2024-12-17
Christmas decorations, holiday ornaments, festive tunes, and plenty of laughter filled the air at the Hungarian Diaspora Scholarship Program's Christmas event, held on December 11 at the Danubius Hotel Astoria.
A Tradition in the Making
The Hungarian Diaspora Scholarship Christmas celebration has become a tradition. This year marked the third year of the event, designed to bring scholarship holders together to celebrate the end of the autumn semester and the beginning of the holiday season in Hungary. Christmas holds a special place in Hungarian culture, as families and friends gather to celebrate with love and unity, bidding farewell to the past year. The spirit of community is central to this celebration, and it was truly at the heart of this year’s event.
The evening started with a creative workshop where students made unique, handmade Christmas decorations. Together, they decorated the Diaspora Christmas tree, which, in its full beauty, symbolised the diversity of the Diaspora community. The tree decoration was a joyous activity, accompanied by timeless Christmas melodies that filled the elegant dining room of the Astoria Hotel, creating a truly festive atmosphere. The event then continued with speeches from distinguished guests.
Greetings from Distinguished Guests
Miklós Lengyel, Deputy State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, was the first to address the students. He underscored the importance of community and cultural traditions, saying,
“This event highlights how much you mean to us, how important Diaspora communities are to us.”
Next, Péter Szilágyi, Deputy State Secretary for National Policy, extended his greetings. He shared reflections from his travels around the world, emphasizing that wherever the journey leads, Hungarian diaspora communities always offer a warm welcome, a sense of home, and shared traditions. He also highlighted the vital role the Hungarian Diaspora community plays in Hungary, noting their central place in this unified and loving family.
Finally, Richárd Bodrogi, General Director of the Tempus Public Foundation, spoke, emphasizing the warm atmosphere of the evening and the tradition of the scholarship program’s Christmas events. He thanked both the distinguished guests and the students for their participation, stressing that the evening was a celebration of the community.
Awards and Recognition
The evening continued with the presentation of the Excellence Awards, given by the distinguished guests to students who had achieved remarkable results. The Diaspora Scholarship Programme Student Excellence Award was given to those scholarship holders who continue their studies in English, excel in their academic performance, and contribute to the development of the Diaspora community. The other award was the Diaspora Scholarship Programme Hungarian Excellence Award which highlighted the importance of the Hungarian language in the programme. This award was given to those students who have achieved exceptional academic success and are studying in Hungarian.
In 2024, the Student Excellence Award was given to four students:
- Diana Cecilia Ijjas, from Corvinus University of Budapest
- Emma Eichler, from the University of Sopron
- Estefania Carolina Fodor, from Eötvös Loránd University
- Victoria Leiti, from Semmelweis University
The 2024 Hungarian Excellence Award was presented to two students who are pursuing their studies in Hungarian under the scholarship program:
- Levente Barton Blakney, from the University of Pécs
- Vlada Volkova, from the Hungarian University of Fine Arts.
The evening concluded with a festive dinner, but the delightful conversations and Christmas music continued well into the night.
Thank you to everyone who attended the event. We wish you a Merry Christmas and a joyful holiday season!
Check out the photos from the event in the gallery below!
