An Intellectual Showcase and the Crème de la Crème of Hungarian Pop Music– The Fourth MCC Feszt has Kicked Off.

"This is a true intellectual parade," said the director-general of Mathias Corvinus Collegium (MCC) at the festival's opening. Zoltán Szalai emphasized that the presence of more than 160 speakers from abroad and Hungary is proof of this. Esztergom's mayor called MCC a partner. Ádám Hernádi expressed his hope that MCC would return to Esztergom next year and that they are working on continuing the event. According to Gábor Erős, MCC Feszt is more than a festival; it is a celebration. The member of parliament believes that gaining knowledge is just as important as the concerts at the event.

International Experts in Esztergom

Following the opening, discussions took place intersecting Slovak, Austrian, and Hungarian perspectives, featuring Sebastian Kurz, former Federal Chancellor of Austria; Balázs Orbán, MCC's chairman of the board of trustees and political director of the Prime Minister; Zoltán Szalai, MCC's director-general; and Ján Figel, former Slovak minister and European Commissioner, member of the EIT governing board. The experts evaluated the results of the European Parliament elections, discussed migration, the contrast between war and peace advocacy, and emerging future political directions.

Sebastian Kurz stated that the European Parliament elections do not signify a revolution, but the strong shift to the right can be seen as sharp criticism of the Brussels political elite. According to the former chancellor, voters harshly criticized the woke movement and the exaggeration in fighting climate change.

Ján Figel highlighted the growing gap between national and European-level political decision-making. He stressed that contrary to the current situation, the European Union should function as a peace project, which requires justice and maintaining fairness.

Speaking about the war, Balázs Orbán emphasized that the conflict is making Europe increasingly weaker and more divided. He added that continuing the war and supporting the situation in Ukraine is not sustainable politically. The primary task should be to maintain peace and strengthen diplomacy. In response, Sebastian Kurz confirmed the need to strengthen diplomacy for peace.

Hungary Follows Global Tourism Trends Well

"We can be proud of the performance of domestic tourism," emphasized the CEO of Danubius Hotels during a panel discussion on the opening day of the MCC Feszt. Balázs Kovács, in a conversation about the prospects of domestic tourism, recalled that the sector has returned to pre-pandemic levels. Although prices have risen in hospitality and the energy market, the industry is striving to overcome these challenges.

Significant changes can be observed in global tourism trends, highlighted Ráhel Orbán. The creative director of the BDPST Group and CEO of BDPST Koncept noted that the demand for extra services is rapidly increasing, and Hungary is increasingly meeting these trends. This change particularly affects wellness, health, and entertainment-focused tourism. Zoltán Roy Zsidai pointed out that the sector has been significantly hit by the inflation crisis caused by the war. The owner of Zsidai Group and president of the Hungarian Restaurant Association believes that not only the number of guests needs to be increased, but also attention should be focused on inviting guests from regions less affected by this crisis.

In response, Balázs Kovács said that it is worth reaching out to the United States and the Far East. He believes an important tool for this is establishing direct air connections. He emphasized that the Hungarian state could play a significant role in this, especially as the airport has come under Hungarian ownership.

Hungary is competitive against currently popular European cities, added Ráhel Orbán. She stressed that experience-based tourism is a global trend worth building on.

More Than 150 Exhibitors on Edu Promenade

During the day, more than 150 exhibitors, partner organizations, and MCC's full range of training and knowledge base awaited visitors on the Kis-Duna promenade. The exhibitors offered exciting programs and family-friendly activities.

Meanwhile, panel discussions were in full swing at the MOL-New Europe Foundation Lounge, presenting to university students about labor market expectations. Zita Horváth, rector of the University of Miskolc and creator of the Teach for Hungary Program, Péter Bihari, vice-rector for education at BME, Orsolya Ludwig, marketing and communications director of Libri-Bookline and head of MCC Leadership Academy, and Dániel Farkas, co-founder and strategic HR consultant of Change Agent Hungary Kft., discussed the topic, moderated by Lívia Pintér.

Perhaps the most anticipated discussion of the first day was the conversation with György Korda and Klári Balázs titled "I Always Want to Fly... AIRPORT!" The program mainly addressed topics affecting young people, including career choices, revealing that even the Korda couple didn't always know they wanted to pursue music. 

"I'm not ashamed to learn from young people," revealed György Korda, who also highlighted the great joy of talking to the younger generation. They also shared that they had often received job offers abroad but turned them all down because they only feel truly at home in Hungary. "I always want to convey to young people that nothing is impossible," said the artist at the end of the conversation.

In the evening, Hungarian pop music stars took the stage. The Csík band, Majka, Halott Pénz, and Irie Maffia all performed concerts.