Svédületes
Opening of the exhibition “Local Calls”, in the context of Svédületes!, the Hungarian-Swedish cultural rendez-vous. This exhibition brought Hungarian artists to Sweden in a creative project. Pictures is Attlia Zsigmond (above left), director of the Budapest Gallery, and Mats Lindström (right), minister at the Embassy of Sweden.

Visas for life
Hungarian Foreign Minister László Kovács opening the exhibition “Visas for Life,” documenting the heroic activities of diplomats who saved scores of Jews from certain death in Hungary during WWII.

Contemporary glass
Márta Schneider, deputy state secretary at the Hungarian Cultural Ministry, opens an international glass exhibition entitled “Touring Exhibition of Contemporary Glass Artists” at the Budapest Gallery.

Brewing beer
Hungarian Environment Minister Miklós Persányi (left) and Dreher Rt. CEO Mike Short (right) on a visit to the Dreher brewery in Budapest. The two held a press conference discussing the firms environmental efforts, after which they shared somof the precious brew!

Go-kart
For the second year now, the InterContinental Hotel organized Race Downer, a go-karting event attended by CEOs, partners, and the media. This year, Hungary’s own Formula 1 driver Zsolt Baumgartner visited the drivers as they prepared to head for thtrack. The golden prize was given to winner Balázs Kovács of Bang & Olufsen, who won a onweek trip to San Francisco.

Girls & guns
Canadian chargé d’affaires Michael Danagher (above) and Ernst Museum director Katalin Keseru (abovright) at thopening of the multi-disciplinary Hungarian-Canadian exhibition “Girls & Guns.” Toronto-based artist Michell Kasprzak (right) helps open the show, with a sincerely unique performance-type quiz.

Morocco
A reception held at the residence of the Moroccan Ambassador, when the diplomatic corps bid farewell to Moroccan Ambassador to Hungary Saad Baddou (below left, on left) and his wife Maria Benani (left, cutting cake)

Canada
A reception bidding farewell to political, economic and public affairs counsellor Yvon Turcotte (left, centre). Turcotte will return to Ottawa where he will take up new duties in the European bureau of the Canadian MFA. Farewell Yvon!

National day
On August 20, Hungary celebrated St. Stephen’s day with an official ceremony at the Parliament. The national day also included a fireworks display on the Danube.

Foreign affairs
Hungarian FM László Kovács founded the Hungarian International Relations prize, which was awarded to Lászlóné Csabai, the mayor of Nyíregyháza, AMCHAM president Péter Hegedus and András Inotai, the director of the Institutfor World Economics of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.

Australia
Australian Ambassador Clare Birgin (left, on right) opened an exhibition of contemporary art from the Tiwi Islands, off the country’s northern coast. Displayed at Le Méridien Budapest, the works include paintings, ceremonial objects and textiles.

Habsburg family
The head of the Habsburg family Otto von Habsburg (above) at a family gathering at Sóskút, celebrating the birth of Charles Konstantin Habsburg. The baby is the first son born to Otto von Habsburg’s son, Ambassador George Habsburg and his wife Eilika.

Thailand
The Thai Embassy held a garden party to celebrate the 72nd birthday of Thailand’s Queen Sirikit. Ambassador Tawatchai Piyarat welcomed guests and served a delectable variety of Thai dishes.

United states
US Secretary of State Colin Powell visited Budapest during the annual meeting of Hungarian Ambassadors accredited abroad. During his visit, he was awarded the Hungarian Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary.

Indonesia
Indonesian Ambassador Sapartini Singgih Kuntjoro-Jakti and her husband greet guests at the country’s national day reception. Lively Indonesian dance and musical demonstrations provided entertainment for the crowd.