„Hass, alkoss, gyarapíts” (“Inspire, create, grow”—free translation, a quote from Ferenc Kölcsey’s poem Huszt)—this was the motto of this year’s prize for inspiring initiatives, awarded by the founders and curators of the prize.
Once again, the curators of the Highlights of Hungary award were looking for the most original and likeable projects. This year’s event, which is a flagship partnership of the Mathias Corvinus Collegium (MCC)’s institution for talent development, again awarded two main prizes, one by the Highlights of Hungary ambassadors and the other by the public. The prizes were accompanied by an award of HUF 2,000,000. The audience prize was awarded to Zsófia Mohos for her series of photographs entitled Görbeország (Crooked Country) and the calendar she produced for it. We interviewed the artist earlier about her project, which depicts the everyday life of Kisecset, a small village in northern Hungary. After Görbeország, the second most votes went to Örs Orosz, who, together with Sine Metu, has set out to find and save the Hungarian monuments in Slovakia that are being destroyed or have been destroyed. The third most votes went to Dr Róbert Kőnig, a popular paediatric surgeon.
In the tradition of Highlights of Hungary, there are no categories, and ambassadors were free to nominate a person, an organization or even an artwork if they felt it was in line with the initiative’s guiding principle of “inspire, create, grow.” This year, the ambassadors voted Ferenc Berend’s no-till farm as their favorite story. Ferenc cultivates his land on the family farm without ploughing, without rotation, and also practices soil improvement and regenerative farming.
Of the 50 candidates, the following ten received the most public votes:
1. Görbeország project, Görbeország calendar
2. Örs Orosz, Sine Metu
3. Dr. Róbert Kőnig, paediatric surgeon
4. A besúgó (The Informant), TV-show
5. Szentendre Skanzen, “Transylvania”
6. Karolina Sávolt, painter
7. Krisztián Szabó, Teacher with a wooden spoon
8. Endre Kadarkai, Radio show Élni jó (Life’s Good—the Transl.)
9. Adrienn Becske, traditionalist and music teacher
10. Szilvia Lubics, extreme sports athlete
In addition to the audience prize, six special prizes were presented. Matthias Corvinus Collegium awarded the MCC Prize to The Informant—the popular HBO show was nominated by Hype&Hyper’s editorial director Gáspár Bonta. WeHEAT System received the EXIM Sustainability and KPMG ESG Special Award, the LEGO Lion Project won the Index Special Award, the Kék Vonal Child Crisis Foundation was awarded by Képmás magazine, while Szilveszter Sikentáncz took home the Special Award for Everyday Recognition by Highlights of Hungary.
Source: Press release
Cover photo: Zsófia Mohos
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