Minister Balázs Hankó and Katalin Bogyay
On January 13, Minister of Culture and Innovation Balázs Hankó presented the letter of appointment to Katalin Bogyay, who will serve as chair of the Hungarian National Commission for UNESCO for a four-year term beginning on January 1, 2026.
Katalin Bogyay has several decades of international diplomatic and UNESCO experience. Her relationship with the world organization dates back to 1998, when at the request of Federico Mayor, then Director-General of UNESCO, she participated in the preparation of an international series of interviews on the social responsibility of scientists. She was an active contributor to the first UNESCO World Science Conference held in Budapest in 1999, which later led to the establishment of the World Science Forum, one of Hungary’s most significant cultural diplomatic achievements. As a member of the strategic steering committee, she has continued to treat the program as a priority.
Later, as ambassador and diplomat, she played a decisive role in strengthening Hungary’s international cultural, scientific, and educational presence:
Between 2009 and 2014, she headed Hungary’s permanent representation to UNESCO in Paris, and between 2011 and 2013, she was elected president of the UNESCO General Conference. She then served as Hungary’s ambassador to the United Nations in New York.
“UNESCO is not just an international organization for us, but a common cause in which Hungary has played an initiating, creative, and recognized role for decades. We have made significant contributions in the fields of education, science, culture, heritage protection, science diplomacy, artificial intelligence, and ethics,” Bogyay stated.
She emphasized that
one of her most important goals during her presidency will be to strengthen Hungary’s proactive presence and further deepen cooperation between UNESCO and the Hungarian scientific, cultural, and educational institutional system.
The new chair’s plans include renewing the Hungarian National Commission, establishing a new professional body and secretariat, and strengthening Hungary’s active contribution to UNESCO’s current strategic programs.
Bogyay considered the invitation a great honor, emphasizing that the position had previously been held by renowned experts who played a decisive role in Hungary’s cultural and scientific policy. She will take over the role from Miklós Réthelyi, the outgoing chair of the committee.
Fact
The Hungarian National Commission for UNESCO acts as an advisory body to the government, coordinating the objectives of the global organization with the work of domestic professional actors—universities, research institutes, cultural institutions, and academies—and promoting Hungary’s active and visible participation in UNESCO’s diverse international activities, according to the announcement.
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Via MTI; Featured photo: Facebook/Hankó Balázs
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