Hungary hosts inaugural Connectivity Awards, celebrating Eurasian cooperation in Budapest
The first-ever Connectivity Awards were presented on Thursday evening at Haris Park in Budapest, marking the successful debut of the Friends of Connectivity Foundation. The gala event also served as the opening session of the Asia–Europe Political Forum, held in the Hungarian Parliament under the banner Peace and Democracy in Eurasia.
Hungary aims to be a “winner” of the new global order
In his opening speech, Ádám Samu Balázs, President of the Friends of Connectivity Foundation, said the organisation—established earlier this year—aims to support Hungary in becoming “one of the winners of the new global order currently taking shape.”
He stressed that building strong, mutually respectful relationships with Eurasian partners is in Hungary’s strategic interest, while the country remains firmly committed to its Western alliances through NATO and the EU. Balázs also announced that Budapest will soon host a major pro-peace conference.
“Connectivity has no alternative,” he said, adding that success in the 21st century will depend on cooperation rather than isolation. “Those who choose connectivity may be among the winners of the century – and for us Hungarians, this is the minimum ambition.”
Government highlights commitment to global cooperation
János Bóka, Minister for European Union Affairs, underlined that Hungary supports partnerships based on equality, sovereignty and mutual respect.
He said the government wants the world’s most advanced technologies to converge in Hungary, supported by domestic supply chains and local innovation. “We are interested in producing something new and unique – and making it available for global markets,” he said.
Awardees honoured for diplomacy, dialogue and cultural exchange
In the diplomatic category, this year’s Connectivity Award went to György Károlyi, former Hungarian Ambassador to Paris. He received the award from Minister János Bóka and Péter Várfi, founder of the Connectivity Foundation.
The Grand Prize was awarded to Sous Yara, Vice-Chairman of the International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP) and Vice-President of the Centrist Democrat International (IDC–CDI). Zsolt Németh, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Hungarian Parliament, praised Yara’s role in fostering political dialogue and cooperation across Eurasia.
This year also saw the introduction of the Géza Szőcs Cultural Connectivity Award, established in honour of the late poet and ministerial commissioner who played a key role in shaping Hungary’s Eastern Opening policy. Speaking at the ceremony, Deputy Minister Barna Pál Zsigmond said Szőcs’s intellectual legacy “continues to serve as a compass” for Hungary’s international cultural engagement.
The cultural award was presented to Chinese writer and translator Yu Zemin, who has brought numerous works of Hungarian literature—including those by Géza Szőcs and newly minted Nobel laureate László Krasznahorkai—to Chinese audiences.
Connectivity in economic policy
Reflecting Hungary’s strategy to attract world-class technologies and strengthen its global competitiveness, the gala also included a business-focused award.
This year’s competitiveness award was presented to Prabal Data, CEO of TATA Consultancy Services Hungary. The Indian-owned company has operated in Hungary for more than 20 years, developing one of the country’s most dynamic and widely recognised service centres.
Calls for peaceful cooperation amid geopolitical tensions
Boglárka Illés, State Secretary for the Development of Bilateral Relations, closed the evening by emphasising the importance of supporting peace and dialogue. She said this was especially vital “at a time when a war is raging in a neighbouring country, and when the leadership of the European Union has chosen to support the continuation of the conflict rather than a peaceful settlement.”
Cultural performances add sparkle to the evening
Guests enjoyed high-quality performances by Hungarian-based Vietnamese opera singer Ninh Duc Hoang Long, as well as Júlia Kubinyi, Mária Majda Guessus, and the FolkEmbassy ensemble, rounding off an evening dedicated to strengthening ties between Asia and Europe.