Diplomacy&Trade 2022-05 by Diplomacy&Trade

2022/V HUF 1710

CAUTIOUS ENCOURAGEMENT

RELATIONS WITH CUBA STILL CONSTITUTE A DIVISIVE ISSUE IN THE UNITED STATES SEE ANALYSIS ON page 6

Italy

country

FOCUS

“In the past year, Italy was the second largest market for Hungarian exports and the eighth largest supplier country,” the Ambassador of the Italian Republic to Hungary, Manuel Jacoangeli tells Diplomacy&Trade in the Italian Focus published on the occasion of his country’s national day, the ‘Festa della Repubblica’. Besides soaring economic relations, he also stresses the deep-rooted cultural ties and the areas of international cooperation between Italy and Hungary. see compilation on pages 08-25

Malta Open for Business During the pandemic, the Maltese authorities worked hard to ensure that Malta remains on the radar of all those people who are propends to travel, the Maltese Minister for Tourism, Clayton Bartolo told Diplomacy&Trade. Visit Malta, the Malta Tourism Authority, supported one of the teams at the Giro d’Italia race that took off this year in Budapest. see article on page 32

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For over half a century, the United States was sanctioning Cuba economically, isolating it politically and diplomatically, and threatening it militarily. Despite all these efforts, the embargo policy did not result in the collapse of the Communist rule on the island. In 2015, the Obama administration began to thaw relations and diplomatic ties were restored in that year. President Trump reversed some of the measures of his predecessor, while President Biden conducts a policy that our international analyst terms as ‘cautious encouragement’ with an eye to the mid-term U.S. congressional elections this year. On the occasion of Italy’s national day, the ‘Festa della Repubblica’ in June, Diplomacy&Trade presents a special Focus section on Italian-Hungarian bilateral relations in cooperation with the Italian Embassy in Budapest. The Italian Focus includes an extensive interview with the country’s new ambassador to Hungary, Manuel Jacoangeli who talks about the great development of trade relations as well as the historically deep-rooted cultural ties. The Focus section also presents the business representation organization Unindustria Ungheria, the Italian Cultural Institute, a now traditional Italian soccer camp in Hungary promoted this year by Italian world champion footballer Alessandro Del Piero. Of course, the representatives of the growing Italian corporate presence in this country are included as well. In diplomacy, we talk to the Representative of Taiwan in Hungary about strengthening bilateral economic and cultural relations, while the Maltese Minister for Tourism stresses that his government works to ensure that the country is well-connected and open for business. In the previous issue, we presented the EU Diversity Month and the plans of the Hungarian Business Leaders Forum (HBLF) to host its events in Hungary. In this edition, two of the main organizers from HBLF highlight the importance of the Diversity Month and the lessons one can learn from the initiative. The Czech ambassador authors the WittyLeaks column. He is a big fan of Lake Balaton and its surroundings as the region offers a lot of popular programs, especially in the summer – as well as great places that evoke great stories. Our cultural pages include the recent Korea Day, the initiative of the Korean ambassador to present his country to the interested audience in Budapest as well the Yunus Emre Institute that is responsible for the propagation of Turkish culture and language in this country. Turkish activities continue with a review of the Turkish Cuisine Week on the gastronomy pages that also feature the re-opening of the Matild Café & Cabaret in its original, 1901 splendor and under the gastronomic direction of Wolfgang Puck. Summer is here and people are on the move as COVID-19 restrictions are lifted around the world, but it pays to be careful as Covid numbers are on the rise. Let’s also not lose our focus and keep up the pressure to end the hostilities in Ukraine and provide all the assistance necessary for the Ukrainian people live free! Wishing you safe travels and happy holidays!

Peter Freed PUBLISHER

AND DON’T FORGET

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Taiwan: a reliable and constructive partner

EU Diversity Month in Hungary

page 31

Turkish Cuisine Week: dishes with original qualities

contents

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03 ON THE RECORD 04-05 COMPANY BRIEFS 06 ANALYSIS

31 DIPLOMACY Taiwan Representation Office in Budapest 32 TOURISM Cuba, still a divisive issue in the U.S. Maltese Minister of Tourism visits 08-25 ITALIAN FOCUS Hungary Interview with Ambassador Manuel 34-35 CULTURE Jacoangeli; Unindustria; Cultural Korea Day; Yunus Emre Institute Institute; ITL Group; Pirelli; CIB Bank; Technogym; Ferrari; CIB football camp; 36-37 GASTRONOMY Alessandro Del Piero; Costa Cruises Matild Café; Turkish cuisine week 26 BUSINESS 38 WINE The aluminum service provider New chapter in the history of Ezerjó 28 WITTYLEAKS by the Ambassador 39 WHAT’S ON of the Czech Republic Concerts, festivals, events and exhibitions in and out of Budapest 30 DIVERSITY Lessons learned from ‘Building bridges’

PUBLISHER: Peter Freed EDITOR: Sándor Laczkó PHOTO EDITOR: Dávid Harangozó SALES & MARKETING DIRECTOR: Tamás Varga ADMINISTRATION: Blanka Szalontai PHOTO CONTRIBUTORS: depositphotos.com (cover), Zoltán Fischer/Prime Minister’s Press Office, OSCE/Rita Pongrácz, depositphotos.com, European Union 2022, Róbert Banczik, metalconstruct.hu, AutoWallis Facebook, rosenberger.com, swisskrono.com, Masterplast Group, plugpower.com, Gyula Bartos, Costa Cruises, Stefano Bellamoli Photography, Tibor Bial, Matild Palace, Embassy of the Republic of Turkey, Frittmann Winery, Dennis Leapold, Sziget, Live Nation, Róbert Berény/National Széchényi Library, Tibor Réz/National Széchényi Library, György Konecsni/Museum of Fine Arts - Hungarian National Gallery, MTI Photos: Zoltán Balogh, Zoltán Máthé, János Mészáros, Zsolt Czeglédi

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REPUBLIC OF KOREA FOCUS – COMING SOON

Diplomacy&Trade will publish a special Focus section on relations between the Republic of Korea and Hungary in the second half of this year. The Republic of Korea has become the largest source country of foreign direct investments (FDI) in Hungary and this is likely to be case in 2022 as well. Bilateral trade last year reached an unprecedented high of about USD 4.8 billion, and in the first four months of this year, it grew by 22%. The Korean ambassador to Hungary, Chulmin Park highlights some of the aspects of successful bilateral relations. The Focus will also include the Korea TradeInvestment Promotion Agency (KOTRA), the Korean Cultural Center and the activities in Hungary of Korean firms that now form the fourth largest investor community in this country.

We welcome inquires for advertising in this issue. PLEASE CALL TAMÁS VARGA FOR FURTHER INFORMATION +36 209 350 250 - tvarga@budapestweek.com 2 0 2 2 / V

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CONTRIBUTORS: Sándor Laczkó, Tamás Magyarics, Tibor Bial

DÁVID HARANGOZÓ, EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC OF TURKEY, DEPOSITPHOTOS.COM

letter from the publisher

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on the record EUROPEAN COMISSION TRIGGERS RULE-OF-LAW MECHANISM AGAINST HUNGARY

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ZOLTÁN FISCHER/PRIME MINISTER’S PRESS OFFICE, OSCE/RITA PONGRÁCZ, EUROPEAN UNION 2022, ZOLTÁN BALOGH/MTI, ZOLTÁN MÁTHÉ/MTI, RÓBERT BANCZIK

FIDESZ RETAINS POWER AT PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS

The ruling Fidesz party won the Hungarian parliamentary elections on April 3 and retained a twothirds majority in parliament with about 53% of the votes. Among the first to congratulate PM Viktor Orbán were Russian President Vladimir Putin and Italian right-wing Liga party leader, Matteo Salvini. The alliance of opposition parties received 35%. The only other party passing the 5% threshold is the ‘Mi hazánk’ (Our homeland) with 6%. 67.8% of those eligible to vote actually cast their ballot at the elections. As a result, Fidesz – in alliance with its satellite party KDNP – has 135 of the 199 seats in parliament, parties of the opposition alliance hold 57, ‘Mi hazánk’ six and the representative of the German minority one seat. Analysts say the results show that Hungary is still divided politically. In the capital Budapest, the six unified opposition parties won 17 of the 18 constituencies, while the governing party dominated in other parts of the country. Along with the election to parliament, a controversial referendum on LGBTQ issues was also held but proved inconclusive as over 1.5 million voters invalidated the ballot to protest the questions they deemed discriminatory and contravening European values.

The European Commission sent a formal notification to the Hungarian government this April to launch the socalled conditionality mechanism, which links the disbursement of EU funds to the rule of law, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced in Strasbourg at the European Parliament (EP) plenary session. Leaders of the EP political groups asked the Commission President about the implementation of EU policy priorities. In response to questions from EP members on the rule of law in Hungary and Poland, von der Leyen said that the ruling of the Court of Justice of the European Union, in which judges rejected actions brought by Hungary and Poland against the regulation on the rule of law, confirmed that "the Commission's approach on this issue is the right one."

She added that the Hungarian government had been given the chance to respond to the committee's concerns and that these responses had been analyzed by the panel. "We have come to the conclusion that we have to take the next step," she said. Ursula von der Leyen stated that "corruption is the biggest problem in Hungary." She added that the Commission is in talks with the Hungarian government to adopt a plan for a fund to repair the economic damage caused by the coronavirus epidemic and to disburse funds, but the process has not been completed so far.

Hungary’s parliamentary elections offered voters distinct alternatives and were well run, but while competitive, the process was marred by the pervasive overlapping of government and ruling coalition’s messaging that blurred the line between state and party, as well as by media bias and opaque campaign funding, international observers said in a statement. The joint observation mission from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) found that the legal framework forms an adequate basis for democratic elections to be held, but a number of key aspects fell short of international standards. Election day passed peacefully, with observers assessing the process as well-organized, orderly and smooth. At the same time, the secrecy of the vote was often compromised, particularly in overcrowded polling stations. The observation mission noted that widespread government advertisement campaigns paid from the state budget reinforced the main ruling party campaign messages, providing an undue advantage. While some election disputes were properly handled, in many cases no effective legal remedy was provided. The legal framework for the referendum held on the same day as the elections was largely inadequate for a democratic process and did not provide equal opportunities for referendum campaigns, they added.

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THE ‘MARCH OF THE LIVING’ IN BUDAPEST

The ‘March of the Living’ in memory of the victims of the Holocaust is also held in Budapest every year. This year's parade in the Hungarian capital took place on April 24. Following two years of hiatus due to the new coronavirus pandemic, thousands of people marched in the city on Holocaust memorial day to demonstrate against all forms of exclusion and prejudice. For the 17th time, the March of the Living in Budapest brought together young and old, Jews and non-Jews, to remember in a sincere way. Yakov Hadas-Handelszman, Ambassador of the State of Israel to Hungary, said that the March of the Living is also an educational program to enable young people to learn about the past from Holocaust survivors who are still alive and who have told them about what happened.

OSCE FINDS UNLEVEL PLAYING FIELD IN HUNGARIAN ELECTIONS

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UPCOMING NATIONAL DAYS 1 July 3 4 5 5 9 13 14 21 23 28 1 August 6 9 14 15 17 20 24 25 27 29 31

WAR IN UKRAINE: DEMONSTRATIONS IN THE HUNGARIAN CAPITAL Early afternoon on April 30, pro-Russian and proUkrainian solidarity demonstrations were held roughly at the same time in the center of Budapest, not too far from each other. Organized by the Hungarian Ukrainian Cultural Association and the Unity Ukrainian Association, more than a thousand people arrived at Deák Square at 1 pm to protest against the demonstration in support of Russia announced for that day. The pro-Russia sympathy demonstration at the Soviet military memorial in Szabadság ('Liberty') Square started an hour later, with 100-200 people attending, according to press reports. The pro-Russian protesters said the United States is responsible for the war and that "excessive sanctions" against Russia are causing a food and energy crisis in the world. According to the Ukrainian counter-protesters, "since [the Hungarian events of] 1956, we have learned and felt what it means when the Kremlin interferes in the internal affairs of a free country, when it imposes its will on a democratic country. Ukraine will now experience this in 2022 with even more bloodshed and more innocent victims," the popular news site telex.hu reported. T R A D E

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JAPANESE GOVERNMENT RECOGNITION FOR JÓZSEF KIRÁLY

The Government of Japan has announced the Spring 2022 Honors for foreigners, including an order of merit to József Király in Hungary. According to the statement, the Honorary President of the Kecskemét-Aomori Friendship Circle has been awarded ‘The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays’ for his contribution to the promotion of regional relations by encouraging twinning relations. József Király is a founding member of the Hungarian-Japanese Friendship Society of Kecskemét (now the Kecskemét-Aomori Friendship Circle) established in 1987. As president of the association, later honorary president of the association, and as a representative of the Municipality of Kecskemét, he has played various roles in the organization of regular events such as the ‘Japan Day’, presenting Japanese culture, or through numerous lectures, such as those organized for Japanese students and Japanese researchers, and by promoting the spread of Japanese language teaching in schools in Kecskemét, he has contributed to the relations between Japan and Hungary and to projects introducing Japan. In 2012, in commemoration of the friendly relationship with the city of Aomori and the victims of the East Japan earthquake, he organized a cherry tree planting festival in front of the Rákóczi Ferenc II Elementary School in Kecskemét.

company briefs

METALCONSTRUCT EXPANDING CAPACITY WITH HUF 450 MILLION Metalconstruct Aluminium Structures Factory Plc., based in Kecskemét, eastern Hungary, will build a new plant hall and expand its aluminum foundry with new equipment with an investment of about HUF 450 million at its Sirok site in NE Hungary. CEO Ernő Kis highlighted that the European Union and the Hungarian state will contribute to the investment within the framework of the Economic Development and Innovation Operational Program plus (Ginop plus) with a conditional reimbursable grant of HUF 314.3 million, which will be supplemented by the company's own contribution. The new production hall will be used partly for storage and partly for production purposes, as it will also house machines for abrasive finishing, grit blasting and washing of castings and the foundry at the Sirok site will be expanded with two new casting cells, he said.

In addition to the expansion of production technology, the complex project will also include a solar renewable energy system, training and consultancy to improve the efficiency of business processes. According to the CEO, the upgrade will increase their foundry capacity by around 20-25%. The company, which currently employs 35 people, expects to increase its workforce to 50 following the investment. Ernő Kis recalled that Metalconstruct Plc., which has a 25-year history in the production of metal structures, aluminum products and light metal packaging, is present in more than ten countries, with its main markets in the European Union. Among others, hi-tech fan blades are produced for Denmark and pumps for Italy. For their typically non-automotive customers, they produce throttle valves, locks, pneumatic valves and hand tool components, but in the future, they would also like to open up to the automotive industry, he added. The cast aluminium used as the raw material for the products is supplied by the company's state-of-the-art die-casting foundry in Sirok, set up a few years ago.

AUTOWALLIS TO ACQUIRE NEW DISTRIBUTION RIGHTS

RAFI HUNGARIA STORAGE EXPANSION IN MEZŐTÚR Electronic products manufacturer RAFI Hungaria Ltd. is to carry out storage expansion related investments in value of EUR 6.5 million in Mezőtúr, eastern Hungary. Over a quarter of the investment amount is covered by Hungarian taxpayers through a government decision. The project should be completed by the end of the year. Founded in Germany over one hundred years ago, and based there ever since, RAFI Group has been operating in Hungary for more than thirty years. RAFI Hungaria Ltd. did not only become the subsidiary of the Group with the largest staff from among those located on three continents and six countries, but it is also the biggest employer in town of Mezőtúr, manufacturing electronic products primarily for automotive and medical technology. The company builds a modern storage facility by expanding its current capacities by 2,400 square meters, by relying on subsidy to improve competitiveness, with storage height being tripled. Moreover, it further develops public utilities and infrastructure, logistics and machinery at the site. “As the storage area grows, it enables us to make room for production because from now on, two storage facilities will be used for manufacturing purposes. The new equipment that can be purchased as a result of the project, in turn, hold the promise of substantial efficiency improvement,” deputy managing director of RAFI Hungaria Ltd., László Barna said.

ROSENBERGER FIRMS INCREASE PRODUCTION CAPACITY IN HUNGARY Rosenberger Group’s two Hungarian subsidiaries, Rosenberger Magyarország Elektronikai (‘Electronics’) Ltd. and Rosenberger Cabling Automotive Ltd., expand manufacturing capacity of automotive electronics and data transfer connectors with an investment of over EUR 44 million in Hungary. The development to be carried out in three countryside locations (Jászárokszállás, Jászberény and Nyírbátor, all in the eastern part of the country) is a key step towards turning Hungary into the production and logistics center of the

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European and North-African region, according to the Hungarian Investment Promotion Agency. Having a history of fifty years, Rosenberger Group was founded as a German family business. It has a leading role in manufacturing high frequency connectivity solutions and fiber optic technology, and it provides a wide range of standardized and specific connectivity solutions and optic technology. The corporate group that is present in five continents employs over 14,000 people worldwide, 3,200 of them working in Hungary. Rosenberger considers Hungary as its European center, the role of which is further strengthened by the current investment. According to publicly available data, Rosenberger Magyarország Kft. achieved sales revenues of HUF 32.66 billion last year, of which HUF 32.253 billion came from exports and HUF 406.5 million from domestic sales. The company closed last year with a profit after tax of HUF 3.227 billion, compared to HUF 1.930 billion a year earlier.

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METALCONSTRUCT.HU, AUTOWALLIS FACEBOOK, JÁNOS MÉSZÁROS/MTI, ROSENBERGER.COM

can be a launchpad for further future cooperation with both Caetano and Renault Group. In 2021, Renault Hungária sold a total of 8,139 Dacia vehicles, making it the 7th largest brand on the Hungarian market; in the same year, 5,207 Renault vehicles were sold. As the CEO of AutoWallis Plc., Gábor Ormosy explained, the method used to purchase Renault Hungária is unusual not only on the Hungarian, but also the entire European market, as it is based on the strategic cooperation of two companies that work in the same industry but in different geographic environments, meaning they are not direct competitors. He added that in addition to the three brands involved, AutoWallis will continue its independent growth, developments, acquisitions, and the implementation of its strategy in other areas. With this step, AutoWallis will continue to bolster its market position with the possible addition of major brands to its wholesale portfolio.

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AutoWallis Plc. is purchasing Renault Hungária Ltd. together with a major player on the European automotive market, the Portuguese Salvador Caetano Group, thus attaining exclusivity for sales of the vehicles of Renault, Dacia and Alpine brands in Hungary. A statement on the website of the Budapest Stock Exchange says the transaction is submitted to the approval of the relevant competition authorities. Under the deal, AutoWallis and Caetano will create a new company (AutoWallis Caetano), with each holding a 50% stake, to purchase Renault Hungária Ltd., which is the distributor of the Renault, Dacia and Alpine brands in Hungary. As a result, the two vehicle sales and mobility service provision companies will gain equal shares in the Hungarian national sales company, which had revenues of HUF 70,3 billion in 2021, providing all the conditions necessary for the transaction are met. The start of operations of the new organization is scheduled for July 1st, 2022. AutoWallis believes that this project

BÜRKLE OPENS PLANT IN DEBRECEN

company briefs

Bürkle Hungary Ltd.’s new machine manufacturing plant was inaugurated in Debrecen, E Hungary this April as a result of a EUR one million investment that is projected to create 20-30 new jobs. The Germany-based Robert Bürkle Group, a world leading specialist in surface technologies, can now produce on an area of over 5,000 sqm at its Hungarian site. The Group primarily produces machinery for wood processing, electronics, PV and

automotive, and its main products include presses, laminating systems and surface treatment machinery. The Debrecen site is Bürkle’s fourth production location, and since its establishment in 2019, it has become one of its most important European manufacturing bases. The workforce there is specialized in assembly of components, machines and conveyor systems. "We want to thank our entire team for their dedication in the past three years and for getting the new site up and running in record time during these challenging times," Robert Bürkle GmbH COO Olaf Hartwig said.

The objective of the company is to produce more complex components, machine units and equipment parts that also fulfill tailormade customer needs. The current expansion serves this purpose perfectly. "At our 5,000+ square meter facility designed for world class production, testing and administration, we offer attractive working conditions," Bürkle Debrecen plant manager Gábor Laczkó added. According to Olaf Hartwig, with this expansion, Bürkle reached a very important milestone in direction competitiveness, primarily in the wood-based materials industry.

MODERN WOOD-BASED MATERIAL PLANT IN VÁSÁROSNAMÉNY

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ZSOLT CZEGLÉDI/MTI, SWISSKRONO.COM, MASTERPLAST GROUP, PLUGPOWER.COM

Production volume of SWISS KRONO Ltd., a company specialized for producing OSB (Oriented Strand Board), is projected to more than double thanks to a EUR 6.5 million investment at its site in Vásárosnamény, NE Hungary, that is expected to be completed by September 2023. About 15% of the investment cost is covered by Hungarian government incentives. The Switzerland-based SWISS KRONO Group employs 5,000+ worldwide and has been producing wood-based materials for over 50 years. The corporate group started out as a family business, and by now it is among Europe’s leading manufacturers, the Hungarian Investment Promotion Agency (HIPA) reports. The facility in Vásárosnamény that launched operation in 2016 is one of the most modern OSB plants of the continent. As a result of the development, the manufacturing of higher value-added wall panels, which is made with this technology for decoration purposes, can also add to company revenues significantly in the future. As SWISS KRONO CEO Martin Brettenthaler highlighted, by now, the Hungarian operation has become the most profitable one of the Group, and success is rooted in the highly

MOL LAUNCHES THE PRODUCTION OF GREEN HYDROGEN The Hungarian oil and gas company MOL builds one of the largest capacity green hydrogen plants in Europe in Százhalombatta, just south of Budapest. This investment of EUR 22 million allows MOL to produce 1,600 tons of green hydrogen annually with the help of renewable electricity and enables about 25,000 tons of CO₂ saving. MOL Group has teamed up with Plug Power Inc., a leading provider of turnkey hydrogen solutions for the global green hydrogen economy, to build the facility at MOL’s Danube Refinery. Green hydrogen will reduce the carbon footprint of the Danube Refinery operation and enable emission-free mobility in the longer term. By introducing this new technology, MOL becomes a major player in the sustainable hydrogen economy in the region. The development is a major milestone on the way to Diplomacy-n-Trade.ai 1 2017. 02. 27. 11:22:30 deliver on MOL’s updated SHAPE TOMORROW

skilled, dedicated workforce, excellent raw material supply and the positive environment, with special emphasis on HIPA’s support. “There are risks out there, but we are here for the long run, and we are not getting scared by problems that might exist for the short term. We expect very strong growth for our new high value-added products that also serve decarbonization, a key issue on the European level,” he added.

UNPRECEDENTED YEAR OF SUCCESS AT MASTERPLAST Favorable construction demand, raw material supply constraints and price rises characterized the market in 2021, where the Masterplast Group, leveraging its stable supply chain, efficient inventory policy and strong market position, achieved an outstanding result, according to the 2021 annual report by the leading insulation material and construction industry product producerdistributor company in the Central Eastern European region. Sales increased by 56% compared to last year's base, driven by price and volume growth in the core business sales, as well as the sales of protective clothing in Hungary. The Group's trading margin also increased, thanks to the solid performance of the construction segment and higher-margin sales of medical protective clothing. The profitability of the subsidiaries, the capacity utilization of the company's production units and production efficiency also improved, w w w . d t e u r o p e . c o m

2030+ Strategy, which set the aim to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. Utilizing a 10-megawatt (MW) electrolysis unit from Plug Power, MOL’s EUR 22 million facility will be able to produce approximately 1,600 tons of clean, carbon-neutral, green hydrogen annually, removing up to 25,000 tons of carbon dioxide by displacing the currently used natural gas-based production process. As this process represents one-sixth of the carbon dioxide emissions of MOL Group, this investment supports MOL’s carbon neutrality goals and will contribute to energy independence for the region. Once operational in 2023, MOL will use the green hydrogen in its Danube Refinery during fuel production of its own hydrogen system. It will be incorporated into the molecules of MOL fuels, lowering the carbon outputs from the production technology and the final product.

prompting Masterplast CEO Tibor Dávid to call 2021 an “unprecedented year of success.” As a result, EBITDA doubled to more than EUR 22 million, while profit after tax of EUR 16 million was almost 2,5 times the base year performance, earnings per share (EPS) rose to EUR 1,10. Favorable industry trends, Masterplast's strong market and economic position, stable supply chain, manufacturing background and investments provide the basis to achieve the Company's published strategic sales and earnings forecasts.

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analysis BY TAMÁS MAGYARICS

For more than 50 years, the United States was sanctioning Cuba economically, isolating it politically and diplomatically, and threatening it militarily. In 1996, the Helms-Burton Act (Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity [Libertad] Act) extended the sanctions to foreign companies trading with Cuba, though the earlier decadelong supporters of Havana, the East and Central European communist countries with the Soviet Union had long been gone. Still, the Clinton administration (and then the Bush administration) wanted to destroy the Castro regime as Cuba was seen as a national security threat of sorts. On one hand, the island is eminently suitable for monitoring and controlling any traffic in the Caribbean; and, on the other one, the Cuban communist leaders were still bent on supporting like-minded political forces in the ’backyard’ of the U.S., in such Latin-American countries as Nicaragua, Venezuela, and Bolivia.

P E OP LE P ROTE S T I NG I N A ’S U PPO RT C U B A’ RA L LY I N M I A M I , FLO RI D A

Thawing relations

The Obama administration encountered two problems with relation to this opening to Cuba. One is quite mysterious, the so-called Havana syndrome, an ailment with hallucinations, dizziness, and similar symptoms. The White House evaded the question whether Cuban authorities were responsible for the causes of the ailments (using electromagnetic devices, etc.); in fact, US diplomats experienced similar symptoms elsewhere in the world too. The other one was more tangible, at least as far as politics is concerned: the rapprochement with Cuba stirred heated debates inside the rather numerous Cuban immigration community in the U.S., specifically in Florida. The vote of the Cuban-Americans in the ’Sunshine State’ may as well a game changer in presidential elections; the rule of thumb is that if someone wishes to win the election, he/she has to carry at least two of the states with the highest numbers of electors: California, Texas, and Florida. Donald J. Trump won in Florida both in 2016 and 2020, and the majority of the CubanAmerican votes went to the Republican candidate. Reversal by Trump President Trump returned the favor of the hardline Cuban-Americans when he suspended President Obama’s sanctions relief, and even imposed new sanctions on, among others, travel.

RELATIONS WITH CUBA STILL A DIVISIVE ISSUE IN THE UNITED STATES

Then, in January 2021, Cuba was again put on the list of state sponsors of terrorism in the final days of the Trump administration, and it was accused by Washington of assisting regimes such as Nicolás Maduro’s in Venezuela. The atmosphere between the two countries again became chilly.

Cautious encouragement Defending human rights and civil rights in foreign countries became, on paper, one of the priorities of the Biden administration. The crackdown of the demonstrations in Cuba in July 2021, which broke out first and foremost because of the ever-deteriorating living conditions, was sharply criticized in the U.S., and further sanctions were imposed on the Cuban military and security forces, although President Joe Biden lifted some. (It goes almost without saying that the Cuban Communist authorities claimed that the CIA was behind the protests.) True, he did not reinstate all the measures of the Obama administration, but Washington encouraged ’people-to-people’ visits, increased consular services as well as visa processing, lifted family

remittance cap of USD 1,000 per quarter of year, encouraged entrepreneurs, and reinstated the Family Reunification Parole Program (established in 2007), which practically allowed the issuance of some 20,000 immigration visas to the U.S. annually, and began the gradual restaffing of the U.S. Embassy in Havana. (The Biden administration in spring 2022 also offered minor sanctions relief to Venezuela, possibly with a view to ultimately restart the flow of Venezuelan oil to the world market.)

With an eye to congressional elections These measures precipitated attacks from the right; the Republicans, and especially the followers of former President Trump accuse the Biden administration of kowtowing to the Communist regimes. There is nothing new in it: the domestic political life in the U.S. is extremely polarized, and it has become a gut reaction on either side to oppose anything the others are doing. However, this time, a number of very influential Democrats also criticize the administration’s move. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), the Chair of the 2 0 2 2 / V

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Foreign Relations Committee believes that reconciliation with the Cuban regime is sending ’a wrong message to the wrong people at a wrong time and for all the wrong reasons.’ Sen. Menendez is one of the most vocal advocates of the idea that the only way to force any change upon the Cuban authorities would be to ’choke off’ its revenues – in other words, restoring the Cold War style embargo policy. The opposition to the administration’s Cuban policy even within the Democratic Party may as well have domestic political repercussions. The Democrats’ prospects in the upcoming congressional elections in November 2022 are not bright at all. Splitting the party on Cuba, and alienating not only the Cuban-Americans, but also the refugees from Venezuela (who predominantly voted for Donald J. Trump in 2020) may result in the loss of additional congressional seats for the President’s party. Cuba continues to be a ’spoilsport’ for the U.S. internationally, and an issue – even if not a major one – in US domestic politics alike.

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The dangers of opening

EVERGREEN THORN IN THE FLESH OF THE U.S

Tamás Magyarics is a foreign policy analyst

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Despite all expectations, the embargo policy did not result in the collapse of the Communist rule on the island as sanctions alone did – and do – not work in the case of Iraq, Iran and a number of other countries. ’No drama Obama’ tried another track: political and economic normalization of the relationship between the two countries. The idea might have been to repeat the strategy that had been working in East and Central Europe, i.e., to undermine the economic and political monopoly of the Communist Party, and to create a genuine opposition force inside Cuba. Diplomatic relations were restored in July 2015, while the Obama administration initiated the removal of Cuba from the ’State Sponsors of Terrorism’ list as well. Embassies were opened in the two capitals, and President Obama visited Havana in March 2016. Economic and trade relations picked up, on rather small scale though and direct commercial flights were started in August 2016.

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INTERVIEW WITH THE AMBASSADOR OF ITALY, MANUEL JACOANGELI

Ambassador Jacoangeli has been in office in Hungary for almost a year now. He tells Diplomacy&Trade that so far, it has been a tremendously positive experience for him. “I feel very privileged to serve in Hungary that hosts so many Italian citizens and companies and where our presence as an EU member partner can really make the difference. Fostering political relations and enhancing bilateral economic and cultural ties is my main objective together with the promotion of the image of Italy.”

Bonds rooted in shared values

The Hungarian public is said to have a great understanding of Italy, of Italian culture – something that Ambassador Jacoangeli very much agrees with. “Since the moment I arrived to this beautiful country, I immediately realized how the image of Italy is deeply rooted in our Hungarian friends’ minds. Our artistic and cultural heritage is well known in Hungary together with our lifestyle, the beauty of our lands and their diversity. Culture is at the core of Italy’s identity and its history lives on through its unique heritage sites and natural wonders. Italy boasts the most UNESCO world-heritage sites in the world, with 58 locations and monuments on that prestigious

list. However, Italy is not only known in Hungary for its UNESCO heritage but also for its 4,000 museums and 6,000 archaeological sites and for hosting several festivals of historical importance.” He adds that Italy’s excellent education system also contributes in a relevant way to the country’s culture and society, with 36 Italian universities ranking in the world’s top 1,000.

“Hungarians are aware that Italy is a synonym of high quality of life. They appreciate our passion, the true essence of the Italian identity, our creativity and our capability to blend vision and imagination to develop more innovative products. Hungarians also share with us the passion for a healthy and modern lifestyle, showing particular sensitivity to everything that is tasty and HUNGARY

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

Grande Partenza in Budapest Following the start from Budapest of the Giro d’Italia bicycle race, Italy is very much in focus in Hungary. “Hungary’s enthusiasm for the Giro d’Italia was amazing, as well as surprising. The Giro organizers’ themselves openly revealed the positive feedback they received either from the Hungarian organizing counterparts and from the public. I had the chance to witness this sport event in from a unique position, since I was accompanying Hon. Manlio Di Stefano, Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs of Italy who came to Budapest to inaugurate the Grande Partenza of the Giro d’Italia. Therefore, we have had the chance to see the race from a few meters distance. An experience that I have deeply treasured and that I will always remember pleasantly,” the Ambassador points out.

ITALY

93,028 sq km 301,340 sq km 110 78 9,699,577 (2022 est.) 61,095,551 (2022 est.) 93 24 -0.3% (2022 est.) -0.13% (2022 est.) 216 206 8.65 births/1,000 population (2022 est.) 6.95 births/1,000 population (2022 est.) 211 223 77.2years 82.59 years 92 20 1.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.) 3.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.) 61 38 USD 31,000 (2020 est.) USD 39,000 (2020 est.) 63 45 3.45% (2019 est.) 9.88% (2019 est.) 48 146 10,332,660 (2020) 77,581,048 (2020 est.) 88 22 41 (2013) 129 (2021) 103 44

Cornerstones of cooperation

DÁVID HARANGOZÓ, DEPOSITPHOTOS.COM

Italy well-known in Hungary

BONDS ROOTED IN SHARED VALUES

beautiful. All of this is enclosed in the concept of Made in Italy.” Since his arrival to Budapest, the Ambassador says he has devoted his utmost effort to the promotion of cultural activities. A large number events have been organized by the Embassy, together with the Italian Cultural Institute, so as to convey to the Hungarian public the set of values that stem from Italian culture. “I firmly believe that Italy and Hungary share a common vision on the importance of culture as a tool for diplomacy to strengthen relations between our countries.”

Both Italy and Hungary are members of the European Union and NATO. Regarding the main

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The Ambassador adds that building a solid network has always been the first step of his diplomatic work. He has had the opportunity to meet many people, to attend several events and to witness the growth of ties and friendship between Italy and Hungary. “Our bonds are rooted in shared values, history and in a common engagement to promote peace and prosperity. The exchanges between our people, businesses and academia have been enriching our societies for such a long time and our economies are deeply interconnected, spanning from the most traditional sectors to the new and most technologically advanced ones.” He notes that working in Hungary is attractive from both a political and professional point of view, and the relationship between the two countries are proceeding into a right, sound direction. “Over the past year, we achieved some relevant results, we were able to count on Hungarian support for many of our candidacies within many international organizations; the volume of bilateral trade exchange already reached the pre-pandemic level of 2019, allowing Italy to be once again one of the most important Hungarian partners; several economic and cultural events have also been organized.” Among other initiatives, he highlights the recently launched ‘Italy is simply extraordinary: beIT’ communication campaign, which ranks as “Italy’s first-ever nation branding initiative and targeting our 26 top priority international trade partners, Hungary included. We have also launched the campaign of the candidacy of Rome to the 2030 Universal Exposition. Definitely, there are some areas where we can improve our bilateral cooperation but I am pleased with progress reached up to now.”

Source: World Factbook

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italian focus platforms of cooperation within – and perhaps, outside – these organizations, Ambassador Jacoangeli states that the EU and NATO are two different cornerstones of both the Italian and the Hungarian position within the international community. “We have countless areas of cooperation, ranging from trade, transports, culture and so on. Should I specify an area of cooperation that by the Hungarian Authorities’ own admission is expected to be particularly fruitful, I would mention the ongoing Hungarian investments in the Port of Trieste – very promising for both of our countries. Thanks to the finalization of these projects, Hungary will have easy access to the Adriatic Sea, with a positive impact on its economic exchanges. At the same time, the economy of the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region will benefit from the development of that port area. We also have solid cooperation in the field of military affairs, as proven by the recent high level bilateral meeting held in Budapest between the Italian Minister of Defense, Lorenzo Guerini and the then Hungarian Minister of Defense, Tibor Benkő on March 7, 2022.”

Economic ties In the first 11 months of last year, trade between Italy and Hungary grew by 26%, setting a record, as did Hungarian-Italian imports and exports. In 2021, Hungary recorded an increase in external trade of 15.8%. Italy’s trade in goods amounted to EUR 12 billion and achieved an unprecedented growth of 27.4%, compared to the previous year. The value of the whole trade flow was 20% higher than the 2019 peak. In 2021, Italy improved its position as Hungary's trade partner country from fifth to fourth, with a market share of 5.2%. In the past year, Italy was the second largest market for Hungarian exports and the eighth largest supplier country. “I would like to point out that Hungary is the 19th largest destination market for Italian exports and the 13th largest market for Italian exports in Europe. The preliminary data related to the first quarter of 2022 shows a further increase of trade in goods with Italy by 15% then during the same period of 2021,” the Ambassador notes. According to Italian evaluations, the companies operating in manufacturing, agriculture and wholesale and retail trade have contributed the most to this trade growth. “Unfortunately, many factors are affecting the overall world trade performance. Russia’s invasion

of Ukraine, in the wake of the global pandemic, has significantly altered the geopolitical and economic context. The impact of the invasion on the economies of EU member states resulted in higher energy and food prices and weaker growth forecasts. Taking into account the worsened economic outlook, the heightened uncertainty, further downside risks and higher inflation, the trade trend between our two countries could slow down in the short term,” he adds.

Cultural relations Italian-Hungarian bilateral cultural relations are regulated by the Cultural Agreement signed in Budapest on September 21, 1965. As the Ambassador highlights, “this international settlement is quite important because it provides the legal framework of our cooperation and, at the same time, boosts a wide range of cultural activities between the two nations (concerts, screenings, exhibitions, performances, language courses, academic presence, scholarships

etc.). Nevertheless, since the legendary time of Christianization of the Magyars by the Venetian Benedictine monk Gerardo (‘Gellért’), under the rule of King St. Stephen, Italians and Hungarians are linked by more than a millennium of strong ties. This deeply-rooted and extremely fruitful connection, which has grown throughout centuries of intense interactions, cannot be encompassed by a single document, as important as it is. In my opinion, this special cultural relationship is perfectly represented by the beautiful buildings hosting the two cultural institutes operating in the respective capital cities. In the heart of Budapest’s ‘Palotanegyed’ [‘Palace District’], the former Chamber of the Deputies of the National Parliament, a beautiful neo-renaissance palace realized by Miklós Ybl, was donated by the Hungarian State to Italy and, since 1943, hosts the Italian Cultural Institute. Similarly, on the banks of the Tiber, the gorgeous Palazzo Falconieri – an already existing construction reshaped by Francesco Borromini himself – hosts the Academy of Hungary in Rome, a Baroque jewel that is the Headquarters of the Hungarian cultural programs in the Peninsula. These prestigious twin institutions embody the reciprocal attention that is shared by our two countries in the crucial field of culture and clearly underline the importance given by our nations to constantly renew such a long-lasting and precious bond.”

The objective: Rome 2030

Italy submitted the candidature of Rome to host the World Expo 2030. As the Ambassador reminds, Italy was one of the countries that signed the on 1928 ‘Paris Convention” that created the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE). As he says, “Italy has always played an important role within the organization. We w w w . d t e u r o p e . c o m

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attended the most important international exhibitions and, over the past 40 years, we hosted several specialized expositions in Rome, Naples, Turin and Genoa. Under the auspices of BIE, Italy has organized 15 editions of the ‘Triennale di Milano’, one of the most important cultural institutions in the world for culture, architecture, visual and performing arts and, in 2015, Italy hosted the ‘Expo Milano’. In December 2021, the Italian candidature of Rome was presented to the BIE Member states together with the candidacies of the cities of Moscow, Odessa, Riyadh and Busan. Recently Russia withdrew its candidacy. The decision to candidate Rome was overdue, especially because of its millenarian history. We consider Rome an attractive destination and we believe that it could be the ideal place to develop the concept of urban regeneration. The theme chosen for the Exhibition is ‘People & Territories: Urban Regeneration, inclusion and Innovation’, promoting the concept of inclusive, polycentric, green and sustainable cities, able to overcome the differences between suburban and urban centers, promoting same opportunities and access to services for every citizen.” The Organizing Committee has identified five pillars for the candidacy of Rome: evolution and regeneration; diversity and inclusion; sustainability and circularity; digitalization and zero emission; decentralization and connection. The five thematic areas have been conceived to be compatible with the urban, historical and architectural characteristics of Rome and Italy and are considered to be a reminder for our tradition, in a country where the past has always been forging the future. Italy considers the candidacy of Rome an important opportunity to set up synergies with partner countries on a win-win basis. Such approach consists of the definition and implementation of projects of common interest in the subjects covered by the theme, identified by both parties and sized on the real needs of the participating country. “Specific projects, carried out with Italy would offer the opportunity to our partner countries to follow a common path while approaching the Universal Exhibition. Rome 2030 aims to offer a great world showcase in which each country will be able to illustrate their respective good practices in such sectors and, possibly, the results achieved in the initiatives promoted together with Italy. It is my understanding that Hungary has a long-standing experience in the field of urban regeneration. I specifically refer to the urban regeneration process in District 9 (Ferencváros) that became a model for further urban rehabilitation projects all over Hungary. We really hope to count on Hungary to support to the candidacy of Rome for Expo 2030,” the Ambassador concludes.

italian focus

ETHICS AND SUSTAINABILITY AS GUIDING VALUES UNINDUSTRIA TO REPRESENT THE INTERESTS OF THE COMMUNITY OF ITALIAN ENTREPRENEURS

Unindustria Ungheria defines itself as a "meeting space for those who recognize Hungary as a place for investment, development and growth of their businesses." As the president of the organization Dr. Roberto Massucco explains to Diplomacy&Trade, their goal is to support the Italian business community, giving value to the associates by organizing meetings, facilitating the aggregation and development of relationships between the different presences in the area. The General Confederation of Italian Industry (Confindustria) is the main representative organization of Italian manufacturing and service companies that groups more than 150,000 companies. Its goal is to protect and represent the interests of the market and companies. “Unindustria is a temporary name; as Confindustria Hungary does not yet exist, we are following a procedure to obtain Confindustria's recognition and become Confindustria Ungheria,” Dr. Roberto Massucco highlights. He adds that “we are a group of entrepreneurs; about twenty companies whose first objective is to develop their contents and consolidate the project. Of course, we want to unite the companies to create the so-called ‘Italian system’. We want to team up and create something different, we want to become the representative of the interests of the community of Italian entrepreneurs. There are other Italian institutions in Hungary, we are not born as an alternative but we believe in union and collaboration to be able to play, together, a primary role as Italian companies with Hungarian institutions. This is a private association, the members participate voluntarily. Growing today is our goal so that our voice can be much louder.”

Strong Italian business presence In the last 30 years, Hungary was one of the preferred destinations for Italian investors. Over 3,500 legal entities are currently working with Italian capital in this country, operating in a variety of fields, out of which about 400 are estimated to be production/assembly plants. “We also estimate a resident population of about 7.500 Italians in Hungary. Funny to say, the estimated population of Hungarians to Italy is about the same size, but we still do not see such a large number of Hungarian investments to

activity and joint project development with the Hungarian counterparts (like, for example, the Confederation of Hungarian Employers and Industrialists, the Ministry of Industry or the Business Association of Hungarian CEOs) and link those Hungarian entrepreneurs to the best Italian joint venture counterparts.

Developing a business in Debrecen Continuing a 140-year-old family tradition in forging, the Massucco family has a business based in the eastern Hungarian city of Debrecen. Dr. Roberto Massucco was called by his cousin, owner of the company, to join back in 2007 and was asked to oversee the Hungarian operations. He added new areas (machining and heat-treatment) to the business and also moved to Debrecen since. He points out that “this city is actually not growing, but exploding in the last 6-7 years. Our company has also followed this trend since our business has also gone through an explosive development. For instance, in the forging area, we are using robots to move the parts. Bigger developments have taken place in the turning departments. Robots have also been installed in other departments to help employees do their job. Our company believed so much in the fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0), that we invested and bought a company that refurbishes robots, specifically adapting them to our sector of activity.” He also hopes that the new BMW plant that will be built in Debrecen will bring more Italian investments in that area. Italy,” the Unindustria Ungheria President notes. In the first half of 2021, 85 Italian companies were founded in Hungary, while in the second half, it was 87 – a total of 172 companies. It is still less that the 2020 number. The main sectors in which Italians invested in Hungary in 2021 were business management, wholesale and retail. In the first five months of 2022, 55 Italian companies were founded in Hungary, mainly in the wholesale trade sector. The vast majority of Italian companies in Hungary, both for 2021 and the first months of 2022, have sprung up in the city of Budapest. This result is due to the fact that Budapest is not only the capital but also the main financial center of the country, he adds.

Ethics and sustainability As for the ways and means, initiatives, etc. through which Unindustria Ungheria wishes to achieve your objectives, the President says the first step is to be able to create more attention and get more companies to join the project, to focus on results. “For example, one of the problems in Hungary is the shortage of labor and supply. I can talk about something I know well. Debrecen is a university city and you have to try to get closer to universities to pick up talents, you need to develop dynamics that support the companies participating

“I have a dream”

in this project in finding advantageous solutions. There are so many things to do and by grouping 50, 60 or 100 companies, together we can achieve more results.” He is of the view that ethics and sustainability must be Unindustria's guiding values and through Unindustria must help all companies move in that direction “because we have entered a new dimension, with new working relationships within companies. It is important to pay more and more attention to the people who work with us and to those who follow us because we pass through this world and we must leave a positive imprint. We must be the driving force but we must also be able to push people forward to create a more sustainable environment for our future and for our children.”

The Unindustria President is of the view that with the COVID-19 pandemic disappearing slowly, the overall outlook of Italian-Hungarian business relations in the near future is positive. “I believe that Hungary will attract more and more foreign investments. The stagflation will hit harder the ‘old’ member states of the EU. Poland and Hungary will be the countries that will best handle the results of the pandemic and of the war and probably more Italian Companies will then seek opportunities in these countries trying to balance the risks they are running in Italy. He promises that Unindustria Ungheria, which he hopes will be soon entitled to change its name to Confindustria Ungheria, will be there to support these companies. “As I said before, we promote a ‘Sistema Italia’. Personally, I believe that the highest achievement can be reached only with an intensive team work and we are ready to face this challenge.” Dr. Roberto Massucco concludes by saying that he has dream: “to become so attractive that Hungarian companies will also decide to join our Association. According to the deed of foundation, this is possible. That, I believe, should be our final goal. By reaching that, we will be able to be noted as a powerful ‘influencer’ – to use a fashionable social term.”

A privileged table of consultation The association's activities are also aimed at developing bilateral industrial partnerships and relations with the local economic community interested in Italy. “We believe that some of the existing bilateral commercial relations already in place, have the potential to be converted in direct investments to Italy in those fields where Hungary is a center of excellence (software, medical, agrobusiness…). One of the aims of Unindustria, will therefore be to become a ‘privileged table of consultation’ through a public relation 2 0 2 2 / V

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NURTURING ITALIAN-HUNGARIAN RELATIONS THE OFFICIAL REPRESENTATION OF ITALIAN CULTURE IN BUDAPEST WAS ESTABLISHED 85 YEARS AGO

The Italian Cultural Institute of Budapest (Istituto Italiano di Cultura di Budapest - IIC) was founded in 1937 to develop cultural relations between Italy and Hungary. Its area of responsibility includes the entire territory of Hungary, it is an official body of the Italian state and has as its objective the promotion and dissemination of the Italian language and culture through the organization of cultural events to foster the circulation of ideas, arts and sciences.

THE BUILDING

After the defeat of the Hungarian Revolution and War of Independence in 1848-49 by the Austrians, more than ten years of military rule and despotism followed. The changing international political situation forced the House of Habsburg to call a Diet in Hungary in 1861. The deputies held their first session in the Great Hall of the National Museum. Authoritarianism was soon reintroduced but then, it ended in 1865, when the upper house met in the National Museum and the lower house was to be designed by renowned architects, and it was the project by Miklós Ybl that won the approval of the royal court in Vienna. Next to the National Museum, in the then Sándor Street (now Bródy Sándor Street), the barracks were demolished and the new House of Representatives was built on its site. In 1902, when the Parliament building designed by Imre Steindl was completed on the Danube bank, the function of the ‘Old House’ ceased. After various uses, the Hungarian government donated the former House of Representatives to the Italian State by a deed of gift dated February 3, 1942. The inauguration ceremony of the Italian Cultural Institute (which was operating in Budapest since 1937) in Ybl’s building took place on June 21st 1943 in the presence of the Regent of Hungary.

The current director of the Institute, Gabriele La Posta, took up his post in the Hungarian capital in August last year. He tells Diplomacy&Trade that his main vision upon his arrival was to build on what had been constructed in the previous years and “re-launch Italian Cultural Institute’s live activity that had slowed down in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic – as it happened in the whole world, in all societies.”

Coping with the difficulties presented by the pandemic He stresses that “since the summer of 2021, we have never stopped organizing events and language courses. We respected all the necessary safety measures (face mask, temperature check, sanitizer gel, social-physical distancing, etc.). However, our goal was not to stop nor affect our activities and we can say that we coped with the challenge quite well and managed to carry on with our undertakings.”

Promoting the Italian way of life

The Institute plays an important role in the teaching of the Italian language in Hungary. As Director La Posta explains, they have hundreds of students and dozens of courses every semester. “We have cooperation with the Department of Italian Studies at five universities throughout Hungary – Eötvös Lóránd University (ELTE), Pázmány Péter Catholic University, University of Pécs, University of Szeged and University of Debrecen – and with several Hungarian primary and secondary schools. We are the only Italian State institution teaching our language in Hungary.”

Cooperation and partnership Being the Cultural Office of the Italian Embassy, the Italian Cultural Institute of Budapest is directly part of the Italian Diplomatic Mission to Hungary. “As a consequence, we cooperate, of course, with every single member of the Italian network in this country, a network, which is naturally open to initiatives coming from Italian institutions and entities,” the Director points out. The Institute is strongly encouraged to co-operate with local cultural institutions worldwide. Regarding this sort of cooperation and the partners the IIC works together with in Hungary, Director La Posta says that “we have built – and continue building – strong partnerships with various organizations and institutions in Hungary. Here is a – nonexhaustive – list of organizations we cooperate with: Hungarian National Museum, Budapest Photo Festival, Hungarian National Theatre, National Dance Theater, Design without borders, Budapest Design Week, Budapest History Museum, Uránia Nemzeti Filmszínház,

During the Second World War the building was hit by mines and bombs. The Hungarian government provided funds for the most urgent restoration. In 1967, the walls and false ceiling of the Great Hall began to be demolished, thus restoring the hall to its original size. The restoration of the external façade was completed in 1987. With a façade 40 meters long and 16 meters high, the building is a harmonious structure thanks to its proportions and ingenious articulation. The building's style blends antique, Baroque and Renaissance elements, as in Miklós Ybl's palaces of the period. However, in its clear articulation and proportions, the Renaissance clearly triumphs. This is, of course, also reflected in the interior. The centerpiece is the meeting room, which is entered through the gate and through the foyer. Ascending the stairs, people enter the hall, which is divided into five aisles by two rows of columns. From here the way leads to the notaries' offices on the right and the Speaker's on the left. Going straight on, you reach the Great Hall. The arches on two sides of this hall, which spans two floors, are supported by columns on the upper floor, and by columns with plain trunks similar to those of the hall. Between the pedestals, balustrades close the side of the gallery facing the seating area. Above the great hall, there was originally a coffered ceiling, which was converted into skylights. The hall originally received its natural lighting from the windows in the gallery.

Budapest Film, National Film Institute, Kertész Imre Institute, Budapest Short Film Festival, Sziget Festival, Budapest Architecture Film Festival, Budapest Documentary Film Festival, CINEMIRA International Children’s and Youth Film Festival, University of Fine Arts, Károlyi József Foundation, Kecskemét Jazz Festival, Szeged International Guitar Festival, Ultrahang Festival, Bondoró Festival in Kapolcs and, of course, all the EUNIC – European Union National Institutes for Culture Group – members in multilateral or bilateral activities.”

Nurturing bilateral ties When asked about his plans as Director here for the next few years, Gabriele La Posta concludes that “being aware of the continuous attention that Hungarian people reserve to our cultural presence, we will continue nurturing ItalianHungarian relations in a field which is rooted in a profound and historic friendship connecting the two nations.” 2 0 2 2 / V

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Teaching Italian

RESTORATION

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Italian classical culture is very well-known in Hungary. Therefore, there has been a tendency for Italian culture in Hungary to present the less known or up and coming new artists, intellectuals, specialists and main protagonists of the Italian cultural scene. As the Director highlights, they “want to build on tradition (humanist culture and values) and, at the same time, present innovation. In fact, in our country, tradition and innovation go hand in hand. The BeIT nation branding campaign of the Italian State, launched a few months ago, is based, and mainly focusing on, promoting the Italian way of life and the Italian way of making – in many different fields such as design, contemporary art, gastronomy, wine culture, etc. In summary, our policy is to underline the Italian unique, deeply rooted and cutting-edge creativity.”

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IN TOUCH WITH BUSINESS AND SOCIETY

THE NON-BUSINESS PART ATLAS WORLD IS A CONTAINER FOR GOOD INITIATIVES AND GOOD CAUSES ITL Group Ltd. was established in 1995, its founder, Alessandro Farina moved to Hungary three years before. Now, he tells Diplomacy&Trade about how his career began here and how he built up a group of companies following the tradition of entrepreneurship that goes back to generations in his family in Italy. He is convinced that doing business should go hand in hand with serving society.

ITL Ltd. was established in December 1995. After initial startup difficulties lasting about a year, the company started to take on the first well-known clients in 1997. “At that time, we were just working with Italian clients. I still keep the philosophy of the one-stop shop of the multidisciplinary services. But of course, back in those times, I only had one employee. So technically, I was a broker of services. I was listening to the needs of the client, I got a decent understanding of business needs. Then, I went on the market to buy the services needed by clients who knew that it was an intermediated service but they needed a trusted person with contacts living here. Then, as the business grew, we started to bring in-house those services, like bookkeeping, for example. That is how I have nine business divisions and over 75 professionals within the ITL Group, which is – according to some of the business journals in the Budapest – among the top ten consulting companies in the Hungarian capital,” he adds.

Serving society Alessandro Farina believes that as a consulting company, they have a peculiarity: a genuine positive enthusiasm about being also at

the 2020 and 2021 award and the organizers hoped to find the 2022 winner in time for the summer Budapest Business Party. However, this time, it was the Russian attack on Ukraine that forced them to change plans “but we already planned this year’s award ceremony to be held on October 6. The nominations are open, so, I urge the readers to join this process,” he adds.

because it was not earth-shaking but it was our small contribution to say, let's do something for the society,” the entrepreneur notes.

Atlas Award In yet another initiative, “we set three core values that we want to recognize – ethics, sustainability and creativity – and searched for people who use these three pillars in their daily life and create a positive impact in the business society, a kind of a guideline and a good example for employees, for business partners, for generations to come. So, in 2019, we created – with Italian artist Marco Veronese –, an impressive statue of Atlas holding the world on his shoulders,” Alessandro Farina explains the birth of the Atlas Award. “People say the world is done by storytelling, if you build the right story and you fascinate, let's say the community, the society, and you create the feeling of why you're doing that, you will find followers. And if you find positive followers, you create an umbrella where they can recognize themselves. A lot of good people under the same umbrella will make a better impact, of course, because there is more energy to spread,” he adds. The first winner of the prize was Gabriella Ruff, the Managing Partner of Karrier Hungária of whom Alessandro Farina says “we had several people nominated but she was absolutely on top of the list.” The pandemic did away with 2 0 2 2 / V

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Atlas World

“A couple of months ago, we went online with Atlas World, which is in a way the final, the collection point of all these initiatives that we have done since 2008. We wish to make it clear: ITL Group is the business part and Atlas World is the nonbusiness part. The latter is the container for good initiatives and good causes. So, whenever we have something nice to give to the community, to support something or give visibility to other people's ideas, we build that within the Atlas World,” he highlights, adding that it is a world where people casually meet and discuss whatever they are interested in – without obligations like in the coffee house culture of Europe in the first decades of the 20th century. “This allows us to be in touch not only with business but also with society. In fact, I have always been in touch with a lot of people because having so many wide angles means that you are in touch with hundreds or thousands of people: more people mean more ideas and you get different kinds of feedback also. Following the pandemic, this is also the year in which we are going to start to communicate again and to push the Atlas World wider,” Alessandro Farina concludes.

ITL GROUP, DÁVID HARANGOZÓ

Building a group of businesses

the service of society. “In 2010, we started to develop the first database of all Italian investments to Hungary from scratch. Since then, it has been used as the official source by the Hungarian and Italian governments. Then, in 2014, we published a great book ‘Ungheria 2014’, an investment guide. Its format was so successful that the Hungarian Investment Promotion Agency (HIPA) asked us to release the rights to them. We did that together with the graphic design. I was proud and happy that we could inspire, let's say, even the government to go in this different, user-friendly direction.” Another project by Alessandro Farina to serve the business community and society was the Budapest Business Party. “As the 2008 world economic crisis hit, I felt the negative trends were killing my instinct, my productivity, I needed positive enthusiasm and energy. That is when we created the Budapest Business Party, which was intended to be a kind of smart, dynamic, challenging networking way of having fun: basically, first fun and then let's make business. The first year, in 2012, the event attracted about 400 guests and it was held annually until 2019, with over 1.500 attendees in the last editions, after which the pandemic hit the world. First, it looked like the world was collapsing, bringing down business with it. However, we learned the lesson very well and managed to cope with the situation. Actually, in business terms, we grew more during pandemic than in the best periods of the good economy,” he says. Yet another initiative based on his idea of ‘Let’s make the world a better place’ was the “Fear is the mindkiller,“ an online communication project that collects positive stories. It is a collection of testimonies of entrepreneurs who were able to overcome or manage economic difficulties during the pandemic. Leaders who always focus on their human resources realize that during hard times, the company must also be a refuge, hope, and guide for its employees and collaborators in certain moments. “Once again, it was a micro contribution

For more info: atlasworld.hu/award

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“When I arrived in Hungary, there was no strategy, no project. It was a typical by chance opportunity to make a stage abroad. I grabbed an opportunity to come to work for an English consulting company. It doesn't exist anymore but, at that time, it was my opening door to working abroad and starting, let's say, my very first real employment. It opened up my eyes and I saw the dynamics of business. One of the things that I mostly enjoyed was that consulting companies are in touch with decision makers most of the time. For a young 25-year-old guy, it was an absolutely invaluable experience to be in touch with the decision makers, a lot of wise and successful people. In a consulting business, you wake up in the morning, your first client is maybe in agriculture, the second in trading, the third one in real estate, etc. This whole mix of opportunities during the past three decades, provided a wide vision and so many challenging experiences that absolutely fill up my day with love of what I do,” Alessandro Farina highlights.

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PIRELLI: 150 YEARS OF SHAPING MOBILITY

key advantage is noise reduction, for ultimate comfort and to emphasize the quiet interior the cabin. Finally, an immediate grip to bite into the asphalt instantly, putting the power down for a quick getaway. There is also another feature that is worth mentioning: a special structure designed to support the weight of a battery-powered vehicle. In 2021 alone, the number of ‘Elect’ homologations exceeded 250. This number underlines Pirelli as the tire manufacturer with the biggest share of homologations for electric and plug-in hybrid cars,” Tommaso Mantegazza stresses.

ITS PARTICIPATION IN MOTOR RACES HELPS THE DEVELOPMENT OF CONSUMER TIRES

Pirelli, the multinational tire manufacturer focused on consumer production of tires for cars, motorcycles and bicycles, celebrates an important anniversary this year: the company was founded by Giovanni Battista Pirelli in 1872 – that is, 150 years ago – in Milan, Italy where it still has its headquarters.

A sporting company Pirelli has long been present in motorsports. As the Managing Director notes, Pirelli has been active in sporting competition for over 110 years. Currently, the company participates in over 350 car and motorcycle sport events and since 2011, it has been the exclusive tire supplier to the Formula 1© World Championship and will be the sole Global Tire Partner until 2024. “Thanks to the historical experience gained on racing motorcycles, Pirelli develops its road tires range, in accordance with the philosophy: ‘We sell what we race, we race what we sell’. It means to be able to generate avant-garde solutions that are then transferred to tire ranges for the consumer market, ensuring the maximum levels of performance and safety. Speaking of Formula 1, after more than half a century of 13-inch tires, in 2022, the diameter was increased to 18 inches that are more similar to the tires used every day by ordinary motorists; this helps Pirelli to transfer Formula 1 technology onto the road car product. Thanks to this involvement in motorsport, we are also able to provide our top customers premium experiences that are helping us strengthening the relation with them.”

After its foundation in Milan, the expansion of Pirelli began in the early 20th century with the opening of its first production facilities abroad, tells Tommaso Mantegazza, the Managing Director of Pirelli’s local subsidiary, Pirelli Hungary Ltd., to Diplomacy&Trade. “In the same period, Pirelli also got its start in racing. In 1907, the Italian team driving an Itala fitted with Pirelli tires won the Beijing-Paris automobile race, marking the beginning of a history of victories for the company in the world of motorsport,” he adds.

A history of success

Manufacturers constantly renew their product range in order to offer the best to their customers. As for the direction of renewal at Pirelli, the Managing Director points out that the Pirelli range has been completely renewed in the last two

years; after renewing the Cinturato family in 2021, Pirelli unveiled this February the new Scorpion tire range dedicated to Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs), the vehicle segment that is set to become the most popular in the world. The latest range marks a complete renewal of the family that has specialized in the SUV market for more than 35 years, with the range tailor-made products for premium models and featuring specialized tires for different seasons: Pirelli Scorpion, Pirelli Scorpion Allseason SF2 and Pirelli Scorpion Winter 2.

Tire production is a burden to the environment and manufacturers make great efforts to reduce that impact. Therefore, sustainability is one of the most important issues for manufacturers. Tommaso Mantegazza emphasizes that Pirelli has been strongly committed to the environmental sustainability of its production processes and products for many years. “In 2021 Pirelli & C. SpA was confirmed a global leader in the fight against climate change obtaining a position in the Climate A list 2021 of the CDP; this confirms commitment in the area of environmental sustainability, where the company has a target for the reduction of CO₂ emissions validated by the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) with a goal of ‘carbon neutrality’ by 2030, supported by the energy supply target of 100% renewable source electricity at the global level by 2025.” He adds that Pirelli has also become the first company in the world to produce a range of FSC-certified (Forest Stewardship Council) tires designed for the BMW X5 xDrive45e Plug-in-Hybrid. These tires contain FSC-certified natural rubber and rayon and represent a new horizon for increasingly sustainable tire production. FSC forest management certification confirms that plantations are managed in a way that preserves biological diversity and benefits the lives of local people and workers, while ensuring it sustains economic viability.

‘Elect’-ed for electric vehicles Electric vehicles are gaining more and more ground and Pirelli is the leading tire manufacturer in this segment. “For electric and plug-in hybrid cars Pirelli together with leading car manufacturers has introduced a specific type of tire distinguished by the ‘Elect’ marking. Pirelli ‘Elect’ presents three main advantages: first and foremost is low rolling resistance, which increases the driving range while reducing consumption. Another 2 0 2 2 / V

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A completely new range

Easing the burden on the environment

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The Managing Director highlights that the story of the company is a successful one of continuous product innovation, from the revolutionary tires of the 1920s, first of all the ‘Stella Bianca’ then the first radial tire in the 1950s with the Cinturato, and again with the PZERO™ launched in the 1980s, up to the current range of products and services for new mobility. Today, Pirelli is among the leading tire manufacturers in the world and the only one completely dedicated to the consumer market with high end tires for cars, motorcycles and bicycles. Passion, innovation, ability to look forward to anticipate the change and love for the Italian tradition are the basis of this history of success and also for the future development of the company. Another anniversary the company celebrates this year is that of the Hungarian subsidiary, which was set up 25 years ago. As Tommaso Mantegazza explains, “it is an important milestone for Pirelli Hungary and we are very proud of it. The local subsidiary was opened so as to be closer to the Hungarian customers and since 1997, we have developed our presence in the Hungarian market and our share in the premium and prestige segment, in line with Pirelli’s global strategy.”

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italian focus DAILY SUPPORT FOR CORPORATE CLIENTS

CIB BANK: A FLEXIBLE, STABLE, INNOVATIVE AND VERY MUCH CUSTOMER FOCUSED SERVICE PROVIDER CIB Bank, the Hungarian subsidiary of the several-centuriesold Italian international banking group Intesa Sanpaolo, offers tailor-made solutions and a state-of-the-art digital service portfolio to its clients all over Hungary.

As to what it means for CIB Hungary and its clients that Intesa Sanpaolo is behind the bank with its financial assets, extensive experience and international network, the CEO highlights that “our parent company offers solid foundation that enables us to constantly upgrade the quality of our operations. With its market leading processes and know-how, we are able to offer excellent local and crossborder services for retail, small business, SME and large corporate customers. Be it wealth and asset management, private banking, loans, investments, insurance products, leasing, factoring, offline or online, Intesa Sanpaolo’s banking strength is tangible in all aspects of our universal banking activities.”

Supporting corporate clients As Pál Simák notes, CIB Bank, like most banks, offers tailor-made solutions for which clients mostly require a personal relationship. It means a full scale of cash management and financing products and solutions with dedicated relationship managers and product specialist to solve and give proactive offers on all kind

Recognitions

Values

In Hungary, CIB Bank was the first financial institution to organize a donation campaign to help those fleeing Ukraine as a result of the Russian invasion. “Our customers were able to send donations to the Hungarian Reformed Church Aid, which is helping refugees from Ukraine, through the CIB Bank Mobile App as part of a fundraising campaign between March 3 and April 11. More than 20 million HUF donations were received,” Pál Simák says. On the day after the outbreak of the war, the bank immediately donated HUF 1 million each to three major Hungarian charities (Hungarian Interchurch Aid, SOS Children's Villages, Hungarian Charity Service of the Order of Malta). In addition, with the participation of 150 bank volunteers, CIB

Honesty, excellence, transparency, honoring values of the individuals, equal treatment and responsible use of resources – CIB Bank, with its more than 40 years of history in Hungary, follows these values of Intesa Sanpaolo, and implements top-of-class standards in procedures in all aspects of its operations. “Our highly ethical business management is key in our success story, and also in our customer and employee relations. We understand that employee rights are human rights, and by valuing these principles, we have successfully implemented a corporate culture that nurtures talents, encourages the individuals and teams alike, and create a productive climate for highly motivated and customer focused colleagues to meet all kind of customer needs,” the CEO stresses.

Bank provided assistance to colleagues and families of its Ukrainian partner bank PRAVEX, providing transfers, accommodation, meals and interpretation at the border.

Last year, CIB Bank was recognized in two categories in Mastercard’s ‘Bank of the Year’ competition. As Pál Simák puts it, “recognitions from prestigious independent juries are of upmost importance because these represent a highly objective evaluation of our services. Be the recognition about products or creativity, services or brand, we always feel very thankful and use these as new extra energy source to deliver even better in the future. For customers, recognitions are proofs of solidity and transparency, therefore awards are key in customer relations. Key but in a conscious and modest manner: the drive of our business is the constant strive to achieve better customer service, because whatever got awarded in a given moment, it might turn obsolete a few months later.”

Sustainability Sustainability aspects have already played an important role in Intesa Sanpaolo's previous strategy between 2018-21, with the launch of the ‘impact bank’ principle, which means that the Group should have a positive impact on the environment in which it operates and contribute to the creation of sustainability through its own means. ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) aspects will be even more prominent in the strategy approved for the period from 2022 to the end of 2025, and this will obviously also affect the CIB Group. As a consequence, a dedicated person within the Management Board has been given responsibility for this subject, and a several of working groups and projects have been launched, including to comply fully with the requirements of the National Bank of Hungary's Green Recommendation. Banks play a key role in the transformation towards sustainability and support customers (both private and corporate) in raising their awareness. “In addition to financial profitability, it is also important for us to fulfil our responsibility to society. We minimize social and environmental risks to fully support both our stability and our growth strategy, and strive to create a positive impact for the benefit of our communities and the environment. Our responsibility extends to our external relationships and our contribution to society,” CIB Bank CEO Pál Simák concludes.

Helping refugees

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Strong international background

of client’s requests. “On the other hand, we are focusing not just on our clientele but its network too, and not just in Hungary but in all subsidiary banks’ countries where Intesa Sanpaolo operates. That’s why we built a large scale of knowledge about Merger&Acquisition transactions to support domestic and multinational corporates in expansion, or developed fully automated International Confirming service to ease commercial activities in our clients’ supply chain, and this is the reason why we built a cooperation with our sister banks about Commodity Hedge deals to give a solution on the uncertainties of the economy which generates daily issues for corporates nowadays. The biggest value what we can offer for our corporate clients is not purely banking services, but our support in their daily business. Maybe this can make banking loveable.”

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As the Chairman and CEO at CIB Bank, Pál Simák notes to Diplomacy&Trade, “centuries of successful operations are only achievable if you stick to universal values and these values are translated into services. CIB Bank as we know it today, is – compared to Intesa Sanpaolo – a rather young universal financial institution, but still one of the oldest in Hungary. We were already here when the Hungarian two-tier banking system was established at the end of the 1980s, made huge investments to boost the Hungarian economy in the 1990s and 2000s, actively helped the country and its customers to overcome the difficult years of the financial crisis around 2008, and took its role in reviving the Hungary into a booming industrybased EU member country in the 2010s. All these led us to a flexible, stable, innovative and very much customer focused service provider, with nationwide branch network, and state-of-the-art digital service portfolio. The optimal combination of digital and traditional operations makes us cost-effective, offering real value-for-money services.”

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LIVE A HEALTHIER LIFE!

TECHNOGYM OFFERS A WIDE RANGE OF HIGH-QUALITY FITNESS EQUIPMENT FOR WORKOUT The exclusive distributor of Technogym equipment in Hungary is Finn Wellness Ltd. (www.okosmozgas.hu). The owner, Risto Junttila confirms to Diplomacy&Trade that his idea is to convey Technogym’s mission message to the Hungarian people and help them to acquire the importance of wellbeing, to spread the word of a healthier life with proper nutrition, regular exercise and a positive mental approach. A complete range of solutions

“Basically, we have a quite low level of health awareness here in Hungary, which means we have a lot to do, but as Technogym offers a wide range of solutions globally, we can help people to find the way that they can gain and maintain their motivation – from entertainment functions, through digital solutions and applications, to immersive design,” he says.

Technogym offers the world's most complete range of gym equipment, for cardio training, strength training, functional training and group activities, the ‘Wellness Connected Experience’ in gyms, hotels, medical practices, schools, etc. As to what sort of high-tech equipment is offered to wellness professionals – and through them, to the public – at these places in

Hungary, Risto Junttila points out that “indeed, we have the most complete range of solutions, immersive product lines for a high variety of needs, diversified for different segments, to fulfill and exceed the expectations of the end users, and maximize the effectiveness and benefits of the operators and investors, by giving a reliable solution in premium quality and with state-of-art design. We offer a wide range of pieces of cardio

equipment in a large variety of versions, with a non-exhaustive list of treadmills, indoor bikes, elliptical trainers, climbers etc., so as far as we map our client’s needs during a consultation, we are sure that we can find the most optimal solution even for gyms, hotels, health institutions, sport professionals and corporate clients also, and, of course, private individuals.” Regarding strength training, he adds that besides the company’s disc-loaded and selectorized pieces of equipment and free weights, this year, Technogym launched a world-novelty technology. The new Biostrength line revolutionizes strength workout, with its aerospace technology powered by artificial intelligence (AI) to ensure an adaptive and personalized training. “For functional training, we offer compact and complex solutions also, to fit every need. Regarding group activities, we have all the pieces of equipment, digital solutions and formats for an engaging group experience, whether it is a popular Group Cycle course or a challenging SkillAthletic training,” Risto Junttila highlights. He adds that Technogym equipment is available in most premium clubs in the country, not just in Budapest but also in Győr, Zalaegerszeg or Hatvan. In the hotel segment, nearly all of the five-star hotels of Budapest are equipped by Technogym, and we have installed the gyms at 17 sports academies as well as the aquatic venue Duna Aréna.” (X)

DÁVID HARANGOZÓ

TECHNOGYM PERSONAL LINE ICONIC PIECES OF ART WITH TIMELESS BEAUTY DESIGNED BY ANTONIO CITTERIO

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Showroom: 1037 Budapest, Szépvölgyi út 63/A E-mail: info@okosmozgas.hu Tel: +36 1 250 4177 Web: okosmozgas.hu

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FERRARI: TRADITION AND PASSION BUDAPEST SHOWROOM DEMONSTRATES CONSTANT COMMITMENT TO THE FERRARI BRAND

Having been founded in 1947, Ferrari celebrates its 75th anniversary this year. As the General Manager of Ferrari Budapest, Emanuele Lippi explains to Diplomacy&Trade, Ferrari's history is the history of motor racing. With tradition and innovation combined, the owners of road cars can also enjoy the company’s professionalism.

from, let's say, the electric world. It is a clear example of how Ferrari wants to position itself in the future also. It wants to develop and exploit this technology as much as possible because, regardless whether we want it or not, we will be forced by the European Union to go in this direction. Ferrari already has a lot of plans in this regard and the technology will be exploited always in a Ferrari way, which means that we are searching for power, searching for higher technology but still keeping the passion for racing, a passion for our history.”

Improving customer experience In Hungary, Ferrari has another anniversary: its showroom in the Bank Center in downtown Budapest is ten years old in 2022. The General Manager notes that “being a family business is something that will always guide us to see things on the long term. We decided to move to this location because somehow, we felt that the center of Budapest was a good location not really because of catching the people around the Bank Center itself, but rather for the image of the brand. We are very happy here. We created a new corporate identity, and last year, we refurbished the showroom because with a constant development on the product side, Ferrari is also working on improving customer experience. It means that we have a new layout in the showroom, demonstrating our constant commitment to the brand on a long run. We have already started to talk about the future in terms of facility because luckily, business is quite stable and steadily growing: we sell around the 70 new cars and 30-40 used cars per year, which means that we need a certain type of facility to follow this growth as well. So, in terms of showroom and the services as well as new technology coming in, there are plans for the future. It is also a requirement on our side to welcome people in a different way to provide different types of services.”

Regarding the historical development over these seven and a half decades, the General Manager points out that “at the beginning, Ferrari’s focus was mainly on the race cars, competing in Formula One, Le Mans, etc. But then, they started to transfer all this technology also on the road cars and thus, the production volume began to increase. Still, the racing part has always been the soul of the company. Even today, it is stressed all the time that our racing heritage is something that must always be cherished through Formula One. In addition, we will go back on the 24-hour Le Mans race with the new hypercar next year.”

Sports cars and road cars

Formula One: sports and business Ferrari has always been a team to recon with in Formula One racing. Although their last constructor’s title was back in 2008, the team already had three wins this season, the latest one in Silverstone. Evaluating Ferrari’s Formula One participation from the viewpoints of sports and business, the General Manager highlights that “for us, Formula One is the image of the brand. For instance, marketing-wise, there are other activities, usually more connected to the clients, but participation in Formula One races is advertising in itself for Ferrari. That is why a win in Formula One is helping the business worldwide in terms of brand awareness, in terms of, I would say, sales as well. That is because a lot of sales by Ferrari is not only the

cars themselves, but there is merchandising and lot of extra business which are connected. Obviously, winning in Formula One is giving you much more success and is good for business – not only for Ferrari as a company, but for the whole entourage around the Formula One. That is because if we see this year that Ferrari is competitive, all the circuits are fully booked. Ferrari is a historical brand. If there is a Ferrari victory in Formula One, that creates a lot of attention from everybody.”

A fun place to be Regarding feedback from customers, Emanuele Lippi highlights that they always keep a very familiar environment. “We believe that, especially in this particular moment after COVID and other well-known circumstances, welcoming the community and familiar faces is a winning concept. People really enjoy to come here to visit us, to share some passion moments, some memories, some activities what they did maybe with their own car or just to discuss the configuration of the new car or the car that will arrive. So, this is also a fun moment for them. They usually come with either their family or their friends. So, it's really a fun place to be, not one with a very strict shop atmosphere. Sometimes, we even do evening programs to meet with the clients here. So, it's like going to the pub with friends to enjoy a kind of family atmosphere here.”

Tradition and innovation As to how much tradition and innovation is combined at Ferrari, Emanuele Lippi stresses that this is something that will keep going on forever with Ferrari because the passion, the tradition, especially in Maranello, where all the cars are built, the professionalism of the people – all these have a long history. “This is something, which you will always find in the cars. Obviously, in technology – thanks to Formula One –, we can always push forward. Ferrari’s new CEO, Benedetto Vigna is coming 2 0 2 2 / V

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FERRARI BUDAPEST

car is giving the full power and it is working similarly to the Formula One race where, on every qualifying lap, the batteries are charging themselves. I believe Ferrari is the only brand which can really do this one to one – from Formula One directly to the road cars.”

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Ferrari's history is the history of motor racing with many of the cutting-edge technology solutions found in road versions derived from the racing world. As an example, Emanuele Lippi mentions that “in the 1990s, the 355 model was the first car in the world using the Formula One power shifting that was a great example of how Ferrari really transferred the Formula One technology to a road car. Nowadays, we can see Ferrari starting the hybridization of its road cars. The first hybrid car was the Laferrari, but let's say in a more sophisticated way, the real first one was the SF90, which is a very nice example of how Ferraris transferred the kinetic energy recovery system (KERS) concept to the road cars. Basically, the SF90 has a combustion engine and an electric (battery) engine to run the front wheels and one between the gearbox and the engine, similar to the Formula One. This technology is transferred in a way that the

Is a gift

Customized your per fect gif t for ever y occasion Official Hungarian Distributor: BTECH Hungary Ltd., H-1142 Budapest, Erzsébet Királyné útja 56/b, Phone: +36 1 433 6111, E-mail: b2b@btech.hu B L Ó R A S Z A L O N O K : ■ B u d a p e s t : M a M M u T I . ( I I . e m e l e t 2 0 5 . s z á m ú ü z l e t ) ■ Á r K Á D B u D a P E s T ( f s z . ) ■ D u n a P l á z a ( 2 . e m e l e t ) ■ B u d a ö r s : a u C H a n ■ P r e m i e r O u t l e t ( 5 7. s z á m ú ü z l e t ) ■ D u n a k e s z i : a u C H a n ■ S z é k e s f e h é r v á r : a L B a P L Á z a ( f s z .) ■ E g e r : a g r I a Pa r K ( f s z .) ■ D e b r e c e n : F ó r u M D E B r E C E n (-1 s z i n t , 3 5. s z á m ú ü z l e t ) ■ M i s k o l c : M I s K O L C P L Á z a (1. e m e l e t ) ■ Szolnok: szOLnOK PLÁza (fsz. 7. számú üzlet) ■ Veszprém: BaLaTOn PLÁza ■ Győr: árkáD Győr (fsz.) ■ Ügy félszolgálat: info@oraszalon.hu +36 20 42 42 550 ■ Online webshop: W W W.ORASZALON.HU

italian focus

FOOTBALL BRINGS PEOPLE ALL TOGETHER

As a reward, kids deemed to be the most talented in this particular camp in Budapest will go to Italy for further training. As to what is so special or different about the Italian approach in soccer, Marco Schembri says “I think we are more empathic. Let's say we are more flexible than the Hungarians and possibly the approach is a bit more professional there. If, say, a 16-year-old boy from Hungary is ready for the very big challenge, I think it is worth making the jump to Italy, Spain or Germany as they have a kind of professionalism that is still not completely present in Hungary or in the countries of Eastern Europe.”

THE ANNUAL ITALIAN SOCCER CAMP IN BUDAPEST IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR HUNGARIAN KIDS

Football is a lifestyle The star guest football player to promote this year’s CIB Italia Football Camp in Hungary was the former Juventus and Italian national team player, world champion Alessandro del Piero. “When we talk about Italy, we have a very wide range of excellent footballers we work with, including Roberto Baggio, Franco Baresi, Francesco Totti, Andrea Pirlo or Del Piero for that matter. We are not just linked with AC Milan, we are linked with Italy and Del Piero was one of the protagonists of the Azzuri. As a great man he is and as a great player he was, it was a pleasure to have him appear in front of media at the press conference as an absolutely excellent ambassador of our project,” the organizer notes. The website of World Camp International says its camps are spreading the values, the ideas, the life-style and play-style of AC Milan to the youth all over the world. As Marco Schembri puts it very simply, “football is a lifestyle and lifestyle is football. I believe it is important in life to be connected with others, including the experience like these five days of the camp with new friends, new opportunities in a totally free environment. Sometimes in your club, you must cope with challenges created by the circumstances or certain interests. Here, you have five days during which you are completely free, regardless of being a big talent or just a beginner. So, this is football, this is pure lifestyle.”

After two years of forced hiatus due to the pandemic, the CIB Italia Soccer Camp resumed in Budapest at the end of June. The camp has been financed by CIB Bank and its parent company, Intesa Sanpaolo, and supported by the Generali Foundation for Safety. This year, pupils from schools in socially less advantaged municipalities took part in the training sessions of Italian coaches who are coming to Hungary year after year to further develop the skills of young Hungarian footballers and to teach them the most advanced methods of football.

World Camp International is a satellite company of the Italian star club, and this year’s national champions, AC Milan. The company grew out of a partnership with this club. As regards the original idea when World Camp International began, Marco Schembri recalls that “I was 25, I lived in New York City and I was in love with football, like a lot of us are, especially in Italy. That is where and when I had the chance to start working and help the AC Milan scouting efforts when the club came to the city to check how the business of football was growing there. With AC Milan, there was understanding at that time that we start using the camp as a bridge to penetrate into foreign markets. It was a fantastic opportunity for me because a lot of clubs have the desire to establish a foothold in countries where the people love football. Therefore, a soccer camp for me is one of the best bridges to arrive into a new market. Of course, you need to adapt yourself to the changes and challenges of the market. At the beginning, we were pioneers. Today, we try to be a pioneer in another way because we don't charge participants anymore, we just do the event for free for them as these camps are financed by big firms. This is not a camp for the rich, the opportunity has to be there for everybody.”

Marco Schembri has been at the Italian soccer camp in Hungary almost every year since 2005, that is about one and a half decades, and he hopes to be here for the next 15 years as well. “I like it here. It's a good country, especially the city, Budapest is lovely and it is incredible how it is growing. Of course, I don't want to touch a political issue but I can see more and more sports facilities. All in all, it is a pleasure to be here year after year. Although we speak different languages, football – wherever we live in the world – brings us all together," he concludes.

Talents in Hungary and Italy Marco Schembri is of the view that even the word ‘talent’ has changed a lot. “I remember the first time I came to Hungary in 2005, children were brought to the camp from all over the country, making a very long trip to show us the kids. However, today, if you are a good player, somebody will take note of you, anyway. The kids who come here have 10-14 years of age, so, I think, that is too early to spot the real talent. Even if I saw a very good one, all I would do is call the parents.”

DÁVID HARANGOZÓ

Challenges and opportunities in foreign markets

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Regarding the importance of such training camps, Marco Schembri, the head of World Camp International Srl, the football organizer of the CIB Italia Soccer Camp, stresses three factors to Diplomacy&Trade. “The first is that this opportunity is a very good combination between Italian culture, Italian mentality, Italian aptitude and Hungarian kids. I saw some kids speaking Italian a little bit at the end of the week, and also, they like our training, because your kids are very educated and very focused. Second, I think it's very important for huge companies like Intesa Sanpaolo and Generali, two of the biggest Italian firms here, not to make only business in a country where they have corporate presence. So, the point is that being here is also an investment into the young generation, that is, invest in the future, invest in sports. The third is giving some kids that may not have such opportunities, something special to enjoy. As a kid, I did not have this opportunity but I am sure that if somebody had offered me something like that, I would have been very, very happy.” He believes that in this globalized world, such a camp can be a very good bridge because “a camp is not only about a ‘galactical’ player but it brings a coach, brings a language, brings a football shirt to interested children.”

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FOOTBALL: A PASSION THAT WILL NEVER DIE ITALIAN FOOTBALL STAR CALLS THE ATTENTION OF HUNGARIAN KIDS TO SOCIABILITY AND HUMILITY

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DÁVID HARANGOZÓ

The star guest footballer to promote this year’s CIB Italia Football Camp in Hungary was former Juventus and Italian national team player, world champion Alessandro Del Piero. He tells Diplomacy&Trade about the importance of such initiatives, the contribution he – and the Italian coaches – make to the great experience of Hungarian kids have in these camps. "The importance of a sporting activity aimed at young people is always to be taken into consideration but in this case, I would say that it is of double importance because after the difficult period we have passed, attention must be paid to sociability, an integral part of the training of children. And in this sport, it is fundamental,” the football star highlights. Naturally, he has taken part in the promotion of many of such events. Regarding his expectations towards the Hungarian football hopefuls, he says these are always the same ones every time he meets young people. “This means giving my contribution in terms of advice so that they can walk in the best possible way w w w . d t e u r o p e . c o m

towards the life they wish to lead; but above all, there is always learning from these kids who still have a pure spirit. Young people are a great source of inspiration for us, adults.”

The importance of humility At one of the previous CIB Italia Football Camps (organized and financed by CIB Bank, and supported by Generali Foundation for Safety) in Hungary, an Italian coach said that talent, skills and being a good teammate are the characteristics that they look for in kids. Looking back at his professional career, Alessandro Del Piero confirms that these characteristics are the most important

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both in sport and in any professional field, “however, to these, I would like to add a factor of fundamental importance: to keep your feet on the ground and maintain a good dose of humility even when success arrives. Without this, it will be difficult to maintain high standards. In order to last in sport as well as in life, you need to have a humble attitude.” He recalls that at the time he started his football career as a kid, circumstances were quite different – no similar camps then, in the 1980s. “In my day, we were lucky enough to be able to play on the street. Today, children have less opportunity to play outdoors. For this reason, being able to have such

a professionally organized camp today is a unique opportunity. The kids’ moves are watched in order to correct the errors and both technical and health equipment are there to protect them from any risk.” Kids selected in this football camp will be able to continue training in Italy. As to what sort of experience they can expect to have there, Alessandro Del Piero notes that “whatever experience awaits them, they will certainly find a good atmosphere, professionalism but also the cheerfulness and sociability that we Italians are very proud of. They will surely have the opportunity to have new friends with whom to share a passion that will never die.”

italian focus Costa Toscana has been designed to be a real travelling ‘smart city’, where sustainable solutions and circular economy concepts are applied to reduce environmental impact. Thanks to the use of liquefied natural gas, it is possible to almost completely eliminate the emission of sulfur oxides (zero emissions) and particulate matter (95-100% reduction) into the atmosphere, while also significantly lowering nitrogen oxide (direct reduction of 85%) and CO₂ (up to 20%) emissions. The entire daily water supply of the ship is provided by transforming sea water using desalinators. Energy consumption is minimized thanks to an intelligent energy efficiency system. In addition, 100% separate waste collection and recycling of materials such as plastic, paper, glass and aluminum are carried out on board, which will be part of an integrated approach aimed at implementing circular economy projects.

EVERY DETAIL ON THE SHIP REFLECTS THE ITALIAN STYLE AND TASTEIN THE PAST FOUR YEARS

Costa Cruise Lines, owned by the Costa Crociere Group, Italy’s biggest tour operator, has 27 ships in service for an overall capacity of around 76,000 guests. Their new ship flying the Italian flag in the Costa Cruises fleet is the Costa Toscana.

Fun and wellbeing The ‘heart’ of the new flagship is the Colosseo, a space in the middle of the ship spread over three decks, dedicated to the best shows. The big screens, positioned on the walls and on the dome, offer the possibility of creating a different story in each port of call and at any time of day, from dawn to dusk. Around the plaza are some of the main themed lounge bars. Piazza del Campo, on the other hand, is a large staircase facing aft, on three decks: the ideal place for the entertainment of guests, young and older, with an open-air balcony on the last deck whose crystal floor will make guests experience the emotion of flying over the sea. Piazza dei Miracoli, at the bow of the ship, is the meeting point of three different experiences on board: shopping, tasting and entertainment. Another evocative and panoramic point is the Passeggiata Volare, which reaches the highest point of the ship at 65 meters in height. The new Poltrona Frau Arena is a multifunctional space, which can become a theater for shows during the day and in the evening, or a disco during the night. For the enjoyment of children, there is the Splash AcquaPark, with its slide located on the highest deck, a new area dedicated to video games, and the Squok Club. Another amazing area on board the Costa Toscana is the Sole Mio wellness area, featuring a beauty salon, sauna, hammam, thalassotherapy pool, 16 treatment rooms and the snow, salt and relaxation rooms. To relax and enjoy the sun, there will also be four swimming pools, one of which is filled with salt water. Those who like to keep fit even on vacation will be able to count on a gym and a multi-sports field with sea view. The gym is equipped with the latest Technogym equipment, for a truly unique and engaging experience.

Tribute to Tuscany The new flagship is a tribute to Tuscany, it is the result of an extraordinary creative project, curated by hospitality designer Adam D. Tihany, to enhance and bring to life in a single location the best of this wonderful Italian region, which gives its name to the ship, its decks, and main public areas. From Montalcino to Pietrasanta, passing through Viareggio, Montecatini, Lucca, Pienza, Bolgheri, Montepulciano, Costa Toscana is a real tour of Tuscany, with lots of areas devoted to fun, taste and conviviality.

A ship to be tasted Costa Toscana offers a truly incredible gastronomic offer, with no less than 21 restaurants and areas dedicated to gastronomy. On this new flagship as well, guests will be able to enjoy dishes created by Bruno Barbieri, Hélène Darroze and Ángel León. This exceptional trio of

The rooms Comfortable and elegant, even the rooms perfectly reflect the Italian style and taste. The spaces have, in fact, been designed by the Milanese studio Dordoni Architetti and retrace the colors and geometries of the places of reference of each deck, giving the interior space brightness and warmth. The new category of rooms with ‘terrace over the sea’ offers a splendid annex where guests can have breakfast, drink an aperitif or simply enjoy the sound of the waves. There are a total of 2,663 guest rooms on board of Costa Toscana, including 28 suites, 106 rooms with terraces, 1,534 rooms with balconies, 168 outdoor rooms and 827 indoor rooms.

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COSTA CRUISES, STEFANO BELLAMOLI PHOTOGRAPHY

Innovative and sustainable

COSTA TOSCANA, A SUSTAINABLE CRUISE LINER

chefs has explored authentic local recipes from every place visited by Costa ships, which will be offered through Destination Dishes and the menus of the Archipelago restaurant. Moreover, on board of Costa Toscana, an entire restaurant, the ‘Squok Restaurant’, is dedicated to families with children, conceived and designed according to their needs. In the Food LAB, guests can try out their cooking skills under the guidance of Costa Chefs. Also worth trying are the Pizzeria Pummid'Oro, the Sushino and the Teppanyaki. To enjoy a drink in total relaxation, guests will be spoilt for choice with 19 bars, including themed bars in collaboration with major Italian and international partners, such as Caffè Vergnano 1882, the Campari lounge, two bars Aperol Spritz, the Ferrari Spazio Bollicine, and the new Kartell Cafè and Heineken Star Club & Bistro.

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Built in the Meyer shipyard in Turku, Finland, Costa Toscana left for her first cruise on March 5, 2022, from Savona, NW Italy. She is powered by liquefied natural gas, the most advanced technology for emissions reduction currently available in the maritime sector. The Costa Group – which includes the Costa Cruises and AIDA Cruises brands – was the first in the world to pioneer liquefied natural gas on cruise ships. The Group can count on a total of four ships powered by this technology, including Costa Toscana.

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Enjoy summer at any time of the year with Costa! EASTERN NIGHTS Costa Toscana | 7 nights Dubai – Dubai – Doha – sailing – Muscat – Abu Dhabi – Abu Dhabi – Dubai Jan 13, 20, 27, Feb 03, 10, 17, 24, Mar 03, 10

EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN PEARLS Costa Deliziosa | 7 nights Trieste – Split – Kotor – Katakolon/Olympia – Piraeus/Athens – sailing – Bari – Trieste Nov 5, 12, 26, Dec 3, 10, 23

from 349 EUR per person incl. port charges (Jan 20)

from 449 EUR per person incl. port charges (Nov 05, 12, 26)

CARIBBEAN DREAMS Costa Pacifica | 7 nights La Romana – Santo Domingo – Samana – Amber Cove – Grand Turks – Ocho Rios – sailing – La Romana Jan 08, 22, Feb 05, 19, Mar 05

INTO THE ORIGINS OF HISTORY Costa Venezia | 7 nights Istanbul – Istanbul – Kusadasi – Kusadasi – Piraeus/Athens – Crete – sailing – Istanbul Oct 09, 23, Nov 6

from 349 EUR per person incl. port charges (Jan 22)

from 489 EUR per person incl. port charges (Oct 23)

ON THE TRAIL OF COLUMBUS Costa Pacifica | 7 nights La Romana – sailing – St. Lucia – Barbados – Guadeloupe – Antigua – Tortola – La Romana Jan 15, 29, Feb 12, 26, Mar 12

ANCIENT RUINS AND COSMOPOLITAN CITIES Costa Venezia | 7 nights Istanbul – Istanbul – Izmir – Bodrum – Mykonos – Piraeus/Athens – sailing – Istanbul Sep 11, 25

from 369 EUR per person incl. port charges (Feb 26, Mar 12)

from 619 EUR per person incl. port charges (Sep 25)

MEDITERRANEAN COLOURS Costa Smeralda | 7 nights Barcelona – Palma de Mallorca – sailing – Palermo – Civitavecchia – Savona – Marseille – Barcelona Nov 28, Dec 5, 12, Jan 9, 16, Feb 6

TO THE CORE OF CIVILISATION Costa Venezia | 11 nights Istanbul – Istanbul – sailing – Bodrum – Limassol – Haifa – Haifa – Alexandria – sailing – Kusadasi – sailing – Istanbul Dec 12, Jan 03, 25, Feb 05, 16, Mar 10

from 439 EUR per person incl. port charges (Nov 28, Dec 5, 12)

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For further details please contact your Travel Consultant at Tensi Holiday Travel Agency Tensi Ltd. – Cruise Department 1023 Budapest, Komjádi Béla u 1. Phone: +36 1 345 1529 +36 70 4545597 E-mail: costa@tensi.hu U- 000390

business

THE ALUMINUM SOLUTION PROVIDER

feedback is very positive when the product is finished, installed and used. It is also very important that we sell system elements, which means we have a manufacturing partner in the chain, and it is crucial that the production and installation are of good quality, because even if the system elements are good but they are not manufactured or installed properly, the end-user experience will not be the same. Therefore, we put a lot of emphasis on educating and training our manufacturing partners so that everyone is satisfied in the end. On the commercial line, in an office building, the tenant often doesn't know or even care what system the windows are made of, so this kind of emotional attachment is not usually formed.”

REYNAERS HAS PRODUCED UNINTERRUPTED GROWTH ON THE HUNGARIAN MARKET IN THE PAST FOUR YEARS Reynaers Aluminium is a European developer of aluminum products for the building sector. The company, present in over 40 countries, also provides support for architects, fabricators, project developers, investors and end users. to-cradle certification that has different levels. “Some of our products are certified bronze, and on some, we are working to achieve silver level and they can be used to score LEED or BREEAM credit points, which is also a sustainability requirement framework and with these, we can contribute to the building getting the different LEED or BREEAM certifications,” Zoltán Nagy points out, stressing that well-chosen aluminum systems can add a lot of points to that. He notes that aluminum is a very green building material, 100% recyclable, with zero loss of quality, so the same quality can be produced over and over again, and more importantly, the energy required to produce recycled aluminum is only 5% of the energy required to produce primary aluminum. Thus, the higher the proportion of recycled aluminum to be integrated into the production process, the lower the environmental impact, the lower the energy consumption. However, there is a limit to the amount of reusable aluminum available in the world to cover the demand for aluminum.

Corporate social responsibility At Reynaers, social responsibility programs at the corporate level are very diverse. Zoltán Nagy explains that “these include, obviously, in addition to sustainability objectives, helping and supporting different social groups. Here in Hungary, we work primarily with Access4You, which is involved in helping people with special needs, basically mapping, assessing and rating buildings in terms of how people with special needs can use them, how they can get information about them. And part of that is a segment of the doorway, because for a person in a wheelchair, for example, it really matters how wide it is, how easy it is to open, how it is to use, how high the handle is. We can provide support in this area, and we also give them technical information on how our systems can be used to build doors and windows that meet their needs.”

Uninterrupted growth

Consultation and feedback

The company provides support to architects, project developers, investors, end users, etc. As the Country Manager highlights, “there are several players involved in a project: investor, property developer, designer, general contractor and also those who actually manufacture and install the door or window elements based on

DÁVID HARANGOZÓ, JOE FLETCHER PHOTOGRAPHY

Supporting clients and partners

our system components. We are in contact with all of them as they all have their own interests and need a different kind of support. For instance, an architectural designer is typically looking for different technical solutions that will be aesthetically pleasing and technically appropriate. To do this, he usually seeks the help of an architectural consultant. Typically, he will ask for section drawings, junction plans, building connection designs for the different solutions so that it is technically appropriate and he can incorporate this into his building design. In general, architects like these request to be responded to very quickly, so response time is one of the important aspects here. Real estate developers also like to have the various options presented to them, so that they know what they can choose from. The manufacturing partners are looking primarily for technical support and they like a product that is simple to make, easy to manufacture, and if they have any technical questions, they can get answers quickly and efficiently. Our customer portal, for example, helps them with this, where they can register and go online and watch or download little tutorial videos, and our support engineers are there to help them.”

A green building material At Reynaers Aluminium, the issue of sustainability is important not only in the use but also in the manufacturing of their products. Several of their product lines have a cradle-

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As Country Manager Zoltán Nagy explains to Diplomacy&Trade, the company was founded in Belgium in 1965 and has grown from there. “In Hungary, Reynaers Aluminium had a presence since the mid-1990s, first as a branch. There were some major successes initially and had some nice reference buildings, but then business stalled and in 2014, the decision was made to close this branch. Thus, between 2014 and 2018, Reynaers didn't have a representative in Hungary. Then, the owners decided that – just like in the surrounding countries –, a local team, a local representation should be built up in this country. We found each other with Reynaers, and basically, I was given the noble task of building up a presence here from zero: registering the Hungarian company, renting offices, building the team, business development, building relationships, etc. That was in April 2018. Now, we're a little over four years old, and we're at the point where we have a team of five people, looking for a sixth person at the moment,” he says.

In conclusion, the Country Manager highlights that “over these four years, we have been able to grow year on year here in the Hungarian market, with reference projects like Mol Campus, MVM Dome or the Buda Palace, so, the plan is to continue to grow our turnover and market share uninterruptedly. Obviously, this is for Hungary. In a broader sense, Hungary belongs to the Central European region. Here, too, the turnover of Reynaers is growing steadily, and we are building a new center in Poland. We are slowly outgrowing the old one, so we are going to build a brand-new logistics center there with a painting plant, an anodizing plant and an office headquarters in a EUR 40 million investment, which will be handed over in May next year.”

As regards client satisfaction, the Country Manager first mentions the residential line, “because we supply aluminum doors and windows not only to public buildings, commercial buildings, but also to premium family homes. At the latter, the user has a much more direct contact with the product than, say, in an office building. When building a detached house, people come in for a consultation, they look at the different corner samples, the design, the construction, the insulation and they think a lot about the colors. Color is always a cardinal issue and we can help with that as we have a big color wall of different samples and people really like that. So, the

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witty leaks WITTY

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

LE A K S HUNGARY IS NOT ONLY ABOUT BUDAPEST LAKE BALATON AND ITS SURROUNDINGS OFFER A LOT – GREAT PLACES THAT EVOKE GREAT STORIES BY THE AMBASSADOR OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC TO HUNGARY, TIBOR BIAL

When I think of the lake Balaton, I willy-nilly associate it with the first lines of a Hungarian song saying “For me, the Balaton is the Riviera...“ And yes, in my childhood, we travelled numerous times to Balaton during summer vacations. I can still hear the murmur of the streets and beaches teeming with tourists from East Germany and Czechoslovakia and recall the iconic signs saying ‘Zimmer frei’ like it was yesterday. By now these times passed away and Balaton today is an unforgettable and unmissable place. I have to confess we wouldn’t miss spending a couple of

Endless vineyards Travelling a couple of kilometers, you arrive to Tihany, the land of lavenders guarding important pieces of Hungarian history as well. The most prominent is certainly the establishing charter of the Abbey of Tihany from 1055, being the oldest written document containing Hungarian words. And finally, there is Csopak, my favorite place for the evenings for its endless vineyards on the hillside with perfect panorama on the lake. We have discovered that a former Hungarian diplomat, who travelled a lot in the world and after finishing his career decided to establish a winery, has his vineyards here as well. This wine region is ideal both for white and for red wines, yet it is mostly known for being the Welschriesling region of Hungary. I warmly recommend everyone to visit these wineries and indulge in the fantastic local wines, beautiful panorama and quality service – everything on the highest level.

in a house rented from a former painter. Standing on the terrace you have the spectacular view of the whole Balaton lying under your feet. And have I mentioned that Szigliget has a castle too? Near Szigliget lies Badacsony, another independent wine region with special mineral taste, coming from the volcanic soils of the hilly countryside. Badacsony is the home of pinot gris. The precious vineyards are guarded by Saint George from his picturesque hill which appears on many illustrations of the lake.

Cycling and more Before you think Balaton is only about eating good food and drinking great wine (which is certainly a must), it is also about sports and tours. I made my first cycling challenge around the lake about 15 years ago: 210 kilometers in three days. Around 70 km per day does not seem too much, but if you carry your whole package with you, it is a bit different cup of tea. But at the end of the day, when you sit tired on the hill and watch the lake with a glass of wine, you feel, that you arrived to the right place and it was all absolutely worth it. And finally, not only the coastline of Balaton is impressive. The Festetics castle in Keszthely, the lake cave in Tapolca, the city of Veszprém, the Kinizsi castle in Nagyvázsony, stone-sea in Szentbékkála, summer folk festival in Káli valley are all places I definitively recommend to visit. In all of them, I have my own story, a pleasant memory, but instead of boring you with my own memories I suggest you to visit some of those places and make your own stories and memories and please don’t hesitate to share them with me. Because, as I wrote at the beginning: stories connect people. Take care and have a nice summer!

Big festival in a little village Near Csopak lies Paloznak – a village, which was almost unknown not long ago even for Hungarians. However, a decade ago, a team of brave minds started something unique by organizing a small concert with wine-tasting in a garden of the village. By now, it has developed into a big jazz festival with four stages and 20,000 visitors each year. And, believe me, the program is absolutely phenomenal: Rick Astley, The Jacksons, Jamie Cullum, Soul II Soul, Electro Deluxe, Kraak & Smaak, Kool & the Gang, Mario Biondi, Matt Bianco, Candy Dulfer, Jazzanova, Al McKey’s Earth Wind And Fire Experience, Icognito, St. Germain, Dephazz or Mezzoforte – just to mention a few performers from the last years. For those three days of the year, Paloznak is the center of the world and with my wife we try not to miss it every year.

Gastronomy Balaton is, fortunately, not only a summer destination anymore – it is actually a vibrant place all year long. There are more and more restaurants offering fantastic cuisine using ingredients from local producers. One of my all-time favorite restaurants is in Szigliget, cherishing a real heartwarming family story: the father of the owner is a great oenologist who travelled the world and learned a lot about gastronomy. Today, he manufactures his own cheese, Italian or Spanish style hams and sausages, produces sparkling wine from elderberry flowers and even makes his own lambrusco. The son had his restaurant in Budapest, close to our Embassy – now you can guess where our friendship comes from... Fourfive years ago, he decided to leave Budapest and open his fine-dining restaurant on the top of a hill 2 0 2 2 / V

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The ’Hungarian Riviera’

days (from time to time also a week) at Balaton with my wife and friends. It is close to Budapest and if you do not want to drive there on a Friday afternoon or Saturday morning, you are there within an hour – or in less than one and half if you go to the northern shore. I was born in a hilly country, thence I prefer the northern part of Balaton – places like Balatonfüred, Csopak or Tihany. Balatonfüred is now a ‘summer suburb’ of Budapest, the town center is reconstructed, boasting modern facilities, fantastic restaurants, wine bars and still breathes a bit of the history, a bit of Monarchy with its beautiful architecture. The Tagore promenade stretches just a few meters from the coastline. Walking under the giant platan trees gives you, along with the unforgettable scenery, a cooling shadow in the hottest times of the day.

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The last time I wrote for this column, the topic how sport connects people. Don't worry, I will not bore you with football again, rather with other forms of connectivity like experience or enjoyment. I have been working at our Embassy in Budapest for 12 years now and even prior to that, I had the chance to spend a few more years in Hungary, hence luckily, I have travelled a lot in this beautiful country. A group of my friends is running a very inspiring blog in Hungarian about the Czech Republic: ‘Czech Republic is not only Prague’. Personally, I like it very much: they are travelling and revealing hidden treasures of our countryside and what’s more, they are able to write about it in a very exciting way. From a Hungarian point of view, of course, Prague is the most famous destination in the Czech Republic – but these guys are doing a really good job in showing other stunning regions of my country. And here comes the point: I believe the same applies to Hungary as well. Hungary is not only about Budapest. As summer is unstoppably coming, let me introduce you the region of Balaton and its surroundings.

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diversity

CELEBRATING DIFFERENCE AND DIVERSITY

program supports women who have ambition to become leaders. Several participating mentors have been ranked by Forbes among the most influential female business leaders. There are also Hungary-based expatriates and international leaders from other countries, who support this initiative. Our mentees can greatly benefit from this international dimension of the program, which is available both in English and Hungarian. The mentors support the development of future leaders by sharing their experience, developing selfconfidence and addressing dilemmas like how to manage work-life balance or how to deal with various leadership dilemmas. During the one-year program, we also offer dedicated workshops – one on building selfconfidence and another on career planning. But equally important are the network and supportive community we are building.”

LEADERSHIP COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY NEEDS TO BE FOLLOWED BY ACTIONS

This May saw various events of the European Diversity Month. In Hungary, the coordinative organizer of the programs is the Hungarian Business Leaders Forum (HBLF). Diplomacy&Trade talks to the President and one of the board members of the organization to highlight the importance of the Diversity Month and the lessons one can learn from the initiative.

ZS U ZS A GÁ RD U S ( O N TH E L E FT ) A N D A N D R E A SO LT I

“The objective of the Hungarian Business Leaders Forum is to support the sustainable development of Hungary. In this journey, diversity and inclusion are strategic priorities. One month is not enough to make the change, but it gives us the opportunity that we can focus on an important topic. HBLF creates a platform for collaboration reflecting the motto of the 2022 Diversity Month in the European Union, that is, ‘Building bridges’. What we do is building bridges between organizations, between companies and NGOs, because it is our belief that we are stronger together and through collaboration our impact is greater,” HBLF President Andrea Solti, the CEO of Shell Hungary Plc. points out. She believes this is an opportunity to celebrate the differences and the diversity, but this initiative also highlights that there are many things to do: female representation in leadership, Roma representation in workforce or the employment of disabled people. “We recognize that there are still actions required to make sure that we represent our society at our workplace.” Jobsgarden Managing Director Zsuzsa Gárdus, a HBLF board member in charge of coordination for the Hungarian Diversity Charter, stresses that the EU platform of diversity charter selected May as diversity month. “It's spring, so you can renew everything, it is the time for the rebirth of ideas. But besides this, the main aim of this month is just to raise awareness about the importance

of diversity and inclusion at the workplaces as well as in society: celebrate the results and also draw attention to this topic. This year, we had the third Diversity Month and learned that somehow the attention to this matter is becoming stronger among companies. We are really open to everyone and any organization ready to deal with this topic and would like to brace awareness within the organization. And later, we hope that they will join the charter as well.”

Leadership commitment “Shell in Hungary has a long journey in building a diverse workforce and leadership. We adopted our diversity charter in 2002 and have set annual diversity goals since then. Currently, we have a 50% female-male board and I am the second female President of the Board. Visible leadership has been a key factor in this journey. We also reviewed and adjusted our HR policies and processes to make sure that those support diversity and inclusion. I’d also like to highlight that diversity is a common cause and needs to be addressed jointly by male and female leaders. I would like to refer to the March campaign of HBLF (“Let’s change perspective”) where close to a hundred male and female CEOs stood up jointly and publicly shared their commitment, how they want to improve the female presentation in their leadership. So, I think visible leadership, commitment and actions are required to achieve changes,” Andrea Solti says.

Zsuzsa Gárdus agrees. “Leadership commitment is really, really crucial when we think about how to improve and develop diversity and share best practices. Also, the job market is pretty hot recently, meaning that companies are getting more and more open, not just to women and women leadership, but also to people with disability or any other disadvantages.” As Andrea Solti adds, “another element of the business case is uncertainty what we have been facing in the past two years in terms of the COVID-19 situation and then, the war in the neighborhood, and we need employees, we need leaders who are able to work in this uncertain environment. There are no straightforward responses, there are no straightforward solutions. I believe that diverse view help to manage the organizations under such circumstances.”

Leadership X mentor program Andrea Solti also shares that although research supports that diversity is good for the business just as for the society, the female representation in leadership is still to be improved. She quotes Mckinsey’s latest report saying it's only 8% of the companies in Central and Eastern Europe, as well as in Hungary, that have female CEOs. “That presents a challenge, thus, we do not only need leadership commitment but also supporting programs. HBLF’s award winning one-year X mentor 2 0 2 2 / V

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With this year’s EU Diversity Month over, summarizing the experience gained by the Hungarian Business Leaders Forum and the lessons learned with ideas in mind for next year, Zsuzsa Gárdus says “I am very happy because I think we have achieved really significant improvement. This was our third diversity month, and year by year, the number of events and programs are increasing. As a result, the number of those joining the charter is also increasing, which I believe is very important. I would like to stress the involvement of universities: having young people able to see what diversity is, what inclusion is, why is it so important when they join organization, a workplace. I'm really proud of my team who helped me a lot – they are fantastic. With this team, we were able to involve many more students than before. The lessons learned include that we need to do much more on this platform just to involve more young people so that they see the importance of this topic. Also, we involve more and more companies, organizations, not just HBLF members and charter members, but companies that have simply heard about this and we just started to talk to them and involve them in the process. It is because on the long term, these programs are not just for EU charter members, but we would also like to push the boundaries further and wider.” In conclusion, Andrea Solti quotes a couple of numbers about the Hungarian edition of this year’s EU Diversity Month. “We had 55 events and programs with altogether more than 135 hours dedicated to this topic and involving more than a ten thousand employees. Through the media coverage, we estimate to have reached one million contacts. It was a very impactful program. and I'm very proud that we have been able to mobilize significant number of organizations. The initiative was a true example of building bridges between corporate organizations, NGOs, between diplomacy and the corporate sector. We have covered a great variety of topics: from female representation in leadership to the HBLF-Romaster (Roma talent development) program, we talked about business case of diversity in the boards, in the decision-making process. Diversity month is an enabler; it builds awareness, it is an opportunity to discuss dilemmas and to learn from each other, however, this is just the first step, and we need continued efforts to embrace diversity and inclusion.”

DÁVID HARANGOZÓ

Pushing boundaries further and wider

diplomacy

A RELIABLE AND CONSTRUCTIVE PARTNER TAIWANESE INVESTMENTS IN HUNGARY SUPERSEDED IN THE EU ONLY BY THOSE IN THE NETHERLANDS “Strengthening Taiwan's official or government relationship with Hungary is one of my priorities.” That is according to the Representative of Taiwan to Hungary, Ambassador Shih-Chung Liu who also tells Diplomacy&Trade about strengthening bilateral economic and cultural relations as well presenting Taiwan to Hungarians – sometimes with unusual methods.

security across the Taiwan Strait. The European Parliament has adopted a political document to forge closer political relations with Taiwan. The British government publicly called on NATO to ensure Taiwan’s selfdefense capability. More European countries’ parliaments have openly supported cooperation with Taiwan and endorsed Taiwan’s meaningful participation in major international organizations such as the World Health Organization. I see no reason why Hungary should not treat Taiwan as a reliable and constructive partner.”

Public diplomacy

The first office representing Taiwan in Budapest was the Taipei Trade Office established in 1990. In fact, it was the first official representative office of Taiwan in the Central and Eastern European region. In 1995, the office started operating under a new name, Taipei Representative Office, Budapest, Hungary. “We provide consular services for Hungarians visiting Taiwan and Taiwanese citizens living in Hungary, and we aim to promote Taiwan-Hungary bilateral relationships and mutual understanding in the fields of politics, economy, academy, media and culture. Apart from Hungary, we also cover Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Montenegro,” Ambassador Liu, the first politically appointed Taiwan Representative to Hungary highlights.

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DÁVID HARANGOZÓ

Strengthening economic relations Regarding the main characteristics of business relations between Taiwan and Hungary, the Ambassador emphasizes that Taiwanese businesses have invested about USD 1.37 billion in Hungary, which ranks 2nd after the investments in the Netherlands among the 27 EU member countries. Most Taiwanese companies in Hungary are big multinationals, including the world- renowned EMS factory Foxconn, bike manufacturer Giant and electronic components manufacturers Sinbon and Yaego. “Given Taiwan government’s recent announcement w w w . d t e u r o p e . c o m

of ‘Go Europe’, I believe there is still a lot of room for growth in the Central and Eastern European countries.” Bilateral trade between Taiwan and Hungary reached historical high in 2021. Taiwanese customs statistics indicate that bilateral trade amounted to USD 1.1 billion, an increase of 20% compared with 2020 and 2.74 times higher than in 2009. Taiwanese

exports to Hungary reached USD 727 million, an increase of 20%, while imports from Hungary were USD 397 million, also an increase of 20%. “Our bilateral trade focuses on transport equipment, ICT products, and electrical machinery. More projects are undergoing between our office and the Hungarian Investment Promotion Agency (HIPA),” he adds.

TAIWAN – NOT JUST SEMICONDUCTORS

1. Taiwan plays pivotal roles in global semiconductor supply chain. Taiwanese semiconductor and chip producers hold 65% share of world markets. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is the world’s leading cutting-edge and advanced chip-making company. The U.S., Japan and some European Union countries all tried to attract TSMC to launch new investments. In the realm of global semiconductor industry and geo-strategic politics, Taiwan and TSMC are more than just ‘key players’ but potential ‘game-changers’. 2. Taiwan is a full-fledged liberal democracy in Asia and a beacon of democracy especially for Hong Kong. Taiwan is pioneering in various human-right related aspects including gender equality and same-sex marriage. Taiwan is also the powerhouse of creative industries such as music, theater, film making and pop culture, all thanks to the freedom of speech that creators enjoy in Taiwan. 3. The Economist Intelligence Unit Democracy Index 2021 ranked Taiwan as the eighth strongest democracy in the world, the only Asian country among top ten. 4. Taiwan’s successful management of the new coronavirus epidemic has won world-wide praise. Vaccination rate (2nd dose) is over 80%. In the early phase of the pandemic, Taiwan has donated numerous medical equipment to many countries, including Hungary and City of Budapest. 5. Taiwan has long been a significant trader and manufacturer. The World Trade statistics Review 2021 indicates Taiwan is the 15th trading country in 2020. Taiwan is also the 21st largest economy in the world. Taiwan is geographically small, but economically big!

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Under Taiwan government’s new policy of ‘Go Europe’, more Taiwanese companies are having their eyes on the CEE markets. “The increasing cost of doing business in China, the U.S.China trade war and the pandemic have triggered a realignment of global supply chain. Taiwanese companies are searching for new alternative markets for investment. With its more attractive investment incentives, higher quality of workers and lower corporate tax, I believe Hungary will become an essential target of Taiwanese companies,” Ambassador Liu explains.

A reliable and constructive partner in the world As for Taiwanese-Hungarian political relations, Ambassador Liu says “it takes two to tango. With its democratic achievements, economic power and good governance, more and more countries have seen Taiwan not only a trustworthy partner, but also a valuable asset in the international society. The United States has teamed up with Japan, Australia and many EU countries to work with Taiwan in tackling the pandemic, stabilizing global supply chain, sanctioning against Russia on the Ukrainian crisis, as well as maintaining peace and

One of the tasks of the Representative Office is to bring people in Taiwan and Hungary closer and have more Hungarian people to get to know more about Taiwan. As he notes, “Taiwan has a fascinating culture, delicious food, a robust economy and the best quality of education. One and a half years ago, we signed with a scholarship MOU with our counterpart in the Hungarian government.” Thus, every year, Taiwan provides 30 scholarships to Hungarian students while the Hungarian side provides 20 scholarships for Taiwanese students to come to Hungary. But, there is more. “I myself love to cook. My office came up with a plan called ‘Dine with Chef Ambassador’ to promote Taiwanese food culture. I invite politicians and celebrities to my residence and I cook Taiwanese food for them. We team up with local museums to promote Taiwanese delicacies. We work with the Taiwanese firm Giant Bicycle in Gyöngyös, to promote not only Taiwan as a brand, but also a greener lifestyle. We visit Hungarian universities to give speech on Taiwan’s international presence, and there’s also an annual Taiwanese documentary film festival ‘Taiwan Doc’. In addition, we work with the Taiwan Center for Mandarin Learning in Budapest to invite Hungarian people to learn Mandarin and Taiwanese culture,” he stresses. In terms of humanitarian aid, Taiwan recently donated USD 1.5 million to the Hungarian governmentdesignated Hungarian Interchurch Aid (HIA) to help relocating and helping Ukrainian refugees. “Taiwan is willing and capable to contribute to the international community, and will always be a reliable partner,” the Ambassador concludes.

tourism

TURNING CHALLENGES INTO OPPORTUNITIES

Gastronomy experience Visitors have a wide choice as to what they would like to eat in Malta. “Whether one would like to enjoy a family dinner or a Michelin-star restaurant, there are various restaurants in Malta, which cater for the different needs of the visiting tourists as well as for the Maltese families. At the moment, we have thirty-one restaurants recommended by the Michelin Guide and five of these are Michelin-starred. This is a significant increase since we started three years ago when we had just a few restaurants. It is not just the sheer numbers but there is also an increase in the quality of the product, which we are offering. That includes a growing use of local produce because the Michelin Guide insists that the restaurants must use local products. That is basically the ‘farm to f’ concept, whereby we are encouraging the local restaurants to make use of the local produce. Of course, it's also important to offer a good service in the restaurants themselves. The Institute of Tourism Studies ensures that through education, we can have the proper workforce, which will also cater for tourists coming to Malta in the coming years,” the Minister pointed out.

THE MALTESE GOVERNMENT WORKS TO ENSURE THAT THE COUNTRY IS WELL-CONNECTED AND OPEN FOR BUSINESS

meet up socially. So, all those events and venues which are now open, bring back social life and contribute to economic recovery as well. We have noticed over the past months that the Maltese economic recovery is taking on a good rhythm – and it is intrinsically tied to the tourism recovery.”

Malta is open for business Now, Malta is welcoming again tourists in the hundreds of thousands. The authorities are also working hard to ensure connectivity between Malta and the number of other countries and to sustain the routes and the frequency of the routes. “It is very important to ensure that tourists have good and convenient connections. Then, when they come to Malta, they can experience the quality of the product that we are offering since we have also invested heavily in this aspect over the past months. We work even harder to ensure that Malta remains on the radar of all those people who are propends to travel as soon as the restrictions are reduced or even removed,” Clayton Bartolo explained.

Moments to cherish In his speech to the press in Budapest, Clayton Bartolo stressed that ‘Malta has come back stronger and better.” He confirmed to Diplomacy&Trade that it is a message to future visitors to prove to them that the Mediterranean country recovered to be better than it actually was before. “We have done this through our investment and the tourism products. Also, we are taking care of the basic necessities which tourists would like to visit. As I mentioned, quality is not luxury. There are two different aspects. However, one gets to the quality by getting all the basics right in a consistent manner. Sometimes consistency is very hard to achieve because to keep on doing the same thing in a consistent manner may be quite challenging. We have managed to turn our challenges into opportunities. And through all of this, we have worked hard over the past months to ensure that Malta is a nicer place for a person to visit whether it's with his friends or family. We also do our best to ensure that the tourists visiting Malta will have those moments to cherish so that they can have more to explore in the coming years,” the Minister concluded.

Cultural destination

Government help for employees Tourism is a main pillar of the Maltese economy, accounting for close to one-third of the country's GDP. Therefore, the pandemic was a blow. However, as the Minister highlighted, the Maltese government was at the forefront of taking and implementing decisions to help. “The government decided to assist in a number of ways, most notably through the wage supplement scheme whereby the government assisted the private sector to keep their employees on the books and at the same time continue thriving in the business even though at a much lower pace. Tourism was practically at a standstill and the initial projections showed that during the pandemic, Malta would have thousands of unemployed people. However, through the wage supplement scheme, we have managed to save over 100,000 jobs, a very large number considering the size of the population. Most of those jobs were, in fact, in tourism because tourism was the most affected aspect of our economy. Given the fact that tourism is such an important economic pillar, it affected also, in an indirect manner, other parts of the economy. Now, we are working on the recovery – not just an economic one, but also the social part. If restaurants are closed, one cannot

DÁVID HARANGOZÓ

Regarding the idea to sponsor a cycling team, the Minister pointed out that Malta is actually the first European country to be doing this kind of transition. “As part of our tourism recovery plan from the pandemic, launched back in 2021, we were aiming at working on various aspects of tourism, niche tourism. One of these niches was sports tourism whereby we issued an incentive scheme which was very, very well received. The diving part, for instance, was fully taken up and here, we are focusing on the cycling part of sports tourism. We looked to find a team, which is up and coming so that the targets would match up with Malta targets, which is also an up-and-coming cycling destination. In our aim to promote Malta on the international stage, we decided to start here in Hungary, at the ‘Grande Partenza’ of the Giro d’Italia, one of the biggest events in the cycling world. There are various places where one can visit in Malta with the bike, whether it's with a mountain bike, a gravel bike or a road bike. We can offer various aspects that can attract different cycling enthusiasts both in Malta and Gozo, a varied experience whereby in the morning, you can go cycling; in the afternoon, you can go to the beach; and then in the evening, you can go and have dinner with the family.”

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During the pandemic, the Maltese authorities worked hard to ensure that Malta remains on the radar of all those people who are propends to travel, the Maltese Minister for Tourism, Clayton Bartolo told Diplomacy&Trade. The apropos of his visit to the Hungarian capital this May was that Visit Malta, the Malta Tourism Authority, supports one of the teams at the Giro d’Italia race that took off this year in Budapest.

Asked about what Hungarians are the most interested in when they visit Malta, the Minister was ready with the answer as they “do this kind of research all the time.” He stressed that Malta is well known as a cultural destination. “However, when one adds culture to the equation, then I do believe that it becomes a much more interesting destination. Practically, every weekend in the Maltese summer, one can find two or three different feasts going on: band marches, religious processions or fireworks, which are an integral part of our identity as well. All of these together will make a trip to Malta different from what one would find in other countries. I do believe that Hungarians are also looking for this aspect, not just for the sun and the sea. But once they visit Malta, they can also enjoy a vibrant night life.”

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SSANGYONG KORANDO MODELS at FABIAN dealerships.

The information is not complete, ask our SsangYong dealerships or the fabian.hu website for details. The picture is an illustration. SsangYong Korando mixed CO2 emissions: 164-197 g / km; mixed consumption: 5.91 - 8.61 l / 100 km.

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culture

KOREA DAY 2022: KOREAON CULTURAL CENTER IN HUNGARY IS A STRONG BASE FOR THE DISSEMINATION OF KOREAN CULTURE

The Korean Cultural Center in Budapest celebrated its 10th anniversary with a free all-day cultural festival at the Millenáris Events Center on May 21. The organizers of Korea Day welcomed everyone who would like to learn more about Korean culture and industrial products as well.

“Today is a very happy day for the approximately 5,400 Koreans living in Hungary, and it is also a day that marks a new milestone in cultural diplomacy regarding Korea-Hungary relations, which started in February 1989 and are in their 33rd year,” the Korean Ambassador to Hungary Chul Min Park pointed out in his speech opening the event. In fact, it was Ambassador Park who came up with the thought to hold such a celebration. As he told Diplomacy&Trade, “yes, actually this was my idea but it would not have been realized without the big support and helping hand from our staff, including the director of our cultural center as well as the trade organization KOTRA.” He also mentioned the Korean-Hungarian friendship association as well as the corporate sector, stressing that all this strong cooperation and devotion made it possible for his dream to come true. “Actually, I already had such an event

Presenting the diversity of Korean culture

Back to normal

The one here in Budapest is the largest Korean culture center on the European continent. Its director, Suk Jin In told Diplomacy&Trade that their most important mission is to promote Korean culture and through this, strengthen the relationship between the Korea and Hungary. “In order to accomplish these missions, Korean Cultural Center introduced various diversity aspects of the Korean culture to the Hungarian people through exhibitions, performances, festivals, etc. The most popular ones with Hungarians obviously include K-pop, which is the most favorite piece of Korean culture for the young generation. However, the Korean television drama series and the cuisine have also been undisputed favorites for years almost all the aging groups.” As for the feedback from the Hungarian audience, the visitors to their programs, she

Suk Jin In has been heading the cultural center for about a year now, a period dominated by the new coronavirus epidemic. “During the pandemic, it was very hard time for the cultural field, and of course, for all the artists. I believe it is best to really enjoy the cultural things in person. However, when we had to, we transformed in-person programs to online programs, opened online exhibitions and showed many performances through the internet. Now, I am very glad that it seems like the pandemic is over.” Regarding plans for the post-pandemic period, she noted that interest in courses and other programs of the Korean Cultural Center is rapidly growing. “We will continue with already successful programs and also focus on cultural exchanges between Hungary and Korea as well as on programs for the children and families,” she concluded.

A strong base Ambassador Park has been posted in several places during his diplomatic career. As to what kind of a tool culture is in diplomacy in presenting a country, first he mentioned to Diplomacy&Trade the importance of infrastructure. “In terms of physical infrastructure in the area of culture, we have a great one in Budapest, the Korean Cultural Center: location-wise, function-wise, scale wise – everything is fantastic here. We have 33 Korean cultural centers overseas but this is the best and we have a very strong base of followers interested in Korean culture. The Korean wave, cultural power is amazingly strong. According to the relevant statistics, the number

DÁVID HARANGOZÓ

A dream coming true in Budapest

planned as a long-time dream of mine when I was ambassador in the Portuguese capital, Lisbon where I tried to create this kind of big event but the infrastructure was insufficient, that is, we don't have any cultural center, we don't have any big companies there and no Korean chamber of commerce either. Here in Budapest, I was very much surprised at the size of our community: more than 5,000 registered people. Altogether, the number of Koreans living in and around Budapest is likely to be over 10,000.” Referring to the actual celebration, he stressed in his speech that “today's concept is a Korean traditional rural market. When I was a kid, my hometown had a market every five days selling beef, pork, vegetables and delicious traditional food, so it was a really festive day, where all the people in the area would gather to laugh, chat and play. So, on the day I visited the market holding my mother's hand, I could not sleep at night, I was so excited to go back to the market that was reopening in five days.”

stressed that “they love it, they really enjoy it and they sometimes told me that this is really quite similar to the Hungarian culture in some ways – this is what they feel once they experience the Korean culture.”

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The event offered diverse cultural activities for all ages. On the main stage, the organizers prepared traditional as well as modern music and dance performances (like K-pop cover dance), an extreme taekwondo show and many other exciting spectacles. During the day, a children's playground, Korean gastronomic experiences, calligraphy and handicraft stalls welcomed visitors on the lawn of the Millenáris. Those interested in fashion and beauty could try out the latest Korean beauty products or even dress up in traditional costumes for a photo opportunity. The event also featured the latest Korean tech specialties. All in all, there were many attractions, plenty to see, to do and to eat.

of active followers of Korean culture in the world is almost 100 million. It's very strong.” He added how successful the Department of Korean Studies is at ELTE University in Budapest. It was launched in 2008 with 60-70 students but this year, this number is more than double. even the rector of the university was quite shocked to learn how popular the Korean study program is. The Ambassador noted that at the beginning, all the students were looking for was the Korean language in order to let them understand fully the meaning of the context of the Korean TV series. “There is also a kind of fringe benefit that many Korean companies are now looking for these graduates, smart students with Korean speaking ability,” he added. Ambassador Park has been in Budapest for over a year now. As for similarities between the Korean and Hungarian peoples, he mentioned that the origin of the Magyars date back to Asian roots, “so, the Magyar is one of the Asian tribes and that means, we share something in common, right? Also, we both respect our seniors and we stick to our cultures, both people are hardworking and humble. Koreans and Hungarians are very much creative people because we have been rising from very difficult circumstances like you. Hungarians are decent people, I like them!”

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culture

A CULTURAL BRIDGE BETWEEN TURKEY AND HUNGARY TURKISH INSTITUTE ONLINE COURSES REACH THOSE INTERESTED IN TURKISH CULTURE OUTSIDE BUDAPEST

Turkey. We are planning to organize later this year a week of Turkish films as well as academicrelated activities for students of Turkology.”

Mainly in Budapest

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DÁVID HARANGOZÓ

The Yunus Emre Institute is a world-wide non-profit organization created by the Turkish government in 2007. Named after the famous 13th-14th-century poet Yunus Emre, it aims to promote the Turkish language and the Turkish culture around the world. Its objectives include carrying out educational practices with certificate programs in fields such as Turkish language, history, culture and art. As the Director of the Yunus Emre Institute in Budapest, Mustafa Aydoğdu explains to Diplomacy&Trade, the one in the Hungarian capital – established in 2013 – was the first such institution in the European Union. “Except for Portugal, we are present in all countries of the European Union. Here in Budapest, the Institute is managing a cultural bridge between Turkey and Hungary.” w w w . d t e u r o p e . c o m

A wide variety of activities ‘Yunus Emre’ is a medieval symbolic name that represents human values, love of people and social peace. As to how that is reflected in the activities of the institute, the Director highlights that one of the means is running Turkish language courses. “Since 2013, we have had nearly 1,250 Hungarian and other students participating in these language studies. Coping with circumstances during the pandemic times, we started online Turkish language courses. It has been a good opportunity for us to reach out to more people not just to those physically present in our classes, that is people in Budapest and in the surrounding area. So, this online education is a good chance for us to involve students from all over the country. We also hold cultural events such as concerts, Turkish cinema weeks and traditional arts workshops. Every summer, we organize a Turkish summer school for students of the Turkish language at various institutions including the one in Budapest. So far, we have managed to send 75 students to Turkey with this program to spend nearly one month in Istanbul, Ankara or another historical places of the country. They learn the language, visit a lot of touristic and cultural places, including museums and historical sites. As one of our present priorities we are preparing for the Turkish-Hungarian cultural year to be celebrated

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in 2024. However, the first programs related to the joint cultural year are expected to be organized as early as the second half of 2023.” He emphasizes that the Liszt Institute – Hungarian Cultural Center in Istanbul promotes Hungarian culture by organizing cultural events there, “while here, we are organizing cultural events related to Turkey including film screenings, concerts and gastronomy workshops. In addition to these, we organize academic conferences, mainly touching upon issues of Turkology and history. We have recently opened under the auspices of the Budapest Photo Festival a photo exhibition titled ‘Colors of Anatolia’. Furthermore, we seek to hold, on a monthly basis, events within our cultural conference series in order to present literary or scientific works, Turkish music and cinema. For instance, last month, one of the programs featured Hungarian Turkologist Edit Tasnádi who is a renowned translator and researcher not only in Hungary but also in Turkey. She has translated a lot of Turkish novels to Hungarian with special regard to authors like Orhan Pamuk, Sabahattin Ali or İskender Pala. Actually, she has recently published her latest book about Turkish folk stories translated to Hungarian. In the month of May, in the House of Hungarian Music, we are organizing a concert by Kudsi Ergüner who is the most well-known suphi music performer in

As mentioned by the Director, the language courses they hold are attended by only those living in Budapest or in the Budapest area, similarly to other activities of the Institute. Regarding their ‘coverage’ of Hungary, courses with physical presence of the participants take place every weekday. “However, with our online courses, we can now reach people as far as in Debrecen or Szigetvár – a venue of significance in historical relations in the Middle Ages – and other places.” Given the long Ottoman presence in Hungary, the Yunus Emre Institute in Budapest is in a special position because it can find interested partners for cooperation, like the Gül Baba Tomb memorial place, for example. “I arrived in the Hungarian capital about six months ago and I am continuously learning about the activities of institutions like the Gül Baba Heritage Foundation, the Ferenc Liszt Institute and other cultural establishments. We have special arrangements with the former, assisting some of their events, for example, a cultural festival last September featuring Turkish musicians and traditional handcrafts. Another example is the Hungarian Academy of Sciences with which we are going to cooperate on the occasion of the commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the Battle of Mohács in 2026. The battle was a milestone in the Ottoman occupation of the Carpathian Basin. The commemorative events will include a series of academic conferences and exhibitions,” he points out.

Events coming up Concerning the cultural year mentioned by the Director, the Yunus Emre Institute is preparing special programs to be held next year: exhibitions at the Museum of Fine Arts in Budapest, for example, or a film week at the Uránia National Film Theater also in the capital. “In promoting Turkology, we are also going to have some important events like remembering Hungarian Turkologist, orientalist and traveler Ármin Vámbéry (1832-1913). It is because topics such as Turkish history and Turkology studies are very important for us. We have arrangements in these fields with, for instance, Loránd Eötvös University (ELTE) in Budapest and other educational establishments. These cooperation projects also include exchange programs of academics. People participating in our courses are interested in Turkey and studying the Turkish language for several reasons like bilateral trade or even Turkish series seen on television. We also make it possible for students to visit Turkey and see the country for themselves. It is a good opportunity for them to experience Turkish culture there,” Mustafa Aydoğdu concludes.

gastronomy

A REBORN PIECE OF COFFEE HOUSE CULTURE

Matild Café & Cabaret also has a large outdoor terrace along Duna Street where guests can enjoy the alfresco café experience next to the statue of early 20th century Hungarian novelist Gyula Krúdy on the street. The statue was erected in 2021 to pay homage to one of the greatest writers of Hungary, who wrote some parts of ‘The Adventures of Sindbad’ in this historic venue. According to the General Manager of Matild Palace, Emre Pasli, "not only a traditional Hungarian café has reborn, but the entertainment and gastronomic palette of the city has been further enriched. I believe that the unique atmosphere of the venue, the culinary art of Wolfgang Puck, and the special cabaret shows will shake up the social life of Budapest."

MATILD CAFÉ & CABARET HAS OPENED WITH MORE THAN 120 YEARS OF HISTORY BEHIND IT

The social epicenter of the Belle Epoque era, the former ‘Belvárosi Kávéház’ [Downtown Café] opened this May as Matild Café & Cabaret in its original, 1901 splendor and under the gastronomic direction of Wolfgang Puck at the Pest end of the Elizabeth Bridge in Matild Palace. The historical ‘Belvárosi Kávéház’ is finally returning to Budapest’s social and cultural scene in its rightful grandeur and under the gastronomic direction of the Chef of Hollywood stars, Wolfgang Puck. After a detailed renovation, the historic café which has been reborn as Matild Café & Cabaret, echoing the vivid Belle Epoque era, and awaits its guests with a two-story, 300-seater café, and a large outdoor terrace along the Duna Street at Matild Palace. Guests can also enjoy special cabaret shows after summer at the historic venue on Ferenciek tere. In addition to special experiences and quality coffees, the gastronomic offer of the café includes artisan bonbons, made at the Café’s chocolate atelier, traditional cakes and pastries, furthermore, guests can taste the Hungarian beef stew with homemade spaetzle or the homemade sausages Krúdy style.

Golden age of coffee house culture The story of the reborn café is extremely varied, it has lived through different eras since its 1901 debut. The home of the café, Matild Palace was built more than 120 years ago under the patronage of Her Imperial and Royal Highness Maria Klotild of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha to serve as the social hub of the city.

The gastronomy experience

In the early 1900s, the café became one of the most well-known institutions of the legendary coffee house culture of Budapest and the most popular center of the vibrant social life of the Belle Epoque era where prominent public figures, journalists, writers and artists used to meet. The ‘Belvárosi Kávéház’ was also a place of socializing for ordinary, workingclass people, regardless of their social status or background, providing a chance to feel the illusion of the wealth and splendor of the era, over an espresso or a simple meal. As the closing of the first phase of the café's history, World War I put an end to the golden age of the local coffee house culture, but after the

The venue's gastronomic concept was dreamed up by the Chef of Hollywood stars, Wolfgang Puck and it embodies a mixture of tradition and innovation. The gastro ideas of the legendary chef are put into practice by his local culinary team while using the highest quality, local ingredients, and sophisticated culinary techniques in the kitchen. The gastronomic offer of the renewed café includes local pastries, cakes, baked goods, modern and classic dishes. The menu is extremely varied: among others, guests can taste the Hungarian beef stew with homemade spaetzle or the homemade Krúdy-style sausages and a variety of salads, starters such as a house-smoked salmon plate. The confectioner team of the café also makes handmade traditional gourmet delicacies, and bonbons which are even available to take away. "The opening of the Matild Café & Cabaret is a joyful return to my Austrian roots, recalling the taste of my mother's classic pastries from my childhood. And from today, the residents of Budapest can also discover these special tastes through the traditional cakes of the historic café," Wolfgang Puck noted. The café's cake repertoire features the popular sweets of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, including Eszterházy and Dobos cakes, and guests can also discover the iconic Matild cake, created in honor of the great ancestors of the long-established venue. The special cake carries the message of a new beginning and hope for the city as ‘Belvárosi Kávéház’ once did, as it was the very first business to reopen its doors to the public in Budapest after World War II.

war, the café came back to life again. The venue was run by the Rónay restaurateur dynasty for generations, and after the 2nd World War it was the very first business in the city to reopen its doors to the public. Those days, the café was reopened by Egon Rónay – with the only thing that was left in the cellar: coffee.

Rebirth after detailed renovation Due to the changed circumstances after the war, the café was closed again and only reopened in 1956. After the Hungarian Revolution, over time, it returned as one of the most popular entertainment venues thanks to its everyday programs. From 1984, after a renovation, the place returned to the public consciousness as ‘Belvárosi Kávéház – Lidó’, which offered one-of-a-kind entertainment options to the locals. Later, it also operated as a casino in the 1990s and then as a nightclub under the name ‘Lido’ from 2000 to 2002. After a renovation, it once again functioned as a casino and finally, in 2022, after a 5-year detailed renovation, the historical ‘Belvárosi Kávéház’ has finally opened in its rightful grandeur as a 300-seater café and social epicenter. The restoration work was based on the original plans, and contemporary drawings and photographs also helped the restorers to get a high-quality result. The iconic building itself is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site and has been under monumental protection since 1977.

MATILD PALACE

From Gyula Krúdy to Wolfgang Puck

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Today, the guests of the reborn monumental protected café can enjoy quality coffee and special gastronomic offer during the daytime, while at night, they can watch cabaret shows performed on the hydraulic stage located in the heart of the venue, starting after summer.

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gastronomy

THE CELEBRATION OF ANATOLIAN FLAVORS TURKISH CUISINE REFLECTS CENTURIES-OLD KNOWLEDGE AND CULTURAL HERITAGE

Held for the first time this year from May 21 to 27, Turkish Cuisine Week aimed to showcase Turkish dishes with all their original qualities as the crown of the tables. The event was celebrated with culinary events in Türkiye and abroad. In Hungary, the main events on the agenda included a gala dinner and a culinary workshop organized by the Embassy of the Republic of Türkiye in Budapest. Turkish cuisine, nurtured and shaped by deep-rooted Anatolian history, stands out with its healthy characteristics, creative aspect and sustainable approach. The flavors of Turkish dishes, influenced by thousands of years of history and the Seljuk and Ottoman palaces, carry a vast cultural accumulation to the present day. Dishes and meals that utilize every element of a product, without waste, reveal an ecologically sustainable tradition of taste. Offering countless options for vegetarian and vegan diets along with restorative pickles and vinegars, Turkish cuisine is also a world cuisine with the potential to respond to all dining trends, the organizers say. In the framework of this program series, Turkish cuisine presented to the world its legendary flavors, each of which reflects centuries-old knowledge and cultural heritage. During Turkish Cuisine Week, menus prepared with creative presentations by Türkiye’s world-famous chefs were offered to guests and visitors in different countries. At the same time, menus created specifically for the Turkish Cuisine Week in Türkiye allowed guests to experience the best examples of Turkish cuisine in different restaurants around the world.

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EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC OF TURKEY

Representing cultural identity On the occasion of the Turkish Cuisine Week, Meltem Güney, Chargé d'Affaires a.i. of the Embassy of the Republic of Türkiye in Budapest, hosted a gala dinner – sponsored by the Özyer Group – at the Matild Palace in Budapest, of which she said “We could not think of a more suitable venue than the exquisite Matild Palace.” In her speech, she highlighted that “For each culture, cuisine represents cultural identity. Food carries much more meaning than merely being the basic biological and nutritional requirements for human survival. It reflects culture, history, faith and identity. Today, Turkish cuisine has a very unique place in the world. It comprises a wide range of ingredients and consists of elements that extend from the country side to the palace. With our unique geographical location, the richness of our cuisine comes from the intersection of different cultures throughout centuries. It is a vast treasure that dates back hundreds of years.” She added that Turkish dining tables are a symbol of the spirit of sharing and solidarity. To date, dining tables have been one of the most w w w . d t e u r o p e . c o m

powerful forms of communication, the means of connecting and bringing people together. An important characteristic of Turkish cuisine, she pointed out, is that it creates a delicate balance between the body and soul. For example, when someone says “Şifa olsun” which means “To your good health” when they are eating, this indicates that the main purpose of eating is being healthy. Recipes for meals that heal the sick, restore the weak and soothe the soul were handed down from generation to generation. “In this respect, Turkish cuisine is like an antidote against the harms of industrialized food that gives temporary pleasure, but also eliminates the traditions of food culture,” she said.

Unique flavours of Turkish cuisine Going into details about the uniqueness of Turkish cuisine in the world, Meltem

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Güney said that with its richness, traditional Turkish cuisine has been passed down from generation to generation and recipes like abugannuş, oruk, künefe, lokum, kaymak, sucuk and pöç are under the protection of UNESCO. She pointed out that all the food that is left over during preparation in Turkish cuisine can be transformed into completely different dishes using zero waste techniques, thus contributing to sustainability, while many recipes have healing powers by paying attention to the delicate balance between the body and soul. Introducing the book "Turkish Cuisine with Timeless Recipes," Chargé d'Affaires Güney said that in today's world where fast food culture is on the rise, this book is not only about recipes but also about the secrets to creating a healthy and waste-free food culture. She added that work is already underway to translate the book into Hungarian, thus

enabling the unique flavors of Turkish cuisine to be widely enjoyed by Hungarians. The gala dinner at the Matild Palace was attended by more than 100 guests, including Anikó Lévai, Spouse of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Head of the Board of Editors of Magyar Konyha; Ernő Schaller-Baross, Member of the European Parliament and Ministerial Commissioner; András Baranyi, Deputy State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, high level officials, many foreign Ambassadors, businessmen and renowned Hungarian chefs. At the fine-dining gala dinner, some of the unique flavors of Turkish cuisine selected from the book "Turkish Cuisine with Timeless Recipes" were served. The delicacies prepared by Songül Coşkun, the Embassy's Chef, and Franz Pichler, the Matild Palace's Executive Chef, were received with great acclaim. During the evening, the guests also enjoyed a concert of classical music by pianist Berkay Özkan, who played music by famous Turkish and Hungarian composers. At the end of the evening, the guests were presented with chocolate covered gourmet rose and pistachio lokum, a traditional Turkish delight, made by the master confectioners of ‘Divan’ – the world’s premier producer of this delicacy – as a farewell gift.

Turkish Culinary Workshop Another important event organized by the Embassy of the Republic of Türkiye in Budapest in the framework of the Turkish Cuisine Week in Hungary was held in cooperation with the Yunus Emre Turkish Cultural Center in Budapest. The ‘Turkish Culinary Workshop’ took place in the presence of famous gastronomy bloggers and food lovers. During the well-attended event, participants had the opportunity to prepare a menu of stuffed grape leaves with sour cherry (Vişneli Yaprak Sarma), meat stuffed bulgur balls (İçli Köfte), eggplant parcels stuffed with stewed lamb (İslim Kebabı), rice pilaf with currants and pine nuts (İç Pilav), almond pudding (Keşkül), as well as taste the unique flavors of Turkish cuisine, under the guidance of the Embassy's Chef Songül Coşkun.

THE MENU OF THE GALA DINNER AT THE MATILD PALACE

Vişneli Yaprak Sarma, Mercimek Köftesi, Humus, Peynirli Köz Biber Stuffed Vine Leaves with Sour Cherry, Red Lentil Kofta, Hummus, Roasted Red Pepper Rolls Stuffed with Tulum Cheese *** İçli Köfte ve Ispanaklı Börek Meat Stuffed Bulgur Balls and Layered Pastry with Spinach *** Bostana Salata Fine Cut Tomato Salad with Pomegranate Sauce *** İslim Kebabı - İç Pilav ile Eggplant Parcels Stuffed with Stewed Lamb Served with Rice Pilaf with Currants and Pine Nuts *** Ayva Tatlısı ve Fıstıklı Baklava Quince Dessert and Pistachio Baklava *** Gül Şurubu (Rose Syrup) Zencefil Şerbeti (Ginger Sherbet) Çay ve Kahve (Tea and Coffee)

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wine

Respected grapes "A thousand ties connect us to Ezerjó," according to Péter Frittmann, who is responsible for the production of the wines at the local Frittmann Winery. "Our ancestors cultivated Ezerjó in the family's oldest vineyard, therefore, it is of particular significance to us that this piece of land and this vineyard is still in the possession of the family. The vines here are over sixty years old. There is a saying in our family: ‘These grapes demand respect’. Not just as an abstract dictum, but also because the bunches grow close to the ground, so you have to bow for all the work you do in the vineyard.”

Organic viticulture

Ezerjó is an autochthonous white grape variety with a long history, which has received a protected designation of origin (in Soltvadkert, central Hungary) established by the European Union.

NEW CHAPTER IN THE HISTORY OF EZERJÓ FRITTMANN WINERY VENTURES INTO THE WORLD OF ORGANIC VITICULTURE

He adds that “Ezerjó is not only the past and present for us, but also an exciting journey into the future. This is the first plantation where we have started organic transition. Organic viticulture begins with a three-year transition period, after that the grapes grown here can officially be called ’organic’. In our case 2022 will be the second year. To our mind it is symbolic that we are embarking on an important new path for the future with the same vineyard where our winery's story began with Ezerjó."

Ezerjó (‘Thousand blessings’) is one of the grape varieties with the longest tradition in the Great Hungarian Plain and is known for its lively acidity, which allows it, in addition to reductive and barrel-aged dry wines, to be bottled as a sparkling and late-harvest wine.

Sandy soil Soltvadkert represents a small, delimited area of the Kunság wine region within the Hungarian Plain wine growing area. From the point of view of the terroir, it is a particularly flat area, with differences in level of no more than 10-15 meters. The sandy soils are characterized by their rapid warming and their light color, which reflects the sun's rays and has a positive effect on the ripening of the vines. It is also a global curiosity that the soil here, with a quartz content of more than 75%, is inhospitable for the dreaded phylloxera insect, which wiped out almost all European grape production at the end of the 19th century.

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FRITTMANN WINERY

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ALTER BRIDGE NOVEMBER 14,

BUDAPEST ARENA, BUDAPEST Alter Bridge’s European Winter tour, the ‘Pawns & Kings’ will hit 25 cities over 18 countries, kicking off on November 1st in Hamburg, Germany and wrapping up on December 12th in London, England. The band will arrive at Hungary as well, they will perform live at the Budapest Arena on November 14, 2022! Alter Bridge are currently hard at work recording their seventh studio album, which is the follow-up to the smash hit Walk The Sky, released in 2019, which topped the charts in more than a dozen countries. As the currently untitled album will be released in the second half of the year, European fans will be the first in the world to hear the new songs live. Joining them as special guests are Grammywinning rockers HALESTORM. Renowned as a spell-binding live music force, Halestorm’s set is sure to be an unmissable treat. Getting the party started each night are none other than MAMMOTH WVH, visiting some countries for the first time. They currently polishing their performance on the road with Guns N Roses, make sure you get in early to catch their set. livenation.hu

ART DECO BUDAPEST photo by DENNIS LEAPOLD, SZIGET, LIVE NATION, RÓBERT BERÉNY - MODIANO, 1929 LITHOGRAPH ON PAPER / NATIONAL SZÉCHÉNYI LIBRARY, TIBOR RÉZ DIAMANT - ATLANTIS, 1927 LITHOGRAPH ON PAPER / NATIONAL SZÉCHÉNYI LIBRARY, GYÖRGY KONECSNI - CITY OF BATHS, 1936 LITHOGRAPH ON PAPER / MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS - HUNGARIAN NATIONAL GALLERY

UNTIL AUGUST 28, HUNGARIAN NATIONAL GALLERY, BUDAPEST

BACKSTREET BOYS

NOVEMBER 2, BUDAPEST ARENA, BUDAPEST

The Backstreet Boys, one of the best-selling bands of all time, have announced UK and European Fall dates for their DNA World Tour. The group last performed for audiences across Europe in 2019, selling over 350K tickets. With countless No.1 albums, record-setting tours, numerous awards and worldwide sales in excess of 130 million, BSB has been recognized as the most successful boy band in history. In early 2019, BSB released their 10th studio album DNA which debuted at No.1. The Don’t Go Breaking My Heart chart topping single was nominated for GRAMMY, and was BSB’s first hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in ten years. Upon its release, the single went straight to No.1 on iTunes charts and charted in over 22 countries. In May 2019, the Backstreet Boys kicked off The DNA World Tour – the group’s biggest tour in 18 years. The tour has seen the group sell out arenas all over North and South America, Europe and Asia. The Budapest show was also sold out in a few days. Over the years, the Backstreet Boys have continually captivated millions of people with their hit songs and magnificent shows, and this passion remains unchanged after their hugely successful comeback. Backstreet Boys will donate a portion of their ticket sales to the UN’s Refugee Agency (UNHCR).

The Hungarian National Gallery’s exhibition titled Art Deco Budapest. Posters, Lifestyle and the City (1925–1938) presents a comprehensive overview of the distinct visual culture of the interwar period. The main focus of the exhibition is Hungarian Art Deco, with a highlight on poster art and modern urban lifestyle. The majority of the more than 250 exhibits are rarely seen at exhibitions, and some of them are displayed for the very first time. The exhibition seeks to portray the exciting period of the 1920s and 1930s, which brought about important changes. It takes visitors on a journey through the era and Art Deco using the genre of the poster. One hundred years ago, after the trauma of World War I and the devastation of the Spanish flu, in the second half of the 1920s, the economic consolidation was coupled with people’s unfettered desire to enjoy life, with glamour and the sometimes decadent lust for life being at the heart of Art Deco tastes. Art Deco drew on a wide range of inspirations: the achievements of avant-garde fine arts, decorative stylization and elements of historical styles as well as a rediscovery of folk art, exotic cultures, and even ancient Egyptian art. Above all, Art Deco posters sought to catch people’s attention through dazzling spectacle, the glamour of elegance, the seduction of eroticism, the allure of the exotic, the thrill of speed, and the eerie romanticism of the underworld. Art Deco equally exerted an influence on fine arts and applied arts, film, theater, music and architecture.

mng.hu

livenation.hu

SZIGET FESTIVAL

AUGUST 10-15, BUDAPEST

One of the largest music and cultural festivals in Europe, the Sziget Festival – held every August in northern Budapest, on Óbudaisziget (‘Old Buda Island’), a leafy 108-hectare (266-acre) island on the River Danube – is back after a twoyear hiatus due to the pandemic. The first Sziget Festival was organized in 1993 as a small gathering and has since evolved into one of Europe’s largest music festivals. Each year, organizers

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strive to bring Szitizens some of the biggest names, and host over 1,000 shows across 60 stages, for six days straight. Sziget 2022 returns after a long break with world stars, established names, performers never seen in this country before, fresh, exciting, emerging talent. Kings of Leon released a new album last March, making up for their cancelled 2020 Island concert, as does Dua Lipa, who brings her Grammy-winning album from the year before last and is also the top of the wish list for Sziget visitors. Other

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headliners on the main stage include Arctic Monkeys, Bastille, Stromae and Lewis Capaldi, Sam Fender and recent Grammy winner Rüfüs Du Sol. While music is an important part of Sziget, art is also a core element. There are multiple venues including a circus, theater, museum quarter and much more. Artists and performers come from all over the world to display their talents. There are also opportunities for Szitizens and artists to work together in order to create memorable and meaningful artwork.

szigetfestival.com

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Diplomacy&Trade 2022-05

Articles inside

EU Diversity Month in Hungary

Turkish Cuisine Week: dishes with original qualities