport, Jost Lammers said.

HUNGARIAN UPC SUBSCRIBERS GAIN ACCESS TO NETFLIX

AUTOMOTIVE SUPPLIER TO EXPAND BUSINESS NEAR GYŐR

MITSUBA LTD. EXPANDS PLANT IN SALGÓTARJÁN Japanese automobile electrical equipment manufacturer Mitsuba is expanding its production and storage capacities at its plant in Salgótarján; a section of the new facility was officially inaugurated in mid-September. The project will be fully completed by the end of 2017 with an investment of HUF 4.3 billion (EUR 13.9 mn) and will create 150 new jobs; the Hungarian government is providing HUF 850 million (EUR 2.74 mn) in grants towards the development project. At the inauguration ceremony, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Parliamentary State Secretary László Szabó stated “Japan has now become the most important Asian green-field investor in Hungary,” adding that there are almost 150 Japanese companies present in Hungary, including 47 with production capacities; these companies have realized investments totaling USD 4.5 billion and provide jobs to over 25,000 people. President and CEO of the Mistuba Group Hino Noboru told reporters that the construction of the new, 8,600-square-meter section of the facility is an important stepping stone in the company’s development and expansion project. “The new section is doubling our storage and production capacity, which was necessary in view of the increase in orders. Production lines are being continuously installed in the new unit.” Mitsuba established its plant in Salgótarján in 2001 as a green-field project and currently provides jobs for 370 people there, thereby being the largest local employer. The company manufactures windscreen wiper and washer units and other automobile accessories such as electric windows, steering wheel servos and electric horns for the European market. The plant’s export ratio exceeds 90%.

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Liberty Global Plc, the world’s largest international cable TV and broadband company has announced a multiyear partnership with Netflix Inc. which will lead to Netflix’s content (original Netflix series and wide range of movies and kids programming) being made available to Liberty Global video customers across more than 30 countries around the world – including those of UPC Hungary. Liberty Global’s digital TV platforms, like Horizon, bring together the world of broadcast, on demand and online content in a fully integrated and multidevice user experience. The agreement with Netflix continues Liberty Global’s investment in content through acquisitions, partnerships and original commissions to complement the USD 2.5 billion spent each year on licensed content for its video platforms. According to Liberty Global CEO Mike Fries, “we are committed to bringing the best content to our customers, and are thrilled to expand our partnership with Netflix. This deal will provide even more freedom to our subscribers – allowing them to access a goldmine of amazing TV and films at the click of a button, fully integrated into their usual TV viewing set-up.”

BUDAPEST AIRPORT WELCOMES THE ARRIVAL OF AIR ALGÉRIE Having already added an exceptional 16 new destinations so far in 2016, Budapest Airport has now further expanded its route network by welcoming the arrival of a direct link to Africa’s largest territorial nation, Algeria. The Hungarian gateway, which continues to record an average 10% passenger traffic growth per year, celebrated the commencement of the service with Air Algérie. Utilizing its fleet of 737-600s, the national airline of Algeria will face no direct competition on the 1,777-kilometre sector. With the addition of the twice-weekly link to Algiers, Budapest Airport will now offer more than 1,000 weekly seats to four of North Africa’s airports, complementing existing services to Hurghada, Monastir and Cairo. Welcoming Air Algérie’s inaugural flight, Budapest Airport CEO Jost Lammers pointed out that “it’s always a great pleasure to welcome a new airline partner, especially one which adds such an attractive destination to our route network.

Air Algérie’s service further enhances our links to North Africa, and the carrier re-joins us during another year which sees us continuing to outperform most European markets.”

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Dana Incorporated is to build an approximately USD 51 million (some EUR 48.6 mn) state-of-the-art gear manufacturing facility in Győr, northwest Hungary, the Ohio-based company announced this September. The Hungarian government awarded Dana a non-refundable cash grant of HUF 2.9 bn that is close to 20% of the cost of the project. Construction is slated to start in the first quarter of 2017. Dana plans to invest into the building of a 13,000-square-meter (140,000-square-foot) facility and expects to employ around 200 associates by 2020. The facility will produce Spicer AdvanTEK hypoid or spiral bevel ring and pinion gear sets. Dana manufactures primary ring and pinion drive gearing for traditional banjo and beam axles, as well as all-wheel-drive systems. Full axle assembly on the site is possible in the future. The new plant, a green-field investment in the Győr Industrial Park, will serve as the company's fourth operation in Győr where it has operated for more than ten years. Portfolio.hu quoted the Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Péter Szijjártó as saying that Hungary has never had this much U.S. money, some USD 9 billion, invested here before. There are about 1,650 U.S. businesses operating in Hungary, employing more than 100,000 people. "This plant is strategically positioned in close proximity to our other Győr operations and will enable us to deliver technologies to our European customers more quickly and cost effectively," the President of Dana Light Vehicle Driveline Technologies, Robert Pyle commented.

DÁVID HARANGOZÓ, TIBOR ILLYÉS/MTI, PÉTER KOMKA/MTI, BUDAPEST AIRPORT, 123RF.COM

MERCEDESBENZ WITH LONG-TERM PLANS IN HUNGARY

AIRPORT HOTEL TO BE DEVELOPED IN BUDAPEST

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analysis

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BY TAMÁS MAGYARICS

Winning a presidential election is not a cakewalk in most cases. There have been exceptions: for instance, Lyndon B. Johnson received 61% of the popular vote in 1964, while Ronald Reagan won in 49 states in 1984. This time, opinion polls are very much like roller-coasters: one week Hillary Clinton leads in the national polls, the next week it’s Donald J. Trump. The race, in some of the most important so-called swing or battleground states, where the presidential election will actually be decided, tends to follow the national pattern, as well.

It is most likely though that the Democratic Party candidate would win the presidential election if it was held today, but her lead over her Republican rival has definitely narrowed. Given Donald Trump’s millions of problems even with the Republican base, this fact shows how weak Hillary Clinton is as a candidate despite the fact that she enjoys the support of the bulk of the media, the business world, the international community and, also important in the U.S., most of the celebrities inside and outside Hollywood.

It has also become almost the rule that negative campaigning, unfortunately, has been the norm rather than the exception in recent presidential elections. This election cycle has perhaps produced new lows in this deplorable race as the two camps are busy putting – metaphorically – more and more grease on the proverbial pole. What is somewhat unusual is that both candidates, and their campaign teams, seem to be doing their best to make it more and more difficult to win the race. The self-inflicted wounds are numerous – and they are likely to stick. Donald J. Trump’s gaffes, unguarded comments, outright insults to various groups of people, his unfounded self-confidence bordering on the ridiculous, his spectacular ignorance of domestic and foreign affairs, and his simplified, black-andwhite world view in general are astounding.

It reminds one of the hack doctor character in American (Wild West) folklore who sold ‘snake oil’ to innocent and ignorant village people as a panacea for all ailments. Perhaps, Hillary Clinton’s ‘global village’ bites back right now as tens of millions of voters in the U.S. have fallen under the spell of Trump, a descendent of the erstwhile hack doctor. The question is: when will these people realize that they have been taken for a ride. If they, and others, don’t realize it by November 8, and Trumpism is here to stay, that is bad news for Americans and the world at large. Donald Trump’s distortions and half-truths are exposed without any difficulties by the other side: the Republican candidate does not tell the truth about any given issue 80% of the time. This rate is a little bit too high even during a presidential election race which is generally no time to confront people with the real situation and the intentions of any particular candidate.

Hillary Clinton is facing somewhat different challenges. Her knowledge of domestic and international questions is beyond dispute; from this point of view she is truly a qualified candidate. (It should be noted though, that President Barack Obama’s hyperbole that she is the most qualified candidate, to ever run for w w w . d t e u r o p e . c o m

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WHO WILL BE FIRST ON THE EVER GREASIER POLE? PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS IN THE UNITED STATES ON NOVEMBER 8

President, should be taken with a grain salt.)

Candidate Obama might have been closer to truth when he opined in 2008 that Hillary Clinton was willing to say anything to become President of the U.S. The bad news for Hillary Clinton in 2016 is that Obama’s 2008 opinion is the one shared by the majority of the voters: according to opinion polls some 59% of the people do not have any trust in her. (Donald Trump’s score in this strange race is a bit higher: 60%.) Hillary Clinton and Bill Clinton are seen by many as too devious and secretive, believing that different laws apply to them than to the man in the street (which, unfortunately, seems to be the case). The couple’s public life is a life in litigations from the Whitewaterscandal through the Troopergate and Travelgate to President Bill Clinton’s struggle with telling the truth to, for instance, the grand jury in the Monica Lewinsky case. Hillary Clinton has contradicted herself a number of times; the ongoing story, which is not likely to go away is how she handled her e-mails as a Secretary of State. It is not quite plausible that Hillary Clinton, who has a razor-sharp mind, cannot remember how many e-mails she has destroyed, how many Blackberries she used, what ‘C’ meant on official documents, and the like. Recently, her state of health has become an issue of sorts: the problem again is that she, or her campaign team, did not come out clean from the beginning, and thus, they provided another easy target for their opponents. It is possible that there is nothing to see behind the e-mail scandal or her state of health, but the general perception is that the Clintons are playing a kind of hide-and-seek with the public.

The background of the current presidential and congressional elections is far from being bright. The polarization of the American electorate seems to be consolidating; the deadlock in Washington is likely to remain if the next occupant of the White House and the majority of either or both of the Houses of Congress come from different political parties; economic inequality has grown in the past years and there are few signs that the gap between the rich and poor will narrow; racial issues have come back with a vengeance; the infrastructure is crumbling and huge amounts are needed to build and rebuild it in harmony with the demands of the 21st century and in the light of the stiff global competition (posed especially

by China). However, it would be unfair to suggest that everything is gloom and doom in the U.S. The economy has recovered from the 2008 shock; unemployment is down (the official rate is a bit above 5%); and America’s position in the world has not been seriously challenged, partly due to the problems which the major (potential) competitors of the U.S. are facing. On balance, however, the U.S. need a strong, imaginative, and strategically thinking leadership with clear and achievable priorities if she wishes to preserve her current position as a global hegemon. One suspects that the ambitions of the two candidates are much more limited than those of some of their illustrious predecessors: they are willing to “pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any friend” – to simply get on top of the pole.

Tamás Magyarics is a foreign policy analyst

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COOPERATION of MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING INTERVIEW WITH MOHAMMED ABDULHADI ALMATRAFI SAUDI AMBASSADOR TO HUNGARY

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COURTESY OF THE EMBASSY OF THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA

Last year, Saudi Arabia and Hungary commemorated the 20th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic relations.

The Ambassador stresses that “Saudi Arabia is an important partner to Hungary. Both countries enjoy distinctive relations and work together to establish a closer cooperation in all fields including politics. The memorandum

The cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Hungary is developing in all potential areas. In February this year, the second session of the Saudi-Hungarian Joint Commission was held in Riyadh, where representatives of the two governments emphasized their desire to improve economic and cultural accounts, which include education, healthcare, water and electricity, agriculture, science and technology, nuclear and renewable energy, communication and information technology, youth and sport, and tourism and national heritage. “I believe that the business environment in Saudi Arabia is encouraging for Hungarian companies, particularly after the Saudi government announced this year its strategic and ambitious plan,” the Ambassador says.

That strategic and ambitious plan is ‘Vision 2030’ in which Saudi Arabia has set a number of impressive goals. For instance, it seeks to employ millions of Saudi nationals in an expanding private sector.

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Bilateral political relations

Business opportunities

DÁVID HARANGOZÓ

“The importance of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia stems from its leading role at both regional and international levels.

Strategically speaking, it is a center of the Arab and Islamic worlds, and it has an important location as a link between Asia, Africa and Europe. From the economic and trade perspective, Saudi Arabia is a member of G20, it has 18% of the world's proven oil reserves, and it has large financial reserves, as well.” That is how Ambassador Almatrafi introduces his country to the readers of Diplomacy & Trade.

He adds that Saudi Arabia was a founding member of both the United Nations and the Arab League in 1945. It also hosts key international organizations such as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) of 57 members of Islamic States.

With regard to the correlation between objectives of both Saudi Arabia and Hungary, he believes that “Saudi Arabia, as a key player in the GCC, Arab League and OIC, and Hungary, as a key player in both the Visegrád Group and the European Union, can work positively and effectively on many issues at regional and international levels.”

He is of the view that the practices of Saudi foreign policy in international relations prove the importance attached to respecting international legitimacy, international law and multilateral and bilateral cooperation in promoting universal peace, security and prosperity for all nations. “Disseminating tolerance and mutual understanding, building on our common values and encouraging dialogue among people of different faiths and cultures are key objectives in Saudi foreign policy,” he points out.

of understanding regarding consultation in the bilateral political field illustrates the desire of both countries to foster and develop the relations and cooperation of mutual understanding.”

He adds that “the bilateral high-level contacts and comprehensive and positive talks, particularly the productive visits of PM Viktor Orbán to Saudi Arabia have played a key role in cementing and promoting bilateral relations during the last two decades.” He also took notice that “Hungarian government officials are very cooperative with diplomats and grant us easy access to address our issues with government officials here.”

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BY SÁNDOR LACZKÓ

Vision 2030 As Ambassador Almatrafi summarizes it, it is “a comprehensive and ambitious plan, and, God willing, it will positively improve both the Saudi society and the Saudi economy. This vision is based on three pillars: our leading role as the heart of the Arab and Islamic worlds, our determination to become a global investment powerhouse and our strategic location as an integral driver of international trade connecting the three continents of Africa, Asia and Europe.

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saudi arabia focus achieved. One of the main objectives of this plan is to diversify the sources of income and improve the living standards of citizens.”

He adds that this plan focuses on the expansion of foreign investments in the Saudi economy. “Thus, it will create more job opportunities for Saudi nationals.

The Saudi government is very keen on building an education system aligned with market needs and to create economic opportunities for the entrepreneur, the small enterprise as well as the large corporation.”

DÁVID HARANGOZÓ

COURTESY OF THE EMBASSY OF THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA

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National Transformation Program A part of Vision 2030, the National Transformation Program (NTP) - launched in 2016 and to be implemented by 2020 - requires coordinated efforts from government agencies and the private sector in line with one of the Vision 2030 goals of creating a comprehensive privatization program.

The Ambassador points out that this program was developed to help fulfill the Vision and to identify the challenges faced by government bodies in the economic and development sectors. “NTP establishes strategic objectives that are based on the Vision and addresses its challenges through 2020 in accordance with specific targets. The Vision – and its National Transformation Program – focuses on the support and increase of the role of the private sector and the role of Small and Medium Enterprises, in particular.

According to both the Vision and NTP, developing renewable energy, information technology, mining and tourism industry have been identified as key objectives to the contribution in the non-oil GDP. I believe that our friends on the Hungarian side have good experience in these issues and both parties can promote their cooperation in these fields. I would like to take this occasion to encourage the Hungarian private sector to explore the investment opportunities listed in the website vision2030.gov.sa.”

As for the possibility of Hungarian firms participating in the implementation of related projects, the Ambassador is of the opinion that “it is time for Hungarian companies to explore the new opportunities in Saudi Arabia. The fruitful government-to-government cooperation should be extended to business-to-business cooperation, as well. In April 2015, the first meeting of the SaudiHungarian Business Council was held in Budapest.

More than 30 Saudi representatives attended this meeting, and we are in preparation with our Hungarian friends for the second meeting in Riyadh.”

AREA country comparison to the world POPULATION country comparison to the world POPULATION GROWTH RATE country comparison to the world BIRTH RATE country comparison to the world LIFE EXPECTANCY AT BIRTH country comparison to the world NET MIGRATION RATE country comparison to the world GDP - PER CAPITA (PPP) country comparison to the world UNEMPLOYMENT RATE country comparison to the world TELEPHONES - MOBILE/CELLULAR country comparison to the world AIRPORTS country comparison to the world

Cultural ties Culture and education are also areas of progress in bilateral relations. As the Ambassador says, “cultural and education cooperation prove to be more active in terms of theory and practice. In order to institutionalize and boost this important kind of cooperation, the two countries concluded a memorandum of understanding on education and scientific cooperation.”

He believes that culture can play an active role in building bridges between common people. “I have found it interesting how proud the Hungarian people are of their traditions and culture – just like the people of Saudi Arabia. Another element that can be considered as part of people’s cultural heritage in both countries is folklore. We presented Saudi folklore during the Saudi Cultural Days in the Palace of Arts in Budapest in 2013. We also participated in the Arab Cultural Days event In Budapest this year.”

He adds that there are hundreds of Saudi students in several Hungarian universities. “These universities offer high level education in different subjects and in different languages. Bilateral cooperation in education will extend to the field of scientific research, exchange of information HUNGARY

SAUDI ARABIA

93,028 sq km 110 9,897,541 (July 2015 est.)

90 -0.22% (2015 est.)

207 9.26 births/1,000 population 214 75.69 years 94 1.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population

2,149,690 sq km 13 27,752,316 (July 2015 est.)

47 1.46% (2015 est.)

81 18.51 births/1,000 population (2015 est.)

94 75.05 years 108 -0.55 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.) (not including 700,000 Syrian refugees) 137 $53,600 (2015 est.)

22 11.4% (2015 est.)

130 52.796 million 79 214 (2013) 26

58 $26,200 (2015 est.)

71 6,8% (2015 est.)

79 11,786,000 (2012) 78 41 (2013) 104

HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE BY SAUDI ARABIA

Saudi Arabia is one of the leading countries globally in the field of humanitarian relief and assistance. “Saudi foreign aid has been on the top of the Kingdom's contribution list since it emerged as one of the top donors worldwide. During the last four decades, my country has provided USD 110 billion in humanitarian aid and development to more than 90 countries,” Ambassador Almatrafi points out.

Saudi Arabia is, in fact, the third largest donor of foreign aid after the United States and Germany, he adds.

In May 2015, the Kingdom established the King Salman Center for Relief and Humanitarian Works in Riyadh. The message of this center is to be a leading international center in providing relief to afflicted communities with the aim of alleviating its sufferings and providing a respectable life to its people.

During the inauguration of the Center, King Salman announced the allocation of SR One billion (over USD 267 million) for the Center's relief and humanitarian activities, in addition to the allocation of more than SR one billion to fulfill relief and humanitarian needs of the Yemeni people.

In his opening speech during the inauguration ceremony, King Salman stated that "our goal and mission shall be focused on exerting our best efforts to have this center fully and only dedicated to the humanitarian aids, away from any other motives, in cooperation with accredited international relief entities and organizations". Since its inception , King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center has undertaken some 80 programs benefiting more than 62 million people at a cost of more than USD 416 million.In his speech at the UN summit on refugees and immigration in New York last month, HRH Crown Prince Mohammed bin Naif stated that Saudi Arabia welcomed nearly two and a half million Syrians and was keen not to treat them as refugees or put them in refugee camps but offered them labor market access in addition to the provision of free medical and educational care and services. Saudi Arabia provided free education to more than 400,000 students from Syria and Yemen.

and participate in workshops, seminars, scientific and cultural conferences. Furthermore, several Saudi universities host some Hungarian academic teachers.”

Last year, was the fifth time that the Saudi Embassy took part in the events of the International Children’s Day celebration

in the City Park in Budapest. According to Ambassador Almatrafi, “this participation signified the importance of the Embassy's social responsibilities towards Hungarian children and, by extension, to the people of Hungary. In this annual occasion, we shared with the children exciting programs, met new friends and had fun with them. During this event, the Embassy distributed some children's stories in Hungarian language. I would like to take this opportunity to thank H.E. Dr. LászIó Kövér, the President of International Children's Safety Service and his team for their efforts and assistance in organizing this exciting and joyful day.”

Mohammed Abdulhadi Almatrafi has been in Hungary as Ambassador since early 2015. “I am really pleased to serve in this historical and beautiful country. People are friendly and helpful to tourists. I admire it here that – just like in my country – people appreciate the common values of the family, which is the core identity of society, and they have respect for their parents and neighbors. I have made trips to several wonderful places in Hungary like Debrecen and Miskolc as well as smaller towns and plan to visit many more,” he concludes.

Source: World Factbook

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saudi arabia focus (COMPILATION OF HUNGARIAN-SAUDI BILATERAL RELATIONS BY THE PRESS ARCHIVES OF THE HUNGARIAN PUBLIC SERVICE MEDIA ORGANIZATION MTVA AND DIPLOMACY & TRADE)

OVER TWO DECADES of DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS A CHRONOLOGY OF HUNGARIAN-SAUDI RELATIONS

NOVEMBER 24-26, 1996 Following the establishment of diplomatic relations, Foreign Minister László Kovács was the first Hungarian minister to visit Saudi Arabia. He held talks with Saudi Foreign Minister HRH Prince Saud alFaisal and Oil Minister Ali bin Ibrahim anNaimi and met with the representatives of economic and financial circles. He was also received by the Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdel-Aziz (who later became king).

on Saudi prince Al-Waleed bin Talal bin Abdel-Aziz Al Saud by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. The member of the ruling family of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was recognized for his work in the development of Hungarian-Saudi economic relations

FEBRUARY 12-14, 2001 The official visit of Viktor Orbán as that of the first Hungarian Prime Minister to Saudi Arabia occurred. He was received by King Fahd bin Abdel-Aziz, who was also the prime minister of the country. In Riyadh, the Hungarian PM met with First Deputy Prime Minister Crown HRH Prince Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz, Foreign Minister Saud alFaisal, Minister of Defense and Aviation HRH Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz, and the Governor of Riyadh HRH Prince Salman Bin Abdulaziz (currently the King), as well.

JANUARY 27, 2015 The announcement was made of a project by Saudi industrial and commercial service provider Sherbiny Holdings to establish an engineering service center in Gödöllő, east of Budapest.

SEPTEMBER 22, 2003 The Chairman of the Saudi Consultative Assembly (parliament) Sheikh Saleh ben Humajjed visited Hungary. He met with Hungarian President Ferenc Mádl, parliamentary speaker Katalin Szili and Prime Minister Péter Medgyessy.

SEPTEMBER 14, 2005 The President of the Republic of Hungary, László Sólyom held bilateral talks with the Saudi Crown Prince Sultan bin AbdelAziz in New York City, during the jubilee session of the UN General Assembly.

JANUARY 31 - FEBRUARY 1, 2006 Led by Speaker Katalin Szili, a Hungarian Parliament delegation paid an official visit to Saudi Arabia. Szili held talks in Riyadh with the Chairman of the Saudi Consultative Assembly (parliament) Sheikh Saleh ben Humajjed, industry and trade minister Hashim bin Abdullah Yamani and other officials, and was also received by Crown Prince HRH Sultan Bin Abdulaziz.

OCTOBER 5-6, 2010 Saudi Arabia’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Nizar bin Obeid Madani, signed an

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APRIL 29-30, 2015 Led by the Co-Chair of the Saudi-Hungarian Business Council, Abdulrahman A. Mazi, a delegation of 31 council members visited Budapest. They participated at the HungarianSaudi Business Forum organized by the Hungarian Chamber of Trade and Industry and the Royal embassy of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Budapest.

▶ HUNGARIAN PRIME MINISTER VIKTOR ORBÁN MEETING WITH KING SALMAN IN RIYADH intergovernmental agreement in Budapest with Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs János Martonyi, on governing relations between the two countries, known as the General Agreement for Cooperation.

The Minister of State was received

by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.

OCTOBER 3-5, 2011 Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán visited Saudi Arabia. He was received in Riyadh by King – and Prime Minister – Abdullah bin Abdel-Aziz, met with the President of the Council of Saudi Trade and Industry Chambers and with the General Secretary of the Gulf Cooperation Council. He also held talks with Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister HRH Prince Naif bin Abdel-Aziz, the Chairman of the Saudi Consultative Assembly (Shura'a) Abdullah al-Sheik, and he delivered a speech before members of the Saudi chambers of commerce and industry. The Prime Minister was accompanied by 25 Hungarian businessmen whose trip was organized by the National Investment and Trade Agency (HITA).

MARCH 23-24, 2014 Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán once again traveled to Saudi Arabia. Members of his delegation included several ministers and more than a hundred Hungarian businessmen. The Prime Minister gave a speech in Riyadh at the Hungarian-Arab Economic Forum. During the event, several Hungarian companies signed agreements with their respective business partners; Hungary’s National Innovation Office signed a science and technology cooperation agreement with its Saudi partner, while the United Arab Chamber signed an agreement to cooperate with the Hungarian Chamber of Trade and Industry and the Hungarian National Trading House Co. Ltd. Viktor Orbán was received

by First Deputy Prime Minister Crown Prince, Salman bin Abdel-Aziz and Second Deputy Prime Minister Prince Mokrin bin Abdel Aziz.

OCTOBER 19, 2015 The signing of a cooperation agreement on the peaceful use of nuclear energy between Hungary and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia occurred in Riyadh. During the visit of the Hungarian delegation, MVM OVIT Co. Ltd. signed an agreement on the establishment of a joint venture with the Saudi Arabian International Company (Annasban Group) involved in the production of steel structures.

FEBRUARY 24, 2016 The Parliamentary State Secretary of the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, László Szabó held talks in Riyadh. He and his delegation met with the interim president of the Saudi food and drug administration, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Mesal.

JULY 17, 2014 In Budapest, the Commander’s Cross of the Hungarian Order of Merit was bestowed

COURTESY OF THE EMBASSY OF THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA

APRIL 7, 2003 Saudi prince Al-Walid Bin Talal held talks in Budapest with Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Medgyessy, with whom he discussed investment opportunities offered to Saudi Arabian investors. The Saudi guest was also received by Hungarian President Ferenc Mádl.

JANUARY 24, 2015 Prime Minister Viktor Orbán traveled to Saudi Arabia to participate at the funeral ceremony of King Abdullah bin Abdel-Aziz in Riyadh.

JUNE 19-20, 2012 Hungarian Foreign Minister János Martonyi visited Saudi Arabia to express condolences on behalf of Hungary and its government to the new Crown Prince, Salman bin Abdel-Aziz for the death of Crown Prince Naif bin Abdel-Aziz.

MAY 14, 2013 Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Abdullah al-Saud discussed the development of Hungarian-Saudi relations in Budapest with László Kövér, President of the National Assembly and Foreign Minister János Martonyi.

▶ S PE A K E R O F TH E C O N SU LTAT IV E A SSE MB LY O F SA U D I A R A B IA , A B D U L L A H IB N MU H A MMA D A L A SH - SH E IK H W I TH H U NGA RI A N PA RL I A ME N TA RY SP E A K E R L Á SZ LÓ K Ö V É R

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Relations between the two countries began in the early 1990s. The establishment of diplomatic relations took place in April 1995 and the Hungarian Embassy began operations in October 1996 in Riyadh. It was a key step that Saudi Arabia opened an embassy in Budapest in 2002 most importantly because the mission in Budapest was the first Saudi Arabian Embassy in the Central and Eastern European region.

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A Partnership of Common Interest

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JUDIT FIGULI

THE DEVELOPMENT OF HUNGARIAN-SAUDI BILATERAL RELATIONS

Diplomatic relations between Hungary and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia date back to over two decades. During this time, there have been several high-level visits to both countries. Dr László Szabó, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade explains to Diplomacy & Trade, “after the regime change in 1989, there was a natural desire on both the Hungarian and the Saudi sides to establish diplomatic relations. The first few years could be described as the ‘period of contemplation’ in our partnership, characterized by mutual efforts to understand each other’s goals and to find the right ways and methods to work together effectively, in a constructive and open manner. It was during this period that we laid down the foundations of our bilateral co-operation, based on mutual trust. Given that Hungarian and Saudi people have a common approach in various fields of social and business life, this facilitates the strengthening of the political, economic, commercial and cultural ties between our countries.”

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has visited Riyadh three times, which – the Deputy Minister says – “shows our commitment to enhance the development of Hungarian-Saudi relations. These meetings have given significant impetus to the co-operation between the two countries. In relation to this, I would like to highlight the importance of the 2nd ArabHungarian Business Forum, held in Saudi Arabia in 2014, which showcased an expo on products and investment partnership opportunities and w w w . d t e u r o p e . c o m

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included the signing of several cooperation agreements with Arab business sectors.”

He adds that during the past few years, the co-operation between the two countries has resulted in a number of important bilateral agreements in the fields of science, education, culture, information technology, sports, tourism,

ECONOMIC COOPERATION

commerce and investment promotion. He highlights the intergovernmental agreement on co-operation in the field of peaceful use of nuclear energy, which is the latest example of such bilateral accords. “However, I would like to emphasize the significance of the HungarianSaudi Joint Commission as well, which has

Two major Saudi companies are represented in Hungary – SABIC and Sherbiny Holdings. László Szabó was at the ceremony when the latter announced an investment of over HUF 150 million (about EUR 480,000) to establish an engineering service center in Gödöllő. The Deputy Minister says “we are proud that SABIC, the leading petrochemical company in the Middle East, has been operating in Hungary for ten years. Furthermore, it was indeed a great pleasure to announce that Sherbiny Holding had chosen our country as the location of its first European engineering service center. We hope that these companies will expand their Hungarian activities in the future.”

He adds that Hungary offers transferable knowledge to its Saudi partners in the areas of water management, agriculture, IT service and nuclear power, just to name a few examples. “Our aim is to establish more investment partnerships in the aforementioned sectors, in which the Hungarian-Saudi Business Council plays a key role by promoting investment projects in each other's countries.”

Last autumn, Hungary’s MVM OVIT set up a joint venture with a Saudi partner to enter the energy market there. The Deputy Minister notes that this joint venture is “still in the initial phase, and it would be the first JV of its kind, owned by major Hungarian and Saudi companies. In my view, the Kingdom’s ‘Vision 2030’ and the National Transformation Program will bring many changes in Saudi Arabia even on the short term. I hope that these changes and the improvement of the business climate will enable more Hungarian companies to be present on the Saudi market. On the other hand, we also hope that ‘Vision 2030’ will create a new generation of young Saudi entrepreneurs, perhaps already having studied in our country, who are interested in investing in Hungary and doing business with our companies.”

In relation to these programs, he highlights two major fields of co-operation. According to the estimates of the King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy, 17 GW of nuclear power capacity will be installed in the Kingdom by 2040. In the framework of the Hungarian-Saudi bilateral agreement on the peaceful use of nuclear energy, the Saudi side expressed interest in the training of Saudi nuclear experts in Hungary. “The other important field of co-operation is food export and food security. At the beginning of 2006, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia started to gradually diversify its food supply source, relying less on local producers. Given that agriculture and food production is a traditionally important sector of Hungary’s economy, we have both the potential and the willingness to increase our agricultural and livestock export to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We are working closely with the Saudi Food & Drug Authority to achieve this goal,” the Deputy Minister points out. Over the past years, one could see the successful realization of co-operation projects through several fora and the Saudi-Hungarian Business Council. As regards the development of bilateral relations and the role these organizations can play to realize the goals outlined, László Szabó stresses that “over the past 5 years, we have witnessed a significant improvement in our bilateral economic and trade relations. However, there is still room for improvement to further develop our partnership. For this purpose, the Saudi-Hungarian Business Council plays a key role in generating business opportunities, whereas the Hungarian-Saudi Joint Commission serves rather as the ‘political arm’ in underpinning and strengthening co-operation projects between Hungary and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”

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paved a way for establishing and strengthening the co-operation between Hungary and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in many fields,” he says.

It was in Budapest (in 2002) that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia opened its first embassy in the Central Eastern Europe (CEE) region. “We have established excellent relations and a very fruitful co-operation with the Embassy. H.E. Ambassador Mohammed bin Abdulhadi Al-Matrafi is strongly committed to the enhancement of our bilateral ties, be it in the field of trade and investment, or in the domain of education, healthcare, or sports. He is very active in pursuing this agenda, which translates into regular consultations with high-ranking officials and various departments at our Ministry. It was due to his initiative that we have launched a set of political consultations between the two Ministries. This initiative will give a further boost to our partnership, as both sides will be able to share their views on issues of common interest and high political importance,” László Szabó notes.

The Hungarian Embassy in Riyadh opened twenty years ago. The Deputy Minister is of the view that strengthening co-operation with the countries of the Middle East, based on the enhancement of political and economic relations is an essential part of the Hungarian government’s external trade and foreign policy strategy. “As part of our ongoing political co-operation, we regularly exchange views on foreign policy and security matters, the fight against terrorism, conflict management and there is intense co-operation in international organizations as well. However, the focus of our Embassy in Riyadh is on exploring the business and investment partnership opportunities along with strengthening our ties with the public and private sectors of Saudi Arabia’s economy.”

He mentions the second session of the Hungarian-Saudi Joint Commission, held in Riyadh in February 2016 that laid special emphasis on the promotion of investments.

Hungarian food industry, agriculture, IT, energy, electricity and water sectors were actively promoted. “Besides these sectors, we successfully worked together with our Saudi partners to increase the number of Saudi students at Hungarian universities, and to establish closer co-operation between Saudi and Hungarian scientific research centers and communities.”

Another example of the diverse nature of bilateral relations is the evolving cooperation between the Hungarian Water Polo Federation and the Saudi Swimming Federation with the purpose of setting up a Saudi Water Polo Academy. The Hungarian embassy in Riyadh has been actively involved in this initiative from the very beginning.

He finds it important to note that “we aim at bringing Hungary closer to the Saudi people by inviting them to explore and discover the natural beauty of our country, which – combined with leisure activities, healthcare and wellness treatments – is one of the best ways to enhance the ties between our people.”

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saudi arabia focus AMBITIOUS GROWTH PLANS in CENTRAL and EASTERN EUROPE SABIC: a decade in Hungary Based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, SABIC is a global leader in diversified chemicals, making distinctly different kinds of products: chemicals, commodity and high performance plastics, agri-nutrients and metals. During the 40 years of its history, SABIC has transformed itself from an emerging to a global chemical company, with operations in more than 50 countries.

“The SABIC story in Hungary began 10 years ago, as an integral part of SABIC’s success story and its strong growth initiatives in Europe,” says Anikó Nyéki, Country Leader SABIC Hungary.

“Hungary provides an inspiring and ideal environment for growing SABIC’s business for a number of reasons: its favorable geographic position, the balanced and dynamic growth of the Hungarian economy, and its recognized Research and Development traditions,” Nyéki continues.

As a consequence of the strong presence of foreign and multinational companies in the country, the Hungarian government has set up 49 strategic relationship agreements with leading multinational companies in Hungary, many of these companies are also SABIC’s customers globally and are providing longterm growth opportunities for the company.

SABIC’s local business development activities focus on the key industrial sectors in Hungary.

These are Automotive, Electronics, Healthcare, and Packaging, which also correspond to the

focus segments of SABIC’s 2025 strategy.

The automotive industry is a core industry in Hungary. SABIC is a key supplier to large OEMs, who are building fast-expanding production facilities in the country. Furthermore, SABIC works closely with medium-sized local automotive companies, who are stable strategic partners of local and Western Europe-based car manufacturers and Tier 1 suppliers.

The second largest industrial sector in SABIC’s focus is the electronics industry and Hungary is one of the largest electronics producers in Central-Eastern Europe. In addition to the several large OEMs present in the country, SABIC is continuously building business relationships with local companies, traditionally those involved in molding for the large OEMs. Healthcare has a century-long tradition as one of the most successful and developed industries, not only in Hungary, but also in Central-Eastern Europe. SABIC provides innovative material solutions and creates long-term partnerships to implement these, significantly contributing to achieving its customers’ ambitions.

The Hungarian packaging industry, highly competitive at a European level, is continuously growing, with export being dominant in its turnover. SABIC’s packaging customers can only remain competitive in the market if they keep developing new technologies.

Increasing efficiency is always a necessary pre-requisite of remaining competitive, to which SABIC can significantly contribute with its innovative material solutions.

In this continuously changing environment, many new challenges and opportunities lie ahead. SABIC is confident that due to its local presence, being close to its customers, the company can collaborate in a much more efficient way, thus helping create success for all parties in the long-term.

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The actual opening ceremony of the new office – that also serves as the Saudi group’s European headquarters – in the local Incubator House in Gödöllő, in April concluded with a press conference where a cooperation agreement was signed between Sherbiny and the local Szent István University by President Mohammed Sherbiny and Dr. István Szabó, Director of External Relations of the University. The ceremony was also attended

by Gödöllő Mayor Dr. György Gémesi who stressed in his opening speech that the municipality is looking to further strengthen the dynamic development of the town together with the local economic actors.

Szabolcs Szoboszlay, the Managing Director of Sherbiny Engineering and Innovation Center Ltd. underlined at the press conference that with a nearly USD one million investment, the Saudi group intends to create 30-50 new jobs in Gödöllő.

Majed Sherbiny, the Managing Director of Sherbiny Holdings said that the European Center office in Gödöllő will promote innovation projects in Hungary and other Central European countries, as well.

According to Dr. István Szabó, the Szent István University will contribute to the social environment through the success of the cooperation agreement. “It was during their first visit to Gödöllő that Sherbiny’s representatives met with leaders of the University, which may have also contributed to selecting this location for the office,” he said. The University seeks to offer a wide range of disciplines to provide intellectual ammunition for the successful operation of the company, it is also confident that cooperation involves joint research, as well as the preparation of diploma and doctoral dissertations.

The international director for Sherbiny Holdings, Balázs Garamvölgyi, who is also Hungary's Honorary Consul in Bahrain, recalled that the Group chose this city from among many others, even within Hungary; the endowments of several towns and cities were studied before finally deciding for Gödöllő.

architectural style, the building appears as a striking landmark with a profoundly modern multifunctional identity relating to both the Saudi locality and the Islamic universality of its expected guests. The project, including a residential and commercial complex, will offer all required services for the visitors of the Holy Kaaba.

Mecca, that draws millions of pilgrims each year, is already home to the third tallest building in the world, the 600-meter tall Abraj al-Bait clock tower, which looks over the Grand Mosque. In nearby Jeddah, the monolith Jeddah Tower is poised to become the next tallest building in the world upon

completion. The Abraj Kudai will not only be the largest hotel in the world by room count but will also house one of the largest domes on the planet on its tallest tower.

Ten of the towers will offer four-star treatment while the other two will provide five star luxury to exclusive guests. It is the London-based company Areen Hospitality that has been assigned the difficult task of designing the indulgent interiors of the giant structure.

Currently, the world's largest hotel is the First World Hotel in Malaysia is with 7,351 rooms and an indoor theme park.

Sherbiny Engineering and Innovation Center Last January, Saudi industrial and commercial service provider Sherbiny Holdings announced an investment of over HUF 150 million (about EUR 480,000) to establish an engineering service center in Gödöllő, east of Budapest.

A 10,000-ROOM HOTEL TO BE BUILT IN SAUDI ARABIA Saudi Arabia is set to build the world’s biggest hotel by 2017, the luxury blog ‘Pursuitist’ reports. The Abraj Kudai will be located in the Manafia area, only 2.2 km south of Islam’s most sacred mosque, the al-Masjid al-Haram, built around the Kaaba in Mecca.

Rising high to accommodate 10,000 rooms, the Abraj Kudai hotel will also host 70 restaurants, food courts, a bus station, a shopping mall, a conference center and a ballroom. Along with five floors dedicated entirely to the Saudi royal

According to a statement by the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Minister László Szabó said at the project announcement ceremony that as a result of the investment, 50 new jobs will be created in the company’s first office outside the Persian Gulf region with operations starting in April. He added that both experienced and recently graduated engineers would be employed by the company.

Chairman and CEO of Sherbiny Holding, Mohammed Sherbiny said that after having examined several countries, they chose Hungary for its qualified labor force and favorable investment environment. The office primarily performs engineering design tasks related to Saudi Arabian oil and gas projects.

Sherbiny’s subsidiary in Hungary, Sherbiny Engineering and Innovation Center Ltd., was founded in November 2014. The Budapestbased company mainly provides technical consultancy and engineering services.

family, the hotel will be comprised of 12 towers standing atop a 10-storey podium and centered around a massive dome.

Funded by the Saudi Ministry of Finance and designed by the Dar Al-Handasah group, the estimated cost of building the world’s largest hotel is about USD 3.6 billion. Offering an unprecedented level of luxury to travelers in Saudi Arabia, the 45-storey tall hotel complex will include four rooftop helipads.

Due to its unparalleled size and height, as well as its distinguished location, exposure and

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In the past decade, two important Saudi companies have realized investments in Hungary, the chemical producer Saudi Arabia Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) and the industrial and commercial service provider Sherbiny Holdings.

SABIC HUNGARY, GODOLLOIHIREK.HU

SAUDI COMPANIES PROVIDING SERVICES TO AND FROM HUNGARY

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A COUNTRY OF HUGE PROMISE and GREAT POTENTIAL VISION 2030 CALLS FOR A MORE DIVERSIFIED SAUDI ECONOMY

“Our country is rich in natural resources.

We are not dependent solely on oil for our energy needs. Gold, phosphate, uranium, and many other valuable minerals are found beneath our lands. But our real wealth lies in the ambition of our people and the potential of our younger generation. They are our nation’s pride and the architects of our future.”

This statement by HRH Prince Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Deputy Crown Prince, Minister of Defense and Chairman of the Council of Economic and Development Affairs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, well describes the resources and potential that form the basis for an ambitious, forward-looking concept called ‘Vision 2030’. The concept is to reform the Saudi economy towards a more diversified and privatized structure. The program details goals and measures in multiple fields from developing non-oil revenues and privatization of the economy to e-government and sustainable development. The first measures undertaken in April 2016 include new taxes and subsidies cuts, a diversification plan, the creation of a USD 2 trillion (EUR 1.77 trillion) Saudi sovereign wealth fund, and a series of strategic economic reforms called the ‘National Transformation Program’.

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SAUDI PRESS AGENCY

Vision themes The official document of Vision 2030 details the three themes the concept is built around: a vibrant society, a thriving economy and an ambitious nation.

This first theme is said to be vital for the achievement of the Vision and a strong foundation for economic prosperity. “We believe in the importance of a vibrant society. Members of this society live in accordance with the Islamic principle of moderation, are proud of their national identity and their ancient cultural heritage, enjoy a good life in a beautiful environment, are protected by caring families and are supported by an empowering social and health care system,” the document states. w w w . d t e u r o p e . c o m

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In the second theme, a thriving economy provides opportunities for all by building an education system aligned with market needs and creating economic opportunities for the entrepreneur, the small enterprise as well as the large corporation.

“Therefore, we will develop our investment tools to unlock our promising economic sectors, diversify our economy and create job opportunities. We will also grow our economy and improve the quality of our services, by privatizing some government services, improving the business environment, attracting the finest talent and the best investments globally, and leveraging our unique strategic location in connecting three continents.”

The third theme is built on an effective, transparent, accountable, enabling and high-performing government. “Our nation is ambitious in what we want to achieve. We will apply efficiency and responsibility at all levels. We will also prepare the right environment for our citizens, private sector and non-profit sector to take their responsibilities and take the initiative in facing challenges and seizing opportunities.”

Vision 2030 explained abroad In July this year, the Saudi Minister of Labor and Social Development, Mufrej Al-Haqabani provided an insight into Vision 2030 before the G-20 meeting of ministers of labor and employment in Beijing. He said that the Vision 2030 would provide meaningful employment opportunities to ensure quality productivity of male and female youth. He stressed that the vision involves creating job opportunities for all segments of the community, including women and those with special needs.

The minister referred to a number of initiatives and creative programs launched by his ministry to encourage wider participation of male and female youth in the employment process, notably in private sector companies. He said that the priority of the vision lies in the employment of new entrants in the labor market through the development of a series of initiatives.

A month earlier, a large contingent of Saudi Arabian officials, led by Prince Mohammed bin Salman, visited the United States meeting with major US firms in a bid to help the kingdom diversify its economy – one of the aims of Vision 2030. The contingent entered into several deals, signed memorandums of understanding (MOUs) and held talks for future investments. The delegation spent a week in Silicon Valley on the US west coast

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▶ PRI NC E M O H A M M A D B IN SA L MA N B IN A B D U L A Z IZ A L - SA U D R E C E IV E D BY U S P R E SID E N T B A R A C K O B A MA where – among others – a deal was brokered with tech giant Microsoft that will see them train young Saudis and will support Saudi Arabia in its ambitious digital and knowledge-based innovation transformation under Vision 2030.

Attracting talents Vision 2030 states that achieving the desired rate of economic growth will require an environment that attracts the necessary skills and capabilities both from within the Kingdom and beyond its national borders. “We will seek to improve living and working conditions for non-Saudis, by extending their ability to own real estate in certain areas, improving the quality of life, permitting the establishment of more private schools and adopting an effective and simple system for issuing visas and residence permits. Our goal is to attract and retain the finest Saudi and foreign minds and provide them with all they need. Their presence in the Kingdom will contribute to economic development and attract additional foreign investment.”

In summary, as Prince Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud puts it, “the future of the Kingdom ... is one of huge promise and great potential... Our precious country deserves the best. Therefore, we will expand and further develop our talents and capacity.”

National Transformation Program Branching out directly from the Vision 2030 announcement in April of this year and including major overhauls to the economy is the country’s

National Transformation Program (NTP 2020), which was approved by Saudi Arabia’s Council of Ministers in June, ushering in a major new policy era designed to overhaul the economy.

Researchers estimate the total cost of the NTP, to be borne by both the public and private sector, will be SR 447 billion (appr. EUR 105 billion).

The National Transformation Program 2020 was launched – in order to build the institutional capacity and capabilities needed to achieve the ambitious goals of “Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030” – across 24 government bodies operating in the economic and development sectors in its first year. It is notable that the program’s strategic objectives are linked to interim targets for the year 2020. Furthermore, the first phase of initiative implementation will be launched in 2016 and will be followed every year by phases involving more public bodies. The program uses innovative methods to identify challenges, seize opportunities, adopt effective planning tools, activate the role of the private sector, bring about implementation, and evaluate performances. It has also determined the interim targets for some of the Vision’s strategic objectives to ensure the establishment of a solid foundation for government action and the continuity of innovative planning, implementation, and follow-up methods on the national level. According to analysts at Jadwa Investment, the impact of NTP 2020 will start being felt in 2017, with growth, fiscal, external, and monetary indicators posting a gradual recovery in following years as well.

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saudi arabia focus WORKING FOR INTERRELIGIOUS AND INTERCULTURAL DIALOGUE KAICIID PROMOTES MUTUAL RESPECT AND UNDERSTANDING AMONG DIFFERENT RELIGIOUS AND CULTURAL GROUPS Muslim, Christian, and other religious and ethnic communities from Iraq, Syria and the larger Middle East region jointly issued the Vienna Declaration, which denounced violence in the name of religion.

Since then, UVNR has continued to grow through the development of a number of distinct follow-up initiatives. Under UVNR, the Center is working with high-level representatives of five of the world's major religions, as well as representatives of the Armenian Orthodox Church, the Council of Senior Scholars from Saudi Arabia, the Iraqi Muslim Association, the Mouwahidooun Druze, the Yazidis, Evangelicals, Maronites, Melkite Greek Catholics and Protestant communities, among many others. In cooperation with this extensive network of religious leaders and communities, the Center is undertaking activities with a range of partners, including UNESCO, UNDP, the UN Office for the Prevention of Genocide, ISESCO, as well as various NGOs. Under this initiative, the Center is working to train young religious leaders and dialogue practitioners from the Arab world in the use of social media to promote dialogue, building the first interreligious platform for leaders of different religions to work together on issues of shared concern, and facilitating a network of Muslim and Christian theological institutions to promote interreligious dialogue in religious education across the region.

HUNGARIAN DELEGATION VISITING THE CENTER In the first of a series of meetings to build networks with interreligious, academic and civil society organizations working in Europe, the Vienna-based International Dialogue Center on 25 May 2016 welcomed a delegation of Hungarian policy makers, religious leaders, and representatives of civil society and media organizations to its headquarters in the historic center of the Austrian capital.

The meeting was organized at the initiative of His Excellency Mohammed Al-Matrafi, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Hungary, and with the cooperation of the missions of KAICIID’s

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other Council of Parties member states, Austria, Spain and the Holy See. H.E. Ambassador Scheide, Ambassador of Austria to Hungary, and Ambassador Jorrin, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Spain to Hungary, attended the meeting.

The Founding Observer of the Center, the Holy See, was represented by Father Michael Weninger, member of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue. Also present at the meeting were Ambassador Teresa Indjein, Director General of the Cultural Section at the Federal Ministry for Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs of Austria, and Mr. Jose Marian

Valdemoro, representing the Embassy of Spain to Austria. KAICIID’s Board of Directors, a multi-religious body of religious leaders, was represented by Dr. Mohammad Sammak from Lebanon, and His Eminence Metropolitan Emmanuel of France.

The delegation from Hungary included representatives from the Unit for Interreligious Diplomacy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the office of the Deputy Minister of State for Churches, leaders of the Muslim community in Hungary, as well as Catholic and Evangelical communities of Hungarians in Austria, representatives

from the Central European University, Corvinus University and Eötvös Loránd University, and Hungarian media representatives.

The Hungarian delegation was welcomed to the Center by representatives of the Council of Parties, who noted the Center’s eagerness to cooperate with actors in Europe to promote interreligious dialogue and social cohesion.

Following a brief introduction to the work of the Center by Director General Fahad Abualnasr, Deputy Secretary General for External Relations Alvaro Albacete and Director O C T O B E R

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of Communications Peter Kaiser, the delegation was addressed by members of the multi-religious KAICIID Board of Directors, Dr. Mohammad Sammak and Metropolitan Emmanuel.

Dr. Sammak provided the gathering an overview of the historical tradition of coexistence between Christian and Muslim communities, particularly in the Middle East, and described KAICIID’s ongoing efforts to restore this balance. His Eminence Metropolitan Emmanuel spoke of the importance of interreligious cooperation, and of interreligious dialogue in our changing world.

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Dr. László Gonda, Head of Unit for Interreligious Diplomacy at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Trade provided a brief overview of interreligious dialogue on Hungary and the government’s efforts to foster dialogue between religious communities.

The meeting concluded with a lively discussion among the participants. Several members of the delegation expressed their interest in cooperating with the Center on its programs, in particular those relating to youth, social media and education.

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founding, KAICIID has organized 25 international conferences, 37 workshops, and 17 trainings for over 2,900 trainees from all over the world.

KAICIID’s mandate is to “promote and employ interreligious dialogue (IRD) to support conflict prevention and resolution, sustainable peace and social cohesion; to promote mutual respect and understanding among different religious and cultural groups; and to counteract the abuse of religion to justify oppression, violence and conflict.” The vision of the Center is a world in which there is respect, understanding and cooperation among people; justice, peace and reconciliation; and an end to the abuse of religion to justify repression, violence and conflict.

The dialogue center has defined four strategic roles for itself: (1) help create the platforms, knowledge, and commitment that foster IRD in conflict areas; (2) support international and national institutions in using IRD to work for positive change; (3) convene religious leaders, policy makers and other stakeholders to engage in IRD; and (4) create and disseminate knowledge on IRD to help achieve peace and reconciliation.

As one sees so many conflicts in the news every day, one of the most important KAICIID initiatives is called ‘United against Violence in the Name of Religion’ (UVNR) launched in Vienna in November 2014. During this historic meeting, leaders of

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The King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Center for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialog (KAICIID) was founded in 2012 in Vienna, Austria by the Republic of Austria the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the Kingdom of Spain, following the initiative of the late King Abdullah of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Holy See is a founding observer. It is an intergovernmental organization that promotes interreligious dialogue with the aim of preventing and resolving conflicts, building peace in conflict areas and enhancing understanding and cooperation between people of different cultures and religions. Its Board of Directors comprises prominent representatives from five major world religions: Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism.

Over a seven-year negotiation and development process, KAICIID’s mandate and structure were designed to foster dialogue among people of different faiths and cultures that bridges animosities, reduces fear and instills mutual respect. It has ongoing programs in the Central African Republic, Iraq, Syria, Myanmar and Nigeria, as well as training programs in interreligious and intercultural dialogue for religious educators and youth. The Center has a diverse and multicultural team with 53 professional staff members from 25 countries. Since its

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TERRORISM CANNOT BE JUSTIFIED or LINKED TO ANY RELIGION OR CULTURE

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COURTESY OF THE EMBASSY OF THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA

SAUDI ARABIA’S LONG STANDING FIRM POSITION AGAINST TERRORISM “Terrorism is a heinous crime against humanity.” Saudi Arabia is firmly committed to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. In order to defeat terrorism effectively and comprehensively, and during the summit of the leaders of the Group of Twenty countries at the end of 2015, King Salman bin Abdulaziz emphasized "the need for the international community to redouble its efforts to eradicate this dangerous scourge and to rid the world of its evils that threaten world peace and security and hinder our efforts in promoting global economic growth and sustainability. The war on terrorism is the responsibility of the entire international community and it is a global disease that has neither nationality nor religion."

Terrorism according to all heavenly religions is a heinous crime, injustice and an aggression that is prohibited and condemned by Islam and by human nature. Thus, terrorism, according to Saudi Foreign Minister HE Adel Aljubeir "has no religion, it has no nationality, it has no ethnicity and it has no humanity".

In Islam, terrorism is a prohibited crime because it is against the sanctity of human soul, the wealth, security and interests of all people. As Saudi Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz Al-Asheikh said "the ideas of terrorism, extremism and radicalism do not belong to Islam in any way, but are the first enemy of Islam, and Muslims are their first victims, as seen in the crimes of Daesh (ISIS) and Al-Qaeda and their affiliated groups.” Saudi Arabia established the Mohammed bin Naif Center for Advice and Care while the Senior Ulema Commission has issued a Fatwa (edict) embargoing terrorism, the financing of it or the joining of its terror organizations.

The council of Senior Ulema (religious scholars) in Saudi Arabia stressed on 17 Sep 2014 that "terrorism is a heinous crime; injustice and aggression are rejected by Sharia (Islamic law)".

The Saudi Ambassador to Hungary, Mohammed A. Almatrafi remembers the words of United Nations General Secretary Ban Ki-moon who said the most victims of the so called ‘Islamic State’ are actually Muslims and most victims of this terrorist organization are in Islamic countries.

▶ F R O N T R U N N ER AGAI N ST TER R O R I SM: C RO WN PRI N C E A N D M I N I ST E R O F I N T E RI O R M U H A M M A D B I N N AY E F B I N A B D U LA Z I Z A L S A U D S P E A K I N G AT T H E U N I T E D N AT I O N S Terrorism poses a serious threat to the national security of Saudi Arabia and to international peace and security as a whole. Ambassador Almatrafi said that his country was and is still suffering from acts of terrorism. It was so even before the well-known terrorist attacks in the United States in 2001; one sad example being the Khobar Towers bombing that killed 19 American servicemen in Saudi Arabia in 1996. He stresses that in 2015 alone, seven mosques were blown up in his country. On Monday, the 4th of July 2016, three terrorist attacks took place across the Kingdome, one of which was near the second holiest mosque in Medina. The Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade Issued an official statement condemning in the strongest terms these attacks.

As a reflection of the Saudi long and firm position on fighting terrorism, the country warned early of the threats of terrorism and initiated the Riyadh International Conference for Counter – Terrorism in 2005. During this conference, Saudi Arabia called for the establishment of the (United Nations Counter-Terrorism Center, UNCCT) which came to reality in 2011. The Saudi government donated USD 110 Million for the Center to enable it to fulfil its obligations in the field of counter terrorism.

Saudi Arabia is a founding member of the International Coalition Against Daesh led by the US, and has issued a package of regulations and measures to criminalize terrorism and its finance and joined more than 12 international agreements, and in partnership with the United States of America and the Republic of Italy has chaired a task group of the alliance for combating the finance of Daesh, in its endeavor to correct the deviated thought. Furthermore, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia alongside 39 other Muslim nations established, on 14 December 2015, an Islamic Military Alliance to Fight Terrorism (IMAFT), with a joint operations center in the city of Riyadh to coordinate and support military operations to fight terrorism and to develop the necessary programs and mechanisms for supporting these efforts. Prince Mohammed bin Salman Deputy Crown Prince, Minister of Defense stressed, during a press conference, the keenness of the Muslim World collectively to fight this disease, which has affected the Islamic world, and by extension the world as a whole. He also asserted that the Alliance will coordinate with other important countries and international organizations in this action. The works of this Alliance will not be confined to security efforts, but will extend to intellectual and media levels.

The foundation document of the military alliance says that Islam rejects terrorism in all its forms and manifestations because “it is a heinous crime and injustice rejected by all heavenly religions and human instinct.” It reads that since terrorism and its atrocities – which spread sharia-forbidden corruption and destruction in the world – constitute a serious violation of human dignity and rights, especially the right to life and the right to security, and subject the interests of countries and communities to danger and threaten their stability, and acts of corruption and terrorism cannot be justified in any way; it should be fought by all means and there should be collaboration to eliminate it because this is cooperation in righteousness and piety.

Principles and objectives The document affirms the principles and objectives of the charter of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, which calls for member states to cooperate to combat terrorism in all its forms and

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manifestations and rejects all justifications and excuses for terrorism.

It calls for achieving integration, closing ranks and uniting efforts to combat terrorism, which violates the sanctity of people's lives, threatens regional and international security and peace, poses a threat to the vital interests of the nation and undermines coexistence in it.

The alliance is declared to be committed to the provisions contained in the United Nations' Charter, the charter of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and other international conventions aimed at the eradication of terrorism.

It also affirms the right of states to self-defense in accordance with the purposes and principles of international law and the Charter of the United Nations and on the basis of the provisions of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Convention on Combating Terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and the elimination of its objectives and its causes.

Furthermore, it aims to protect the nation from the evils of all armed groups and terrorist organizations - whatever their doctrine or title - which spread killing and corruption in the world and are designed to terrorize the innocent.

Daesh condemned Saud Arabia’s Foreign Minister, Adel al-Jubeir voiced his opinion about the so-called ‘Islamic State’ by saying that “it is neither Islamic, nor is it a state. It is a collection of criminals, psychopaths, perverts. This has nothing to do with Islam. Daesh, to Islam, is like the KKK (Klu Klux Klan) in America to Christianity: Nothing to do with it.”

Talking to euronews, the Minister pointed out that “we are the target of extremists. They want access to Mecca and Medina, and so, we have suffered in terms of terrorist attacks, we have suffered in terms of loss of security personnel trying to defend the innocent, we are on the forefront of fighting extremism and terrorism in the region, and in the world! So, for somebody to say the Saudis are funding extremism, or their ideology is funding extremism is preposterous! We are going after the men, the money and the mindset that is behind this.

We will not tolerate extremism.”

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saudi arabia focus PROVIDING a RESPECTABLE LIFE for the NEEDY UNIFYING RELIEF ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) is a Saudi organization specializing in international relief and humanitarian activities. The center was founded in May 2015 under the auspices of HM King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. It operates through a group of programs designed, as per the global State of the Art models, to enable the center to pursue the crucial role played by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) relief and aid programs directed towards stricken communities to provide support and relief for a respectable life. The main objective is to unify relief activities outside KSA and coordinate between relief relevant (governmental and non-governmental) parties inside KSA. The ‘Regaining of Hope’ initiative to support the – as King Salman puts it – ‘brotherly’ Yemeni people is a first priority in the program.

The vision of the organization is to become a leading center for relief and humanitarian activities and transfer its values to the world.

At the same time, the mission of the Center is to manage and coordinate relief activities on the international level to ensure the provision of external aid is in line with Saudi national interests.

The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center has set for itself three strategic objectives.

The ‘Organization’ objective is to build KS Relief into an efficient, lean, agile organization; and build a team of high performing, motivated and expert employees.

The ‘Humanitarian and Relief’ objective is meant to deliver KSA's external humanitarian aid and

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relief; develop strong partnerships with leading humanitarian organizations; develop an effective process to respond to humanitarian crises quickly and effectively; as well as increase the impact of KSA and its sustainability through improved commissioning, monitoring and evaluation.

The third objective, called ‘Enablers’, is to attract and train volunteers to contribute to humanitarian relief efforts; establish efficient fundraising models; and build a strong network of supporters and donors.

As King Salman points out “the provision of relief and aid to needy people as well as the provision of a respectable life that preserves human life, dignity and health, stem out of the teachings of the Islamic religion; and in addition, it is a continuation of the key role of KSA and its global mission in the field of humanitarian aid”.

He stresses that it “shall be an international leading center in providing relief to afflicted communities aiming at alleviating its sufferings and providing a respectable life to its people.”

HM King Salman has announced the allocation of SR one billion (currently EUR 236 million) for the Center’s relief and humanitarian activities, in addition to the allocation of more than SR one billion “to fulfill relief and humanitarian needs of the brotherly Yemeni people.” He has added that “our goal and mission shall be focused on exerting our best efforts to have this center fully and only dedicated to the humanitarian aids, away from any other motives, in cooperation with accredited international relief entities and organizations.”

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to Saudi Arabia, Abdullah stresses that “as a medical doctor, I have to serve humanity and treat whoever is in need of my help. I learned a lot in the past eight years, not only medicine but also about social issues and other great things here.”

In summary, he adds that he hopes to come back to Hungary later and he will be “excited to see how Hungary will look then.”

professors and doctors taught me the standards.

They had extremely high expectations because they taught us to the best of their knowledge.

They made us go through a great deal of exams which were quit hard but, as they said, it was for the greater good,” he says.

Abdulrahman came to Hungary in April 2008 and spent more than eight years here. “In Hungary, like in any country, there are different people – you will find the most welcoming persons and others you wished you had not met. However, generally, people are very nice, cheerful and helpful. I had no issues or problem with anyone.”

He says he has learnt a lot about different aspects of life, regarding his medical studies and also culture-wise and “I will use every good thing I learnt here to the best of my ability to make an impact on my family, my friends and my society.”

He wrapped up his view of Hungary by saying that it is “a wonderful country. I have grown up here and enjoyed every single moment of it. If I went back in time I would come here again. It feels like a second home.”

Puskás as an attraction Abdullah Mohammad Alshehri arrived in Hungary in March 2009 and told D&T he has really had great time here. “I had the chance to visit many cities and small villages all around the country. Hungarian people were kind and treated me and my family as though we had been together for a long time, there were no boundaries. We felt we could learn their culture and they had the same attitude towards us.”

Regarding the issue of how he will utilize what he learned here in Hungary when he goes back

Abdulrahman Ahmed Najdi also came to study in Hungary through a scholarship program. “I was offered one by the Ministry of Education in Saudi Arabia and I accepted it. I did not know much about Hungary at that time, except that the capital city was Budapest, its famous footballer Puskás was an amazing player and it was famous for a tasty cheese.” After he got the scholarship, he started reading more about Hungary.

He studied general medicine in Debrecen and graduated in September 2015. “I’m generally pleased with the level of education given by the university. Highly intelligent teachers, O C T O B E R

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There are hundreds of Saudi students at Hungarian universities. Diplomacy & Trade asked two of them, Abdullah Mohammad Alshehri and Abdulrahman Ahmed Najdi about their experiences in this country. Both of them studied medicine at the University of Debrecen, eastern Hungary.

When asked how the idea came to him to study in Hungary, Abdullah (pictured on the left) said that when he finished high school, he had the chance to get a scholarship given by King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz. “We had to choose one country out of six, I chose Hungary as the second best option then. Unfortunately, I didn't know much about Hungary at that time but a friend of mine had already been here and advised me to join him.”

He finished his medical studies and received his diploma in Debrecen this September.

“I am satisfied with the conditions and facilities of the university. As we know, nothing is perfect. I believe there were some weaknesses in the practical part of my studies – I think this should be improved.”

COURTESY OF THE EMBASSY OF THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA

SAUDI STUDENTS ON THEIR STUDIES AND LIFE IN HUNGARY

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CONTINUOUS DEVELOPMENT AND CHANGE CELEBRATION OF THE UNIFICATION OF THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA On September 26, the 86th anniversary of the National Day of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Ambassador Mohammed A. Almatrafi hosted a reception in the ballroom of the Intercontinental Hotel in Budapest. Those invited included fellow members of the diplomatic corps, Saudi nationals living in Hungary and Hungarian government officials and members of the business community.

“Eighty-six years have passed since our founding father, King Abdul-Aziz Al Saud signed the Royal Decree uniting the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and declaring that day a national day. Since the Unification, the Kingdom has witnessed significant achievements at both national and international levels, building a great nation that is proud of its values and cultural heritage while, at the same time, adopting modernity and innovation. A nation that respects international norms and principles; a nation that aims to build up international economic partnerships as a member the G20 group of major economies; a nation with a GDP estimated to be more than USD 600 billion. A nation that puts education at the top of its priorities, where education has gone from 95% illiteracy to 100% literacy and where more than 200 thousand Saudis are studying abroad including in Hungary. Woman's education today amounts to 55% of all university students. The process of development and change in Saudi Arabia is continuous and nonstop,” the Ambassador told the audience.

Regarding relations between Saudi Arabia and Hungary, he pointed out that both countries enjoy distinctive relations and are working together to establish a closer cooperation in all political, economic and cultural fields.

“Our bilateral relations, I believe, are based on mutual respect and common interests, in addition to the bilateral mechanisms and agreements to promote the cooperation between the two countries, notably: the last concluded agreement on the cooperation on the Peaceful Uses of Atomic and Renewable Energy.” He also mentioned the agreement on Telecommunications and Information Technology “concluded last February on the sideline of the 2nd session of the Saudi-Hungarian Joint Commission held in Riyadh, where the governments of both countries emphasized their desire for more active cooperation in all accounts.”

Representing the Hungarian government at the national day celebration, Minister of National Development Miklós Seszták stressed that “for Hungary, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a very

important economic partner. Last year, responding to the kind invitation from His Excellency Dr. Hashim Yamani, I had the opportunity to visit your beautiful country. During the visit, we signed an intergovernmental agreement on the peaceful use of nuclear energy, which can open up a new dimension in the relations between our two countries."

He added that bilateral cooperation is fruitful in numerous other fields. “Our universities’ joint

educational projects are very successful. This year, more than 200 Saudi students are studying in Hungary.”

According to the Minister, the protection of cultural heritage, information technology, health care and sports are areas where there are important linkages between the two countries. He also mentioned that “as Minister responsible for sports investments, let me express my pleasure that, among other

dignitaries, Hungarian professionals were invited to the opening of Saudi polo in Saudi Arabia, which was a particular honor to my country.”

After expressing his respect to His Majesty King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, as well as to all the 30 million Saudi people, he pointed out that “the existing mutual trust between our two countries is on a solid bases. Please let us continue to build on these bases and think together about our future!”

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DÁVID HARANGOZÓ

SAUDIA ACQUIRES ADDITIONAL MODERN AIRPLANES On Saudi Arabia’s National Day, the Saudi Minister of Transport, Chairman of the Board of General Authority of Civil Aviation and Chairman of the Board of Saudi Arabian Airlines, Sulaiman Alhamdan announced the approval by SAUDIA’s Board of Directors of SAUDIA’s fleet plan, part of which includes acquiring additional 63 modern airplanes.

He stressed that this new acquisition will support the national carrier’s operating plans for domestic and international markets and its ambitious transformation program, also approved and supported by the Board, as

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many of its initiatives and the objectives of its strategic plan are being carried out. SAUDIA’s Director General Engineer Saleh Aljasser elaborated that this new acquisition includes the following aircraft: 15 Boeing 777300ER’s, 13 Boeing 787’s and 35 Airbus A320/A321neo’s He emphasized that these aircraft are an addition to the 50 Airbus aircraft (A330 Regional’s and A320’s) which SAUDIA contracted for last year in Paris under the patronage of HRH Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, the Deputy Crown Prince and Minister of Defense and His Excellency the President of France, and “we have

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begun receiving some of these aircraft last month.”

He further added that “SAUDIA within two years has signed agreements to acquire 113 aircraft, in line with its fleet renewal and expansion initiative which is part of SAUDIA’s Transformation Program that was launched last year to double in seven years what has been achieved in 70 years, and includes several other initiatives starting with investment in our people, upgrade operational efficiency and effectiveness, focus on total customer experience, optimize the network and creating distinctive products for our guests. Several of the initiatives have

already been executed and some are in the process so that by 2020 we will reach our targets of a fleet of 200 aircraft, 1000 daily flights and 45 million annual passengers.”

Mr. Aljasser declared that 2017 will witness the delivery of the highest number of new aircraft (30) in the history of the airline, 22 of which are wide-body aircraft (777-300ER’s/787-9’s/A330R’s); while within the last 4 months of this year, SAUDIA is receiving 25 aircraft, 21 of which are wide-body’s in addition to the 4 aircraft received earlier this year bringing the total deliveries in 2016 to 29 aircraft.

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society The Independence Day of Moldova Moldovan Ambassador Oleg Tulea invited guests to the Museum of Military History in the Buda Castle to celebrate the 25th anniversary of his country’s independence. The event marks the adoption of the Declaration of Independence from the Soviet Union on August 27, 1991.

New Ambassadors On September 12, four new ambassadors accredited to Hungary presented their credentials to Hungarian President János Áder at the Sándor Palace in the Buda Castle (starting from the upper left corner and pictured anti-clockwise): Luljeta Vuniqi from Kosovo, Dimitrios Letsios from Greece, Marius Gabriel Lazurca from Romania and Vilmars Henins from Latvia.

Defense Attaché Office Opening The Ambassador of the Republic of Korea, Yim Geun-hyeong, hosted a reception at his residence in the Buda Hills on the occasion of the opening of the Defense Attaché office.

Chilean National Day

Slovak Gala Concert

The Chilean Ambassador to Hungary, Verónica Chahín invited several dozen guests, including diplomats, Chileans living in Hungary and others, to her residence in Budapest to celebrate Chile’s national day in commemoration of the proclamation of the First Governing Body of 1810, and marking the beginning of the Chilean independence process.

On the occasion of the National Day of the Slovak Republic, Slovak Armed Forces Day and honoring the Slovak Presidency of the Council of the European Union, Slovak Ambassador Rastislav Káčer invited guests for a concert featuring the Slovak classical music orchestra Quasars Ensemble and a reception at St. Stephen's Basilica in Budapest.

Thai Farewell Party The Royal Thai Embassy hosted a cocktail reception on the occasion of Ambassador Kakthong Unakul bidding farewell to her tenure in Budapest. At the party, held at her residence, she thanked fellow members of the diplomatic corps and others for their “friendship and support given to me during my time in Budapest.”

Mexico’s Independence Day

Ukrainian Independence Day

The Museum of Military History in the Buda Castle is a favorite celebration venue of many embassies in Budapest. At the invitation of Ambassador Isabel Bárbara Téllez Rosete, a multitude of guests celebrated Mexican Independence Day there to commemorate the declaration of the Mexican War of Independence in 1825.

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DÁVID HARANGOZÓ, COURTESY PICTURES

The 25th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence was also celebrated in the Museum of Military History. The reception was held by Ambassador Liubov Nepop. She invited diplomats, Ukrainians in Hungary and other guests on this, the main state holiday in her country.

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IN THIS SERIES, DIPLOMATS SHARE PERSONAL ACCOUNTS OF THEIR EXPERIENCES ON “EXCURSIONS” into Hungarian culture, art, gastronomy & scenery.

LE A K S

MUSIC, FLAVORS and CITYSCAPES CHARMED BY HUNGARIAN GENEROSITY AND FRIENDLINESS

BY ECUADORIAN AMBASSADOR MARÍA DEL CARMEN GONZÁLEZ CABAL

This friendliness from the Hungarian authorities makes itself present for the spouses of the foreign diplomats whom also enjoy the pleasant programs, which facilitate the integration into the country and the interpersonal relations. My husband has been able to enjoy beautiful places and feels very integrated and welcomed into this community and country.

Something that is definitely worth noting is that the Hungarian Parliament also offers cordial treatment to us, the foreign diplomats, and within this larger frame, there is a niche for female ambassadors, as we receive what we have facetiously denominated as a “treatment of positive discrimination”, as we have received invitations to wonderful places, historical sites or cultural monuments, for example the Opera House, for a guided tour and to enjoy a premier.

Friendly people

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COURTESY OF THE EMBASSY OF ECUADOR, CAN STOCK PHOTO INC.

As for the Hungarian society, we have had the opportunity to socialize with people outside the official representation we offer in Budapest and outside the capital. It has been a pleasure speaking with interesting people, conscious of the world around them, friendly and with an appetite to learn about our own culture, far-away places and different points of view. We have had the opportunity to enter forests, travel within Hungary and enjoy the beauty of the Balaton and its charms.

We are, of course, missing a lot of wonders within the country, such as the Pumpkin Festival, the Music Festival in Tokaj, which we hope to be able to attend next summer.

This year, I was unable to attend these invitations due to prior commitments related to my concurrent functions as Ambassador to Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Slovakia, Greece, Serbia and Romania.

I came to Hungary 28 years ago for the first time and since then, I have the best memories of Hungarian music, flavors and cityscapes. Coming back to Hungary to work as the Ecuadorian ambassador has been very pleasant. I am once again enjoying this wonderful environment full of cheerful music, majestic landscapes, the flavors of the local food and drinks, as well as the friendly people, not only at a professional level – in which government officials, diplomats and colleagues are extremely welcoming – but also the people in the streets who are very kind and are always open to help visitors by giving information of where to go or what to do in Hungary, as soon as they suspect that you’re a foreigner.

Gratitude for the help But this must not be a new fact for WittyLeaks readers, therefore, I will refer primarily to our gratitude to Hungary for the immediate reaction to the Ecuadorian earthquake that shook my w w w . d t e u r o p e . c o m

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country on April 16 this year. The very day after the earthquake occurred, a rescue team was sent from Hungary to Ecuador with five specialists in order to rescue people from the rubble, dead or alive. With the support of our Honorary Consul, Iván Nyíri, the Spider Rescue Team (Dr. Tamás Béres and László Lehóczki), the FŐNIX Speciális Mentők Alapítvány (Special Ambulance Foundation: Péter Bessenyei and István Molnár), the LEGOTT Greek Catholic Rescue Team (Imre Kristóf) and the Életjel (Vital sign) Search and Rescue Team (László Turi) traveled to Quito with their dogs and were able to accomplish an indispensable mission for the province of Manabí.

The National government also made itself present with its donation for the victims and its words of solidarity. Our eternal gratitude to all of them!

Active cooperation On the other hand, with regards to official relations, I may say they are excellent. I also would like to say it is interesting to participate

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in the diverse reunions, excursions, trips, which allow the heads of mission to be closer to the authorities and the decision makers in a friendly context, outside of work, getting to know the reality of Hungary, its rich history and deepening its strengths and peculiarities.

It is an excellent way to promote the country.

This process of immersion in Hungary, by the national authorities, has astonished me in a positive way. Every year we enjoy the salute and concert of New Years on behalf of the President of the Republic, János Áder. The ministers are very active and generous. Likewise, we enjoy the yearly grape harvest during the month of September, invited by the Minister of Agriculture, Sándor Fazekas. In this way, we have had the opportunity to harvest grapes, observe the process of plantation, harvest, postproduction of wine and enjoyed them while listening to Hungarian traditional music and sharing an atmosphere of cordiality. It has been a new experience for me and I am very grateful.

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1956

BLOOD IN THE WATER – BUT NO FEUD

match, as well. It was towards the end of the game that – as often happens in water polo that in the heat of the game, players have to cover a different opponent than the one they were assigned to by the coach – Prokopov came to face my teammate, Ervin Zádor.” Then came the moment this match became world famous for: the Soviet player lost his temper and struck Zádor in the head and the Hungarian player’s scalp started bleeding.

"I felt warm blood" As Ervin Zádor was quoted in the BBC News program ‘Blood in the water: Hungary's 1956 water polo gold’ on August 20, 2011, “a whistle came, I looked at the referee, I said 'What's the

whistle for?' And the moment I did that, I knew I'd made a horrible mistake. I turned back and with a straight arm, he just smacked me in the face. He tried to punch me out. I saw about 4,000 stars.

And I reached to my face and I felt warm blood pouring down. And I instantly said, 'Oh my God, I won't be able to play the next game.”

It was teammate Dezső Gyarmati who helped him out of the pool, making sure they got out on the side where the photographers were. Bolvári clearly remembers that “people flooded to the pool, everybody wanted to see Zádor’s injury from close. There was maybe 10-12 seconds left in the match, we were leading 4-0, but these seconds were never played – no one knew in that noise and confusion whether the referees actually called the match off or not. Police cordoned off the Soviet players so that they could get back to the changing room.”

delegation had a hard time learning what was really happening in their home country at the other end of the globe. “The news depended on where it came from – the situation was not so bad in the elegant residential areas of the Buda Hills or the countryside but it was quite serious in many streets of the downtown area. Plus, as rumors usually go, people add to – or take from – the information they have received and passed on, so one had to handle these pieces of news with proper reservations,” he points out.

Unlike a few players, Antal Bolvári came home to Hungary with the team after the Olympics.

However, at the end of the year, he went for what he terms as ‘voluntary exile’. (An estimated 200,000 Hungarians left the country in those months) He went to Vienna where his Italian fiancée was waiting for him. They got married and went to Australia. “My marriage did not work out well, thus, I came back to Hungary in 1961.”

He was issued a ‘Certificate to return’ by the authorities who used him in their propaganda saying that “look, the two-time Olympic champion returns to Hungary.” His former teammates convinced him to return to play. “At that time, there was a great team spirit that worked in and outside the pool, as well. Players – even opponents – knew and helped each other and each other’s families. It was like a great family.”

Antal Bolvári played water polo for another five years and then became the coach for the junior national team. He made it to international cup finals with two clubs, as well. The most famous players he trained include Endre Molnár, the goalkeeper of the 1976 Olympic champion Hungarian team and Dénes Kemény, who – as a coach – led Hungary to three Olympic titles in a row (2000, 2004 and 2008). However, the topic he is always asked to talk about is what happened at the Melbourne Olympics when ‘there was blood in the water’.

Worrying news from home In the remaining match, Hungary beat Yugoslavia 2–1 in the final to defend their Olympic title and win their fourth Olympic gold medal. Zádor's injury would force him to miss that match.

“This team did everything to win another Olympic title. Even after a two-hour training session, we stayed for another hour passing the ball to each other in our free time,” Bolvári recalls how diligent the Hungarian players were at that time.

He adds that “wherever I was in the world in the following years, I was always asked about what happened then in that swimming pool in Melbourne – and it happens even today. In the pool, there was not much ‘political aftermath’ of this Olympic encounter. The Soviet team spent a lot of time in training camps in Hungary but the topic of discussion was more that which of them was working for the secret police rather than what happened at the Melbourne game.”

During the Olympics, members of the Hungarian

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“We wanted to win the Olympic title.”

That is the first thing 84-year-old Antal Bolvári points out to Diplomacy & Trade when asked about what was perhaps the best-known water polo match in Olympic history.

He stresses that despite the obvious political overtone, this was a sports encounter for the Hungarian players – and the Soviets, too. The match, the penultimate for Hungary, took place in the round-robin competition of the top six teams on December 6, 1956 – one and a half months after the outbreak of a popular uprising against the Stalinist regime ruling Hungary and about a month after the start of the Soviet invasion that eventually crushed the revolution.

“Before the tournament started, our coach, Béla Rajki asked us to concentrate on the game until the tournament is over. We prepared for this particular match – the political events gave us extra motivation – but we vowed not to get involved in any fight that would be damaging for the team. However, we would get tough and defend ourselves as much as necessary. ” He remembers that – given the political circumstances – there was a huge interest in the match. “Everybody wanted to get in as water polo was the only team sport featuring a Soviet-Hungarian encounter at the Olympics.

The public was expecting a big fight. There were people sitting everywhere, many more jammed in than the some 10,000 spectators the facility was supposed to accommodate. Most of these people were cheering for Hungary.”

When playing against tougher opponents like Yugoslavia, Holland or the Soviet Union, Antal Bolvári’s job was to neutralize the playmaker of the opponent team. He recalls that “in this particular match with the Soviets, the playmaker I was to play against was Valentin Prokopov who was known to be a tough, sometimes violent player and we had always had big battles with each other in the water. This was the case in this

DÁVID HARANGOZÓ, SÁNDOR BOJÁR/MTI

A PERSONAL ACCOUNT OF EVENTS IN THE OLYMPIC POOL 60 YEARS AGO

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1956

THE PAINTER

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ERICH LESSING, COURTESY PICTURES

A PECULIAR CHAPTER IN HUNGARIANINDIAN DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS In September 1956, a young man in a casual greenish suit and rough boots walked into the Indian Embassy (which was at that time located on the elegant Rózsadomb in the Buda Hills) and asked to see the Charge d’Affaires. 34-year old Mohamed Ataur Rahman had just arrived in Budapest and was keen to get his residence in shape. He was just inspecting the house from the outside. The young visitor said he was a writer, part of a group of young intellectuals seeking freedom from Soviet dominance. He came with an urgent message for Nehru to intervene with the Soviets with whom India had good relations.

As a former member of the Indian Foreign Service recalled in a 2007 article in the Hindustan Times, some leather-jacketed toughs walked by as the two men conversed.

Intuitively cautious, Rahman glanced up and down, pointing randomly at the walls, to pretend that he was talking about the painting of his house with a workman. It was important to protect the young man’s identity to keep him out of trouble. Within the Embassy, the visitor was instantly nicknamed ‘The Painter’ – and that is how he was always referred to for reasons of security.

There was a political storm brewing in Hungary, culminating in the outbreak of a popular uprising against the Stalinist style government. The Painter and Rahman met as at that time, many Hungarian intellectuals relied desperately on India – and Nehru. India could not come out openly in their favor but carried considerable clout with the Soviet leadership.

In early November, Soviet troops crushed the Hungarian revolution and security forces began to round up suspects. The Painter was arrested in May 1957. Three months earlier, he had helped send abroad revolutionary Prime Minister Imre Nagy’s manuscript ‘In Defense of the Hungarian People on Communism; In Defense of the New Course’. His arrest was on capital charges with the death penalty looking certain.

Rahman pleaded through his friends in Moscow on behalf of the Painter and others. At Nehru’s command, Indian officials in Moscow used their clout to plead for leniency. In August, 1958, the Painter was sentenced to prison for life – saved from the gallows. During his years in prison, he learnt excellent English and spent his time translating English literature. He was released in the 1963 amnesty.

As the first democratically elected Hungarian President in four decades, Árpád Göncz, visited India in 1991, he insisted on meeting Mohamed Ataur Rahman who had long retired by then. As the two men met at Rahman’s house, they warmly embraced each other. 35 years had passed since those eventful days in Budapest in 1956 when Rahman had last met Árpád Göncz, ‘The Painter’. w w w . d t e u r o p e . c o m

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THIS YEAR, HUNGARIANS CELEBRATE THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 1956 POPULAR UPRISING AGAINST THE STALINIST REGIME. THE REVOLUTION BROKE OUT ON OCTOBER 23RD AND HUNGARIANS COULD EXPERIENCE FREEDOM NOT FELT FOR A LONG TIME. HOWEVER, ON NOVEMBER 4, SOVIET TROOPS ARRIVED AND SOON PUT AN END TO THEIR HOPES.

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SHARING THE PASSION with THE CUSTOMER ACCORHOTELS RESPONDS TO THE CHALLENGES OF THE 21ST CENTURY

DIPLOMACY & TRADE Are these programs associated with your company promise “feel welcome, feel valued”?

LAURENT PICHERAL Yes, all initiatives are linked to our “feel welcome, feel valued” philosophy, expressing our openness to the world, how we take care of our guests, a mindset and commitment to all of our employees and partners.

The “feel welcome, feel valued” promise targets especially the young generation whom we hope to capture as our future customers. The hospitality business is changing rapidly – the requirement is no longer what is used to be in the past century when a hotel meant a place where you have a room with a bed to sleep in and a place where you could eat – that was all. Today, a hotel is a place where you are entertained and where you are offered services you cannot afford for yourself when you are at home. We must recreate this “wow” effect that came about when the Group was established.

It was created with a hotel in the north of France and, at that time, guests had color TV and a private bathroom as novelties, as well as a swimming pool for children in the garden. At that time, in the 1960s-70s, that was a kind of American life dream in France, featuring things most people did not have at home, as they could not afford them.

All these are commonplace today, so, we must find other attractive features for our customers. In other words, AccorHotels is catering – not just in one sense of the word – to the changing needs of the 21st century.

DIPLOMACY & TRADE Through recent acquisitions e.g in Onefinestay, AccorHotels has moved into the luxury residential rental market.

Are these kinds of accommodations going to be the trend in the near future? If so, how does this affect traditional hotel business?

DIPLOMACY & TRADE AccorHotels’ Chairman and CEO, Sébastien Bazin recently talked about implementing the Group’s ambitious value-creating strategy. What are the main elements and aims of this strategy?

LAURENT PICHERAL First of all, the Groups’s strategy aims to create the maximum value, thanks to our dual expertise as an investor and operator through our HotelServices and HotelInvest divisions.

The second issue in the strategy is to transform the Group into a travel companion providing innovative services and reinforcing our position as hospitality

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industry pioneer. One of the key challenges today is digitalization to which we have to answer as well as anticipate and be what I call an “intellectual Sherpa” of hospitality. AccorHotels has invested massively in digitalization to open new technological frontiers, reinforcing a direct and very personal relationship with its customers. For example, we enriched the content of our digital ecosystem via AccorHotels mobile application, enhancing customer experience before, during and after stays. We also transformed our distribution platform into an open marketplace, placing our digital tools at the service of independent hoteliers to increase the choice of available hotels

LAURENT PICHERAL We are discovering a new way of approaching the hospitality business.

We must be a travel companion that provides innovative services and entertains the customers and for this, we must embrace those new services of the hospitality business, as well as ensure entertainment within the hotel and create a passionate link with the customers. Customers must come back to the hotel because we make them fall in love with that hotel, the atmosphere of that place. Hospitality today is a fast changing environment worldwide. AccorHotels is ready to embark on new paradigms and integrate new ways of welcoming the customers. We are going to make it much quicker by acquiring those businesses and apply/adapt them into the traditional hospitality business.

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DIPLOMACY & TRADE By acquiring the Fairmont, Raffles and Swissotel brands, AccorHotels is today the leader of the luxury market. How does this acquisition fit into the Group strategy and what are your expectations?

LAURENT PICHERAL It is going to take our business forward and increase our long term growth potential because, first of all, it is a complimentary business on a geographical basis as well as on a true business basis. Previously the Group was more well-known in the mid-scale and economy hotel business but the addition of three prestigious luxury hotel brands positions AccorHotels as a leading player in the global luxury hotel market. Secondly, we are going to have a significantly expanded presence in North America, the world’s largest and most influential consumer market.

DIPLOMACY & TRADE AccorHotels is committed to sustainable hospitality. What are AccorHotels’ main principles and aims in its sustainability and corporate social responsibility policy?

LAURENT PICHERAL Sustainability has been a strategic issue for AccorHotels for a long time. On one hand, we conducted a survey last year and it confirmed that sustainability in our hotels increases guest satisfaction, improves business performance and increases the loyalty of our key B2B customers. On the other hand when people, especially Millennials, are asked what they expect from a good company, most of them would not only say a company is good because it is making money but also because it has a favorable influence on the environment and the society. This is one of the key elements for which companies will be more and more judged.

Therefore, sustainability and corporate social responsibility is not charity, it is real business.

AccorHotels has its own, comprehensive CSR program called ‘Planet 21’, involving employees, customers, partners and local communities. The program was re-launched recently keeping our fundamental commitments and identifying new priorities and objectives by 2020, like reducing food waste by 30%.

DIPLOMACY & TRADE AccorHotels is already a major player in Hungary, just recently announced the arrival of ibis Styles at the Budapest airport. How do you see this market? Are there any plans to further develop your network of hotels?

LAURENT PICHERAL Hungary seems to have recovered from the difficult period of the world economic crisis and is a very promising market with great potential for leisure and business travelers.

Budapest is well-known worldwide, quoted by every hospitality and tourism magazine and ranked on many international listings. I am absolutely confident and positive about the future of this market, which means that we do have further plans to expand our hotel network in this country.

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and destinations to our customers. Let me also mention a recent project we call “My room”, also launched in Hungary, in the course of which an employee creates a room according to his or her imagination and style, sharing their passion thereby also creating a link with the customer.

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AccorHotels is the largest hotel operator worldwide today and No. 1 in Europe, in Latin America, in Middle East and in the Asia Pacific region, with more than 4.000 hotels, resorts, residences and 240.000 employees all over the world. The member of AccorHotels Executive Committee and CEO of HotelServices for Central and Eastern Europe, Laurent Picheral recently visited Budapest. Diplomacy & Trade caught up with him to talk about AccorHotels’ strategy, recent acquisitions, how the Group is responding to the challenges of the 21st century and his expectations concerning the Hungarian market.

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business

REBUILDING INDEPENDENT LINKS THE POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES OF BREXIT DISCUSSED IN BUDAPEST

The Hungarian government believes that Britain will be able to retain its position as a global power even during the transitional period of leaving the European Union, according to János Lázár, the Minister heading the Hungarian Prime Minister’s Office.

Speaking at the 18th Financial Summit organized by the Hungarian Business Leaders Forum (HBLF) in Budapest in September, he said that no economic panic erupted in Britain, the economy did not collapse, and neither did the realm of politics.

Minister Lázár claimed the European Commission has “slipped out” of the control of European electors, and neither the European Council, nor the European Parliament are able to exert genuine control over its operation.

The minister added that the EU is going through an era of uncertainty, is struggling with immigration, terrorism and economic decline, and has been unable to give innovative responses to the challenges it has faced. In his words, this ‘agony’ has been ongoing for ten years, there is no clear direction, governance is slow, and the EU is unable to react to the nation state challenges in a timely manner.

He highlighted that Britain is one of the world’s most successful countries: the country of 65

million is a member of the G7, based on its GDP per capita, it is among the largest economies in the EU, Britain is the world’s 5th largest importer, and – in the minister’s opinion –, they will be able to retain their dominant economic role as well as their position as a global power. Britain will be Hungary’s largest export partner outside the EU following the Brexit, and the bilateral relations of the two countries will have to be reinforced, János Lázár stated, voicing his view that Hungary does not wish to leave the EU. “We are not leaving Europe, we are rebuilding independent links with the rest of Europe and other parts of the world, as well.” That was emphasized by another speaker at the conference, Minister

of State for Trade Policy in the Department for International Trade in the British government, Mike Price. He highlighted that his government’s duty is to conduct the country’s exit from the European Union in a professional manner. Two new departments have been set up: one responsible for the exit negotiations, the other one for international trade. Lord Price expressed his gratitude for the ongoing support of the Hungarian government, and stressed that Brexit will create new opportunities in trade, Britain will be a guardian of free trade and it is their responsibility to conclude new free trade agreements. He pointed out that the British economy is one of the most advanced economies in the world, is the most competitive as regards

corporation tax, and there is trained work force available which will remain the case also after the country’s exit from the EU. He said it was important to implement Brexit successfully.

British businesses are Hungary’s 5th largest investors, including Tesco and Vodafone, and they are the 8th most important markets of Hungarian products. Tesco alone employs some 22,000 people in Hungary as one of the largest employers, he pointed out.

He added that Britain is open to new business deals, and would like to rely on its existing strong ties with Hungary, the European Union and the rest of the world. “Trade builds trust, trust promotes peace, and peace in turn creates welfare which is beneficial for all of us,” he stated.

CITIZENS’ DIALOGUE

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THE EUROPEAN UNION COMMISSIONER FOR TRADE VISITS BUDAPEST Addressing a forum entitled 'It's about Europe, it's about you' at the Budapest Business School, European Commissioner for Trade, Cecilia Malström pointed out that free trade agreements – like CETA with Canada and the future TTIP with the United States – enable Europe to shape economic globalization rather than passively suffer from it.

The EU Commissioner emphasized that free trade agreements can help to tailor economic globalization, rather than to become its victims.

She added that Brussels also expects the TTIP agreement to contribute to the development of the European small and medium-sized enterprise sector through the creation of many new jobs, which Europe very much needs.

Cecilia Malmström stressed that the European Commission has been discussing the TTIP agreement for three years with the authorization of the 28 EU member states and during the w w w . d t e u r o p e . c o m

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negotiations, the Commission has been very closely cooperating with the national governments.

Reflecting on the accusation that the EU Commission negotiates the TTIP ‘under the table’, the trade commissioner said that hundreds of documents are available on the Internet, including the European Union’s negotiating position in the different issues. In addition, one can read the summary description of each round of negotiations.

“We have been trading with the US for hundreds of years and now, we want to make that trade easier.

So, TTIP is about tariffs (that make it expensive to export or import), to get access to each other’s market, especially in public procurement where the EU is quite open but the American market is quite closed today; it’s about having access to each other’s services,” she said at the forum.

Apart from this traditional trade issue, TTIP it is also trying to bring in new elements and that is where people have concerns – another reason for

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which the Commission has to make it right, she pointed out. “It is about regulatory cooperation to eliminate unnecessary bureaucracy. Some of the bureaucracy is good because it makes sure we can maintain high standards. We do not want hormone-treated beef is Europe, for instance, but in the technical field, we can eliminate the double testing of products as testing is done basically the same way. Setting global standards will especially help the SME sector.”

Before the forum, Cecilia Malmström paid a visit to the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade where she said she trusted Hungary would support CETA as this would bring “immediate economic benefits” for Hungary. She said there is a growing consensus on the pact and it is hoped it can be signed in October. As for the TTIP, she said efforts are being made to speed up negotiations which would be continued under the next US presidency.

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business HUNGARY’S LEADING BUSINESS HOTEL IN 2016

BY WORLD TRAVEL AWARDS

KEMPINSKI HOTEL CORVINUS BUDAPEST

NAGYBANI PIAC CELEBRATES 25 YEARS The country's biggest fruit and vegetable market specializing in wholesale trade opened its gates 25 years ago. Today, over 400,000 buyers and 200,000 sellers visit the market, which is open six days a week.

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are reserved for shops, a conference room, a restaurant and other services. "Providers coming to sell can use 1,250 paved outdoor stands on an approximately 31 thousand m² area." The market’s share in domestic trade of fresh fruits and vegetables is around 35-40%. It provides services to producers and buyers arriving from all over the country and primarily serves large-scale buyers such as wholesalers, retailers, hotels and restaurants. On annual average, over 400 thousand buyers and 200 thousand sellers visit the market, which is open six days a week. More than 200 trading businesses employing a total of nearly 600 people operate at the market. The market offers a wide variety of locally produced and imported fruits and vegetables. Between 400-450 tons of goods are distributed through the market every year. Besides celebrating the last 25 years’ success, Budapest Wholesale Market thinks about the future as well. “Along with improving the logistic system, we are planning to widen the variety of products available,” Házi notes.

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The Budapest Wholesale Market has an ideal location at Nagykőrössy út in District 23, 15 minutes from the city center and adjacent to the M5 motorway and M0 ring road that intersects international freight forwarding routes. "In the last 25 years besides providing fresh fruit and vegetable for buyers, the Budapest Wholesale Market has become an essential meeting point due to its infrastructure and excellent services," says Zoltán Házi, the market's general manager. He reveals that the market lies on grounds of 32 ha, which includes 5 ha reserved for future development. "The market’s parking lot contains nearly 1,100 parking spaces for vehicles arriving to buy and for market staff.

The total built up area is 32 thousand m² including a 5,500 m² banana ripening facility and an office area of over 1500 m², which is available for rent by importers, trade agencies and forwarders."

Házi believes these numbers perfectly represent how successful the market is, adding that buildings covering a total floor space of 1800m²

ANITA NAGY, COURTESY PICTURES

Kempinski Hotel Corvinus was named Hungary’s Leading Business Hotel by World Travel Awards, for the third time. Described as the “Oscars” of the travel and tourism industry

by The Wall Street Journal, the World Travel Awards represents the ultimate accolade for Kempinski Hotel Corvinus Budapest. Founded in 1993, World Travel Awards is recognized globally by the travel, tourism and hospitality industry as the definitive acknowledgement of excellence in product and service. “I am very excited and happy and so proud of my team. Big thanks to our guests and all who do recognize the commitment and quality of service we deliver every day,” said the hotel’s General Manager, Stephan Interthal. Kempinski Hotel Corvinus Budapest was the winner several times in different categories by World Travel Awards during its operations. In addition to receiving the title of Hungary’s Leading Business Hotel in 2007, 2009 and 2016, Kempinski CityTaxi_Hirdetes.ai 1 2015.01.20. 8:26:22 Hotel Corvinus was also named Hungary’s Leading Hotel in 2009, 2010 and 2011.

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BOLLYWOOD BLOCKBUSTERS INDIAN FILM WEEK ON OCTOBER 6-12 Following a long-time tradition, The Amrita Sher-Gil Cultural Centre under the auspices of the Indian Embassy in Budapest is organizing a film festival at Puskin Cinema in October 2016. This year’s film week shines the spotlight on the Hindi language cinema of India, commonly known as Bollywood, with a purpose of presenting the many faces and colors of this unique part of the film industry. To realize this concept, the organizers selected a variety of blockbusters from several eras of Bollywood and endeavored to bring a wide selection of different genres and movie types to the cinema hall.

The list features two pieces of the so called family and marriage movies, a genre highly popular in the West but lesser-known in Hungary. These movies glamorize the conservative Indian lifestyle of large families with the countless religious and family celebrations, rituals, customs and traditions playing crucial role in their stories. In 1994 the exotic ‘Hum Aapke Hain Koun’ spiced with numerous songs and dance items launched this genre’s trend and gained massive popularity for Bollywood in the western world. Premiered in 2015, ‘Prem Ratan Dhan Payo’ set a fine example of how much can be taken from these film types and be transformed into contemporary and enjoyable entertainment for the international audience of today.

PROGRAM OCTOBER 6 Found a Treasure Called Love (PREM RATAN DHAN PAYO) Indian family drama, 2015, 164 min OCTOBER 7 Go for it! (DUM LAGA KE HAISHA) Indian romantic comedy, 2015, 110 min OCTOBER 8 Veer-Zaara Indian drama, 2004, 192 min OCTOBER 10 Vizier (WAZIR) Indian crime thriller, 2016, 104 min OCTOBER 11 Shameless (BESHARAM) Indian action comedy, 2013, 143 min OCTOBER 12 I Found... Someone (KOI… MIL GAYA) Indian fantasy 2003, 171 min Love-story romances have always formed the significant part of Bollywood’s repertoire, but the manner and style of storytelling varies. Following the peak of popularity of the family and wedding movies, the grand and epic

romantic melodramas came into fashion in the early 2000s. The most beautiful eternal classic from the king of romances, Yash Chopra, ‘Veer Zaara’ tells the story of a Hindu-Muslim love saga with a fantastic cast of the greatest stars. ‘Besharam’ is a modern-day love-story, a typical example of the romance targeting young audiences while strongly resembling the American romantic comedies (rom-coms) featuring westernstyled, modern music. In contrast, the third romance in our program, ‘Dum Laga Ke Haisha’ is a heart-warming representative of a new, boldly innovative, experimental trend which, from time to time, uses the methods of art cinema and questions traditional clichés of the industry.

Bollywood has always been ready to experiment with different genres as well, thrillers and crime stories built on storylines full of twist and mysteries and strong acting without featuring any songs enjoy great popularity nowadays. The latest crime hit of 2016, ‘Wazir’ is scheduled to be screened during film week. The closing accord of the festival is a real delicacy. Science fiction movies are rarely made in India, but ‘Koi... mil gaya’, hitting cinemas in 2003, became such a blockbuster that, together with its sequel series launched the successful journey of superhero-movies. However, ‘Koi...mil gaya’ is still a combination of mixed genres which blends and serves the western elements with Indian flavors.

INDIGO BUDA+PEST AUTHENTIC FLAVORS OF INDIA

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COURTESY OF AMRITA SHER-GIL CULTURAL CENTRE, DÁVID HARANGOZÓ

Indigo serves up a great selection of authentic Indian cuisine in a relaxing atmosphere, at two locations: one established in 2005 in the heart of Budapest, close to Nyugati Train Station, and another opened a decade later, to serve guests on the Buda side, a few steps from Millenáris Park. The latter has a pleasant covered terrace where guests may dine al fresco during the fall season. Both restaurants feature subtle ambience with clean, simple decor of vanilla and aubergine colors and sensibly dimmed lighting. There is Indian music playing in the background with a few attractive Indian themed paintings and statues to offer a hint of the homeland. No need for fancy gimmicks or show-off decor, Indigo focuses on the most important thing – great food at reasonable prices. The staff is friendly and confident in their INFORMATION knowledge of the menu – you could quite easily take someone who’s a newcomer to Indian food to Indigo, as all questions on the INDIGO BUDA menu will be answered without hesitation.

1024 Budapest, To start, ask for the Lamb Shorba, a tasty lamb soup spiced with Fény utca 16. ginger and garlic - the smell will kick start your appetite. According +361 397-7077 to the owner, this dish is capable of curing even the worst hangovers. buda@indigo-restaurant.hu For a main dish, try the Madras Fish Curry and order some of INDIGO PEST the restaurant’s specialty naan breads or the Tandoori Roti, an 1066 Budapest, unleavened whole wheat bread for dunking the creamy sauce. For Jókai utca 13. something a little different, choose the perfectly spiced Marinated +361 428-2187 Lamb Kebab. The meat is very tender and juicy - you'll barely need info@indigo-restaurant.hu a knife. Be sure to drink a lassi, a delicious, sweet or salty yogurt Private events can be drink which goes perfectly with those hot dishes that Indian cuisine hosted here at a separate gallery that comfortably is so famous for. Desserts include the all-time favorite deep fried seats 30 people. milk dough balls named Gulab Jamun, that are served hot in a sweet syrup. Indigo restaurants offer lunch menus between 12AM - 4PM, with Indian salad for starter, a main dish served with seasoned potato, rice, naan, and a drink.

There’s a reason that Indigo has so many people singing its praises: high quality, expertly flavored Indian food at decent prices. If you like Indian food you won’t be disappointed. Home-delivery and party service are also available. w w w . d t e u r o p e . c o m

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culture 6th Mozinet Filmdays On October 28-31 the 6th Mozinet Filmdays brings the best films from this year’s Cannes International Film Festival to Hungary. Six films will premier during the film fest and ten additional titles will be replayed. During the four-day event, film lovers have the opportunity to view

the most acknowledged contemporary art films in 14 art cinemas across Hungary.

The selection is colorful: it brings Park Chan-wook’s Korean erotic thriller, ‘The Handmaiden’; a Finnish love story, ‘The Happiest Day in Olli Maki’s Life’ from Juho Kuosmanen; Asghar Farhadi’s drama, ‘The

Client’ from Iran; a French art title, ‘Staying Vertical’ from Alain Guiraudie; and Bruno Dumont’s absurd comedy ‘Slack Bay’ starring Fabrice Luchini and Juliette Binoche. It also includes a true gem, a spectacular and heartwarming full-length animation, the Japanese-French coproduction of Studio Ghibli

and Wild Bunch, directed by Oscar-winning Michakl Dudok de Wit, The Red Turtle. It will be screened together with a short animation ‘LOVE’ made by the world famous young Hungarian artist, Réka Bucsi. The program of the 6th Mozinet Filmdays also presents the Oscar-winner ‘Son of Saul’.

SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT

CONTINUE YOUR STUDIES AT THE ESSCA SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT IN FRANCE Obtain a Master in Management degree as part of a 5 year programme 19 different specialisations in the fields of Marketing, Management, Finance, International Trade and Human Resources; also within the framework of the Dual Educational System 194 partner universities in 49 countries Customized tutorial system from the first year Semesters abroad Financial support available from ESSCA 92% of new graduates find a job within 4 months

Chat with ESSCA students on Facebook: “candidats ESSCA” For further information, contact Dr. Deli-Gray Zsuzsa, Director of ESSCA Hungary

TEL: (+36) 1 210 95 91

BORDEAUX LYON BUDAPEST SHANGHAI

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REUTERS WINS WORLD PRESS PHOTO 2016 PULITZER for THE WORLD'S MOST PRESTIGIOUS ANNUAL PHOTO PHOTOGRAPHY of EXHIBITION IS IN TOWN UNTIL OCTOBER 23 MIGRANT CRISIS THE BIGGEST MOMENTS OF LAST YEAR

For the first time in the 100-year history of the Pulitzer Prize – an award established by Hungarian-born press baron Joseph Pulitzer – Hungarians were awarded in New York what is probably the highest honor in the journalism profession. Photographers László Balogh and Bernadett Szabó made it onto the winning Reuters team with their photos of the refugee crisis.

▶ C H I NA'S C OAL A D D I C TI O N

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KEVIN FRAYER/CANADA/GETTY IMAGES, LÁSZLÓ BALOGH

( DAI LY L I F E, F I R S T PRIZE SINGLE S) BY CANADIAN P HOTOJOURNA L I S T K E VI N FRAYE R S MOKE BI L LOW S F R OM STACKS AS ME N P USH A TRICYCLE THR O U GH A NE I GH B O RH O O D NE X T TO A C O A L FIR ED PL AN T I N N OR THE RN SHANXI P ROVINCE .THE RE GION IS TH E L E A D I NG PRO D U C E R O F C O A L I N C H I NA , W I TH THE AN N UAL PR O DUCTION E XCE E DING 300 MILLION TONNE S .

As the refugee crisis spread from Turkey to Greece and on through the Balkans, Reuters sent photographers to document the mass migration. The images that emerged country by country added up to a material of Biblical proportions. Therein lies the power of the portfolio: tossed about at sea, waiting in refugee camps, crammed in train cars or slogging along country roads, rain or shine, day or night, there was one constant in the lives of the refugees: the road. Balogh was assigned to the Turkey-Syria border years before the current crisis began so was hardly surprised when the first refugees showed up at the Hungarian borders. In Csongrád county, at Hungary’s Serbian border, migrants began to arrive in numbers in the fall of 2014.

It began with Kosovars, mostly. Balogh shot a memorable series on a desperate family crossing the icy waterfilled ditch serving as the borderline. By springtime, early summer enormous pressure began to build on Europe, and smack in the middle of the migration route, Hungary. Reuters divided the job by country. Balogh and Szabó spent months along the Röszke-Budapest-Hegyeshalom route, from the entry point of migrants at the Serbian border to the exit point at the Austrian frontier. This is how one building block of an enormous international story took visual shape. Both winning pictures were shot at the end of summer, the height of the crisis. Both photographers had been at work on the story for a month by that time, and would remain at it for months longer.

Mass migration was a historic event in 2015, and these moments, frozen in time, have made that history indelible in our minds.

Hailed as the Oscars of photojournalism, the World Press Photo exhibitions attract up to 4 million people each year worldwide in some 45 different countries. Now, in its 59th year, the World Press Photo exhibition is the most significant travelling exhibition dedicated entirely to photojournalism, profiling the globe's top press photographers and showcasing the world's most provocative and poignant press photos. Every February, an international panel of judges selects the winning photographs from the entries. For the 2016 edition, 82,951 images were submitted by 5,775 photographers from 128 countries. The jury gave prizes to 41 photographers of 21 nationalities from Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Iran, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Portugal, Russia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Turkey, and the USA. Top honors this year went to Warren Richardson, an Australian freelance photojournalist who is currently working in Eastern Europe, for the haunting black & white photo he took on August 28, 2015 at the Hungarian border near Röszke. Titled ‘Hope for a New Life’, the photo depicts a baby, handed through a hole in a razor wire barrier, to a Syrian refugee who has already managed to cross the border from Serbia into Hungary. “I camped with the refugees for five days on the border. A group of about 200 people arrived, and they moved under the trees along the fence line. They sent women and children, then fathers and elderly men first.

I must have been with this group for about five hours and we played cat and mouse with the police the whole night. I was exhausted by the time I took the picture. It was around three o’clock in the morning and I couldn’t use a flash while the police are trying to find these people, because I would just give them away. So I had to use the moonlight alone,” Richardson explains how the picture was made. “Early on, we looked at this photo and we knew it was an important one,” Francis Kohn, chair of the general jury, and photo director of Agence France-Presse, notes. “It had such power because of its simplicity, especially the symbolism of the barbed wire.

We thought it had almost everything in there to give a strong visual of what’s happening with the refugees.

I think it’s a very classical photo, and at the same time, it’s timeless. It portrays a situation, but the way it’s done is classic in the greatest sense of the word.”

Tamás Révész, Pulitzer Memorial Award winner Hungarian photographer and organizer of World Press Photo Exhibition in Budapest (year by year, ever since he won a World Press Award himself in 1991), says he is very proud to present An accompanying the global exhibition in Hungary, and see an increasing number of visitors arrive exhibition of the World to the month-long show traditionally hosted by the Budapest’s Museum of Press Photo 2016 is on Ethnography. “Last year’s edition drew the attention of more than 30,000 people, show in the museum who often left speechless, some with a tear in their eye,” he reveals. “This year’s with a photo series on collection also consists moving, sometimes very disturbing images - seeing the migrant crisis by them one after the other is a very powerful experience, even if you have followed Reuters, titled ‘Exodus the news through the year 2015.” Révész believes that the retrospective photo - Witnessing modern exhibition is a call for tolerance, empathy and humanity. “I hope it helps us to migration.’ better understand the world around us.”

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what's on AGRUPACIÓN SEÑOR SERRANO: A HOUSE IN ASIA

OCTOBER 21-22 IN TRAFÓ The house where Geronimo is hiding in Pakistan. An exact copy of that house in a military base in North Carolina. A third twin house in Jordan, where a film is shot.

The largest manhunt in history. A Sheriff obsessed with a white whale. The boy band Take That drilling for a historic mission. Cowboys and Indians. Airplanes and beers. Copies, reflections, imitations and cheeseburgers. Through its trademark language (scale models, video projections, video editing in real time and willing performers) Agrupación Señor Serrano presents a scenic western where reality and its copies are mixed, drawing a merciless pop portrait of the decade following 9/11, the seed for the 21st century. www.trafo.hu

RUTSUKO YAMAGISHI PIANO CONCERT OCTOBER 19 AT THE LISZT ACADEMY

Liszt: The Fountains of the Villa d' Este Liszt: Paganini Etude No. 3 in G-sharp minor (‘La Campanella’) Liszt: Dante Sonata Toru Takemitsu: Rain Tree Sketch Rachmaninoff: Variatons on a Theme by Corelli, Op. 42 Rachmaninoff: Etude in D major, Op. 39/9 Rachmaninoff: Moment musical in B-flat minor, Op. 16/1 Rachmaninoff: Moment musical in E minor, Op. 16/4 Rutsuko Yamagishi's master was Lazar Berman who studied at the Moscow Conservatory under the famous professor Alexander Goldenweiser. Goldenweiser studied at the Conservatory under Professor Alexander Siloti, together with his classmate Rachmaninoff.

Siloti, who advised his much younger cousin Rachmaninoff to study at the Moscow Conservatory, was one of the most famous students of Liszt in his later years, as well as being a leading figure in the musical world of Russia in the early 20th century. In summary, Lazar Berman is descended from the authentic genealogy comprised of Liszt and Rachmaninoff, and Rutsuko Yamagishi is the last direct descendant of this genealogy. All of these musicians had the following characteristics in common: enthusiasm, ecstasy and a fiery appeal to the five senses. Rutsuko Yamagishi is no exception. www.zeneakademia.hu

CENTRAL VALUES – COMMON HERITAGE IN CONTEMPORARY CENTRAL EUROPEAN DESIGN

UNTIL NOVEMBER 20 AT THE MUSEUM OF APPLIED ARTS A priority goal for Budapest Design Week in 2016 is to present the various idioms, solutions and means that are used in the works of designers from countries with similar social, economic and cultural traditions and challenges. On this note, the Guests of Honor at Budapest Design Week are the Visegrád Countries celebrating the 25th anniversary of launching the Visegrád Cooperation this year. With the Visegrád Countries being the guests of honor, the exhibition Central Values – Common Heritage in Contemporary Central European Design hosted by the Museum of Applied Arts between 24 September and 20 November represents the central event, and shows the most prominent works of contemporary designers from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland and Hungary; also, it highlights the similar circumstances, objectives and sources of inspiration of the four Visegrád Countries, which gradually tend to find their place in the global market. The large-scale exhibition will be accompanied by a number of programs for the design trade and for the general public. www.imm.hu

BRYAN ADAMS: GET UP TOUR

OCTOBER 9 AT PAPP LÁSZLÓ BUDAPEST SPORTARÉNA Bryan Adams released his thirteenth studio album, Get Up, last October. Produced by famed ELO frontman Jeff Lynne and co-written with his long-time collaborator Jim Vallance, the album features nine new songs and four acoustic pieces. The album’s lead single, “Brand New Day” is supported by the official music video directed by Adams and featuring BAFTA Award-winning actress, Helena Bonham Carter along with musician Theo Hutchcraft from the acclaimed synth-pop duo, Hurts. As Canada's best-known ambassador, Adams has spent the last three decades making music history. He has sold upward of 65 million records, toured six continents and achieved top status in over 40 countries around the world. He has been awarded the Order of Canada, has been inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and has a Star on Canada's Walk of Fame. Adams has also been nominated for - and won - several Academy Awards, Golden Globes and Grammy Awards. He has a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and has been inducted into Wembley's Square of Fame. His latest tour kicked off on February 11 in New York City at the historic Beacon Theatre before hitting cities throughout North America, UK, Ireland and Europe through the end of 2016. www.livenation.hu

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UNTIL OCTOBER 22 AT NEXTART GALLERY The ‘U’ appearing in the newest series of Tamás Dobos is a consonant bearing numerous layers of meanings and associations. The artist reached back to a previously used technique that was reimagined by meticulously chosen innovative elements creating a thorough relation and continuity with his previous oeuvre. The title also refers to one of the most significant aspects of the exhibition, the U-turn. The unknown, past reappears in the works of Tamás Dobos; however, it is not built by reincarnating the past but, it is rather the timeless feature of fashion that creates this sensation. One significant layer of the „U” is the Unknown which appears in various contexts. First of all, the created time is an unknown entity, into which the artist places unidentified persons together with their hidden characters and stories that unfold in his pictures. It is these private stories reflecting on the faces and in the eyes of the photographed subjects that the artist builds upon and constructs unique characters. At the same time, the spaces are foreign to the viewer, placing a substantial emphasis on the models chosen by the artist and their signature features and giving space to personal storytelling. www.nextartgaleria.hu

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TAMÁS DOBOS: ‘U’

NACHO GOMEZ, S. DELEU, TAMÁS DOBOS, COURTESY PICTURES

UNTIL OCTOBER 31 AT THE CAMALDOLESE MONASTERY IN MAJKPUSZTA What have monks got to do with gastronomy? More than one would think.

They dine by strict dietary rules that are envied by fitness-idols, and their rules serve not only the body but the spirit and the soul. They manufacture wine, beer and healthy liqueur, and in their gardens they grow vegetables and fruits alongside herbs and spices. Their tables are filled with festive delicacies or – more often – the simple dishes of their fast. Throughout history, cooks of monasteries have not only cooked for their own small communities but for thousands of the poor and the sick. Visitors to the Camaldolese Monastery can taste flavors of old and new cloisters and convents; they can also become acquainted with those orders in Hungary that have played an important role in the development of gastronomy. www.majk.hu

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what's on CAFE BUDAPEST CONTEMPORARY ARTS FESTIVAL

OCTOBER 7-23 AT MULTIPLE VENUES IN BUDAPEST Known for many years as Budapest Autumn Festival, this fest is Europe’s leading happening of contemporary arts, during which Budapest’s cultural life comes alive with artists and works of contemporary art ranging from classical and pop music to dance, to films and fine arts, to children’s programs. This year, up to 100 programs are on offer at 30 different venues, such as Müpa Budapest, Liszt Academy, A38 Ship, Budapest Music Center, FUGA Budapest Center of Architecture, Várkert Bazár, Vigadó, Akvárium, Millenáris and Bálna Budapest, in addition to many public places in the city. This year, the festival celebrates its 25th year with a focus on Polish art and artists as well as Hungarian composer Béla Bartók who was born 135 years ago. The line-up of performers includes composer and conductor Krzysztof Penderecki, the Southbank Gamelan Players, composer Yann Tiersen, Japanese jazz-pianist Hiromi, the legendary Yellowjackets, the Koop Oscar Orchestra, the Squarepusher, the Shobaleader One, the Cloud Theatre and the Teatro Potlach, to name only a few. www.cafebudapestfest.hu

YAMATO: BAKUON LEGEND OF THE HEARTBEAT

OCTOBER 29-30 AT THE BUDAPEST CONGRESS AND WORLD TRADE CENTER The Japanese Taiko drum group “Yamato” was formed in Yamatono-kuni (country of Yamato), renamed Nara prefecture in 1993

by Masa Ogawa, and has its headquarters in the Asuka village in Nara, which is known for many ancient monuments and is often referred to as the birthplace of Japanese culture. The members of Yamato live together, eat together – in fact, they do everything together. The drummers have a very special daily routine: they get up at 7am, run 10 kilometers, do weight training, then they practice drumming and prepare for the next concert - usually until midnight. The group has staged over 2,500 performances in more than 51 countries and been seen by over 5 million people of all ages. The theme of their latest production is the story of a strong, passionate and continuous beat.

“The sound of the heartbeat is continuous from our birth, growth, and day-to-day existence. Above all, we who carry this sound are protagonists in this story of today, during this brief moment in the endlessness of time,” Masa Ogawa, the Artistic Director of Yamato says. www.eventim.hu/Yamato

THE CURE TOUR 2016

NACHO GOMEZ, S. DELEU, TAMÁS DOBOS, COURTESY PICTURES

MUGA MIYAHARA, COURTESY PICTURES

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OCTOBER 27 AT PAPP LÁSZLÓ BUDAPEST SPORTARÉNA This is the first major European tour for The Cure since 2008, playing 30 shows in 17 countries including Hungary. The Cure was formed as Robert Smith's band in 1976 and they first began releasing music in the late 1970s, placing themselves as part of the post-punk and new wave movements. During the early 1980s, the band's increasingly dark and tormented music was a staple of the emerging gothic rock genre. In the mid 80's Smith began to place a pop sensibility into the band's music and their popularity increased as the decade wore on, with songs such as ‘Just Like Heaven,’ ‘Lovesong,’ ‘Boys Don't Cry,’ ‘The Love Cats,’ ‘Friday I'm in Love’ and ‘Lullaby.’ The band has sold more than 30 million albums, released thirteen studio albums, ten EPs and over thirty singles in the course of their career. During the past 7 years the band has performed a number of high profile London shows, and headlined most of the major European festivals, including Roskilde, Werchter, Reading & Leeds, Pinkpop, Hurricane & Southside, Paleo, Vieilles Charrues, BBK, Belfort, Optimus Alive!, Primavera, Frequency, Electric Picnic and Bestival, etc. The Cure Tour 2016 will present Robert Smith (voice/guitar), Simon Gallup (bass), Jason Cooper (drums), Roger O'Donnell (keys) and Reeves Gabrels (guitar) as they explore 37 years of The Cure’s songs, mixing hits, rarities, favorites and as yet unreleased tracks in a brand new stage production. www.livenation.hu.

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SEARCHING for the BLACK DIAMOND 19TH TRUFFLE HUNT AT SZALAJKA VALLEY

Nineteen years ago an enthusiastic group of people decided to find out whether truffles still grew in Hungary.

Leaning on the Hungarian sources on mushrooms they began to search this particular type - and their project proved to be successful. Gábor Gál, Vice President of the Truffle Hunter's Association of Szilvásvárad and organizer of the annual truffle-hunt that is now held every autumn, invites guests to this year’s adventure on October 8 in and around Szilvásvárad (near Eger, North Hungary). “The truffle, which once even caused wars, is considered as a royal dish and this fact is reflected not only in its savor but its price as well” Gál says. He believes that the catering business has a key-role in getting this unique delicacy to the public so they consciously keep in touch and cultivate relations with the chief figures of gastronomy. “Today, truffle is beginning to regain its popularity and it is to become a beloved and appreciated element in the Hungarian cuisine,” Gál continues, explaining that among all growing mushrooms, the truffle has the most nutritional value; it is rich in protein, mineral salt, especially in potassium and phosphor. “The truffle has a charming scent on its own. With its excellent savor and scent it stands out from every other edible mushrooms; understandably, it is much more expensive than all others. Top mushrooms are sold on auctions and their price can RECIPE even reach HUF 830,000 per kilo, especially for the white truffle (Tuber Magnum Pico). The most Put eggs and popular type of truffle in France is the French or Perigord Truffle, this one unfortunately does not truffles in a box grow in Hungary,” Gál notes. “However, there are summer and winter truffles, as well as the highly and a couple of valued red or Istrian Truffle or Tuber Magnatum, somewhere in Hungarian soil.” Also, in the days. The eggs will Bükk mountains, there is a huge amount of the Tuber Macrosporum, Gál considers take on the scent of the mushroom, to be the best. “I also must note the Choiromyces Meandriformis, a whitish beige then a wonderful type with a mellow intensive scent, and the ivory Mattirolomyces Terfezioides, a omlette can be Hungarian peculiarity from the Homoki wattles which is the only sweet mushroom made of them. to be found in the world,” he adds.

TRUFFLES are IN SEASON and in POMO D'ORO!

About the hunt “The Szalajka Valley at this time of the year is peculiarly exciting and even those who are not a fan of truffle-hunting, can enjoy our programs,” Gál remarks. “One can wade in the rusty moorland, traveling on the forest dinkey line, and then arrive to our Lovas Restaurant to taste a range of truffle-inspired dishes and listen to our master-chef’s lecture-series on truffles. This year we will also present a cheese and wine market, along with pálinka and wine tasting. We will hold a national competition for truffle hunting dogs. Moreover, guests can visit the National Stud-Farm by rig to check the Lipica stud as well as the Museum of the History of Lipica Horses and the Outdoor Wood Museum.

The truffle, also known as ‘black diamond,’ is not a new delicacy on the menu of human kind. According to Egyptian hieroglyphics, it was a beloved food 5,000 years ago. People used to believe truffles grew where stags performed their autumn bridal dance, or where lightning hit the ground during heavy storms. Chef Rosario introduces this delicacy at downtown Italian restaurant Pomo d'Oro during the Truffle Weeks until the end of October.

THE MENU:

• Chocolate soup with home-made vanilla ice-cream, Piedmont hazelnut and Hungarian sweet truffle

• Fragrant cheese créme soup with truffle • Tagliatelle with Parmesan and black summer truffle • Piedmont Pizza with cheese fondue, mangalica bacon confit and truffle • Raviolo Capuccino - Ricotta raviolo with soft egg yolk and creamy marsala wine sauce and black truffle

THE RESTAURANT

photos by PEXELS.COM,

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Trattoria Pomo d'Oro is a ‘Little Italy’ in downtown Budapest, with authentic Italian cuisine including regional specialties. The atmosphere is always vibrant and cheerful, the wrought iron décor elements and rustic brick walls, along with the red table covers fall in line perfectly to reflect the spirits of an authentic Italian trattoria. Here, everything is fresh and cooked to order, from the bread to the different home-made pastas and those fantastic pizzas! Be sure to book a table for dinner since the conoscenti usually fill the tables. Buon Appetito!

1051 Budapest, Arany János u. 9.

PHONE: +361 302-6473 E-MAIL: info@pomodorobudapest.com www.pomodorobudapest.com

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gastronomy

THE MORE KÉKFRANKOS in BIKAVÉR CUVÉE, the MORE SZEKSZÁRD-LIKE CHARACTER The compulsory ratio of Kékfrankos variety has recently been increased in Bikavér cuvée of Szekszárd. In harmony with the latest product description as a regulation, at least 50% of this red cuvée should consist of Kékfrankos and Kadarka, with the minimum ratio of 45% and 5%, respectively.

The increasing ratio of Kékfrankos further highlights the unique attribute and Szekszárd-like character of Bikavér, since there is no other similar cuvée wine in the world, which is based on Kékfrankos and Kadarka varieties. “It is widely known that Kékfrankos can be grown easily in this wine region, its excellent acid structure serves the main part, the ‘spine’ of the Bikavér cuvée, which is completed well by the playfulness and unique aromas of the Kadarka variety. This regulation decision unanimously moves the Bikavér of Szekszárd towards the elegant wines, which are more and more popular in Hungary” – says Csilla Sebestyén, international wine academic (Sebestyén Winery).

Moreover, according to the regulation, the Bikavér of Szekszárd should be based on at least 4 grape varieties.

The base is provided by the compulsory Kékfrankos and Kadarka varieties with the ratio of at least 45% and 5%, respectively, and the following varieties can also be used with up to 40% cumulative ratio: Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. As regards the remaining 10%, it is the Syrah for a premium Bikavér, while in case of the “basic” Bikavér it can be one or more out of the following grape varieties: Alibernet, Bíborkadarka, Blauburger, Malbec, Menoire, Mészikadar, Pinot Noir, Portugieser, Sagrantino, Syrah, Tannat, Turán, Virághegyi and Zweigelt.

Regardless the quality category, each Bikavér of Szekszárd should be kept and aged

Due to the success of past years’ Chimney Cake Festivals, organizers will present the festival’s 4th edition in October, this time at the Vajdahunyad castle in the City Park. The goal of the festival has remained unchanged since its foundation: organizers aim to raise the popularity of the chimney cake (kürtős kalács), presenting its original, traditional method of preparation, thus, preserve Hungarian customs. Chimney cakes will be prepared over charcoal, in an endless variety of tastes and sizes, including ’healthy choices’ such as gluten and lactose free versions. In addition to the irresistible smell and taste of the chimney cake, the festival offers cultural programs with famous Hungarian performers on stage including the Margaret Island ensemble, Andi and Vera Tóth, and Bea Palya.

OCTOBER 7-9 AT VAJDAHUNYADVÁRA, VÁROSLIGET (CITY PARK)

photos by COURTESY

PICTURES, ZOLTÁN VANIK

CHIMNEY CAKE FESTIVAL 2016

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in barrel for one year at least, and the winemaker should pay extra attention to the chosen barrel not to add strong barrique notes to the wine. In terms of ageing, the main difference between the basic and the premium Bikavér is that premium ones are only allowed to be marketed after December 31 of the second year passed the vintage.

Besides the changes in the regulation of Bikavér wines, it is also a novelty that a new division, the category of premium white wines has been introduced. In this group wines have to be aged at least for 6 months, which can also be done in barrels.

According to the product description, due to the relative long ageing and the loess soil characteristic to the wine region, these wines are generally honey gold in color, have significantly fuller and softer character, although they keep a balanced acid-alcohol ratio, as well as a good alcoholsugar-glycerine balance. The new product description clearly defines the main features of white and rosé sparkling wines made with added carbon dioxide as well.

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DID YOU KNOW? - In 2015, the Hungaricum Commission has declared the Chimney Cake as a Hungaricum.

- Chimney cake, which also has a Traditions-Flavors-Regions trademark, is a special product with an absolutely unique method of preparation and production.

It got its name from its shape, which resembles a chimneystack. The dough is cut into long strips, which are then rolled around an oiled, thick wooden spit and often dipped in various flavorings (traditionally cinnamon and sugar) and then baked over charcoal while the spit is turned by hand.

- The first recorded recipe was included in a Transylvanian cook book published in 1784 by Lady Mária Mikes of Zabola. By the end of the 18th century, the pastry had become popular throughout all Hungarian language territories and had become an important element of both folk and city cuisine. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the recipe was included in several famous Hungarian cook books, and in the early 20th century people began coating the exterior with crushed walnuts and sugar. Transdanubian terms for it include “roll on a stick”, “truncheon bun” and “cudgel cake”, while in the eastern part of the country people usually call it chimney cake, chimney bun, “chimney dunker” or just a “chimney”.

- Chimney cake set out on its journey of world conquest in the 90’s and can now be found in many countries

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