From Change to Crisis in the Political Regime?? - Thematic Issue of História
December 20, 2012
The next thematic issue (9-10/2012) of the historical-political journal, História, edited by Ferenc Glatz focused on governance in Hungary in the years between 1978 and 2010. In his leading article (From Change to Crisis in the Political regime?) the editor by referring to the outbreak of the financial crisis in 2008 and the trembling of the Euro-Atlantic welfare state wrote that the essential starting point of today’s crisis management – as it was the case during the change of regime in 1989-1990, too – is the historic self-confrontation and self-criticism.
“In 1989, Hungary’s political leadership wrote a scenario to the change of the system. The concensus, though left unspoken, read to build an Euro-Atlantic social welfare state. It was equally left unspoken that the state operated social system that was built during the Soviet era shall be kept functioning but on a higher level within the framework of the Western European and American market economy.” As one of the shapers of this process he would not deny that everyone had their own personal system change based on their own invidual experiences. But by learning from the mistakes, the good ideas, initiatives and practices shozld be utilized.
Survive or Vanish Altogether? Ferenc Glatz on National Consciousness in Bratisla
October 11, 2012
Ferenc Glatz, regular member and former president of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, held a lecture answering also the questions posed by author Pál Csáky on Our Future: Will We Survive or Vanish Altogether? What Will Europe Look Like in 50 Years? at an event held in the main building of the Hungarian Coalition Party in Bratislava which was organized by Pro Futuro Hungarica and the János Esterházy Association within the framework of the lecture series Discussions on National Consciousness
Session of the Council for International Development and Cooperation
July 3, 2012
The Council for International Development and Cooperation of the Hungarian government presided by Ferenc Glatz held its scheduled meeting in the building of the Hungarian Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Also present at the meeting were the Deputy State Secretary for Global Affairs, János Hóvári, and his deputy, Szabolcs Takács. The topic of the meeting was the evaluation of Hungary’s policy of international development during the country’s EU-presidency in 2011 and the discussion of the outline of the preliminary version of the mid-term strategy on development to be presented by the end of 2012 (as forwarded by Head of Department, Lilla Makkay.) Ferenc Glatz in his summary as president called attention to the following: the financial means allocated by the Hungarian state budget on development are, as it is well known, rather „scarce”, however when putting together a total of the expenditures, also those means which are not concentrated in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs should be considered. Glatz stressed the special importance of Hungary’s involvement in the Balkan region, especially in humanitarian terms and in terms of national- and economic policy, and acknowledged the efforts undertaken for precisely formulating the preferences regarding the countries outside of the euro-atlantic region. He spoke out for a more effective press policy at home for propagating Hungary’s actions on development. He called the principles of the state on mid-term development policy as meeting European standards and also presented an overview of the positive periods of development policy of the past 50 years.
China and the Chinese in Hungary
June 12, 2012
Issue 2012/4 of the historical-political periodical História edited by Ferenc Glatz has been published. The latest edition on a variety of topics (oligarchs, landlords in medieval Hungary, the issue of ancient Macedonia and the newly established Republic of Macedonia, scythe memories, ancient sea battles) includes also a comprehensive set of articles on China directing once again attention on the East Asian country.The editor devotes his leading article on China, Kína, kínaiak Európában, Magyarországon (China and the Chinese in Europe and Hungary) to the latest expansionist efforts of China as a world power in the direction of Central Eastern Europe and to its 12-point strategy for the region.
Music and Civic Development – Thematic Issue of História
May 8, 2012
On the occasion of the 200th anniversary of Ferenc Liszt the articles published in the latest issue (2012/3) of História, the historical political periodical edited by Ferenc Glatz, discuss the topic of music and civic development. The editor in his introduction, „Előjátékok” Lisztről, polgárosulásról (“Préludes” on Liszt and on civic development), by referring to the past – the development of bourgeois society in the 19th century and the evolvement of then new life ideals, as well as the appearance of a new bourgeois artist-scientist layer in society – draws a parallel between the renewed emergence of civic culture in contemporary times, the – rightfully expected – public benefit of accumulated wealth, the increase of general culture in the era of the internet, while comparing the previously mentioned with the competitiveness of the citizens.
As a supplement to this issue, a new booklet is launched entitled Európában (Within Europe). The editor – as he formulates in his introductory words Európában. Tegnap. Ma. Holnap (Within Europe. Yesterday. Today. Tomorrow) – wishes to contribute this way to the evolvement of the new knowledge on Europe and the appearance of a new culture of conduct. „Since – as Glatz writes – without respective knowledge on Europe, there is no Europe-consciousness; and without a Europe-consciousness, there exists no strong Europe; and without a strong Europe, there is no community of citizens and no national community. And the Carpathian Basin is no exception to this either.”
Reconciliation along the Danube – for the sake of the grandchildren
April 23, 2012
The academician and historian Ferenc Glatz held a lecture at the senior university of the Széchenyi István University in Győr, which meanwhile enters into the 4th semester of its existence and involves more than 1 000 students. In his lecture entitled Történelmi megbékélés a Duna medencében (Historical reconciliation in the Danube Basin) he warned: in case the people living in the Carpathian Basin by healing the wounds they have mutually inflicted on one another during their clashes in history will not be reconciled for the sake of the future of their grandchildren, they will miss important opportunities offered to them.
Atrocities against Hungarian in Délvidék – the Actual Stand of Research
April 5, 2012
The weekly Srpske nedeljne novine published in Budapest in Serbian language has published in four subsequent issues (March 15, March 22, March 29 and April 5, 2012) and interview with Academician Ferenc Glatz, the President of the Hungarian Section of the Hungarian-Serbian Commission, on the actual stand of the work of the Hungarian section of the Hungarian-Serb Commission of Historians on the investigation of the events of the past in the Vojvodina. Glatz stressed the following: as regards the investigation of the conflicts having emerged during the years of the Second World War, the Hungarians are in „advantage” in comparison with the Serbs, since the raids in Délvidék (the former Southern Territories of Hungary) had been subject to investigation already in 1943 and sanctioned by the Hungarian parliament. As to the atrocities committed by the Serbs in 1944-1945 – having been triggered on the one hand by ethnic and on the other hand by political considerations – the investigation is being undertaken only nowadays. The Hungarian state has also financially contributed to the necessary personal and technical conditions necessary for conducting respective research.
The interview is available in Hungarian and Serbian language.
Public Benefit of Science
April 4, 2012
The latest issue (2012/2) of História, the historical political periodical edited by Ferenc Glatz, has been published.
The issue on a variety of diverse topics of interest includes in form of a supplement booklet a speech by the editor entitled A tudomány közhaszna (Public Benefit of Science) which is a reminiscence of the author written in a personal tone. The speech was held on May 5, 2012 on the occasion of the celebration organized on his 70th birthday; here he evoked through the lenses of his generation the basic questions in terms of general history and science history of the past 50 years, the Cold War era and the years of the political system change.
(On the Festschrift published for this special occasion and the ceremonial session see the entry from May 5, 2011.)
Revival of the Pro Renovanda Cultura Hungariae Foundation
April 3, 2012
Tibor Navracsics, Deputy Prime Minister of Hungary and Minister for Public Administration and Justice, at a festivity organized in Budapest in the Balassi Bálint Institute launched a new Pro Renovanda Cultura Hungariae Foundation and its Expert Boards of Trustees.
The Deputy Prime Minister revoked in his speech that 22 years ago the Foundation set as its aim to contribute to the renewal of Hungary’s culture. He called attention to the following: „The presently launched programme wishes to follow the path set by Academician Ferenc Glatz, professor of history and founder of the Pro Renovanda Cultura Hungariae Foundation, hoping to see in future a strong Central Europe and a strong community of Hungarians.”
The Hungarian government will support the work of the Hungarian-Serbian Academic Commission, of which Ferenc Glatz is the co-president, with funds allocated separately for this purpose within the recently re-organized foundation system.
Picture (from the left): Academician Ferenc Glatz, Deputy-Prime Minister Tibor Navracsics, Professor Dénes Sokcsevits, Director of Balassi Bálint Institute Pál Hatos.
Background information: Pro Renovanda Cultura Hungariae was established in 1990 by the then Minister of Culture in office, Ferenc Glatz. The main aim of the Foundation is to support public education, higher education, research, culture, different branches of the arts, renewal of public culture and the shaping and improvement of an environmental protection perspective via its expert boards of trustees consisting of independent intellectuals.
Our Reputation in the World – Latest Event of Europe Club
March 29, 2012
Our Reputation in the World is the title of the third event of the programme series Europe Club organized by the Europe Institute Budapest. This time the special guest of the evening hosted by Ferenc Glatz was Andreas Oplatka, the historian who is living in Switzerland and the former correspondent of the Swiss Neue Zürcher Zeitung.
