Honorable Madam President, Honorable Rector, Distinguished Guests!
“We have only one homeland, and it is the Hungarian language.” With these words of our outstanding poet, Sándor Kányádi, I welcome you and express my gratitude for this exceptional and deeply moving honor on behalf of all members of the Hungarian Rectors’ Conference (MRK).
This wisdom, spoken by Sándor Kányádi, reveals what a tremendous value and exceptional gift our mother tongue is. It also highlights the extraordinary strength that connects us—those of us who live within this shared homeland of the Hungarian language, whether within or beyond our national borders. It is a great honor and a genuine pleasure for me to be here with you on this special occasion, and to receive the Rakoczi Ring alongside my colleagues on behalf of the Hungarian Rectors’ Conference. It is of utmost significance to me that this year, Ferenc Rakoczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian University has awarded one of these honors to the Hungarian Rectors’ Conference. The University of Rakoczi justified its decision by stating that the MRK is committed to supporting Hungarian higher education in Transcarpathia, contributing to its survival and reinforcement, and taking an active role in supporting it since the outbreak of the war.
I believe, however, that this recognition is much more than a prestigious award. For me, it is above all a validation that what we have achieved together in recent years truly holds genuine significance. It serves as proof that Hungarian higher education consists of more than just institutions, formal relations, and cooperation agreements; it is a community whose members are able to turn to one another in difficult times and rely on each other, both within and across national borders.
The Hungarian Rectors’ Conference has been strengthening its relations with cross-border Hungarian higher education institutions since 2009. An important milestone of this cooperation occurred in June 2010, when we organized a plenary session outside the borders of Hungary for the first time, in Cluj-Napoca, at the Sapientia Hungarian University of Transylvania. Since then, we have met every year or two at different locations—in Upper Hungary, in the Southernland, in Partium, and in Transylvania. We had also planned a plenary session for Transcarpathia, but history and the geopolitical situation ultimately rewrote our plans. This is exactly why it is particularly important to us to preserve the opportunity for personal encounters and collaborative work, despite the difficulties.
In May 2013, the MRK Committee of Cross-Border Higher Education Institutions was established during a ceremonial session held at the University of Debrecen. This gave birth to a community that has since played a vital role in representing the interests of cross-border Hungarian higher education and strengthening inter-institutional relations. Through his tireless organizational work, András Jávor has ensured regular communication and professional cooperation. This committee has always regarded Ferenc Rakoczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian University as an important pillar. Furthermore, Rector István Csernicskó has now twice held the presidency, which rotates every two years. The committee meets regularly and, during the plenary sessions held across the border, provides a forum for us to hear first-hand about the situation of Hungarian higher education abroad. In doing so, we send the message that what happens within cross-border Hungarian higher education institutions matters to us. We equally value the educators, staff members, researchers, and students there.
The Committee of Cross-Border Higher Education Institutions is one of the most active bodies of the MRK. It convenes every summer within the framework of the ELTE Carpathian Basin Summer University, where, alongside professional cooperation, we also have the opportunity for dialogue with the government. The committee comprises a total of 34 members from six countries. Thirty-four institutions, united by a shared belief: that Hungarian higher education can only be truly strong if it remains undivided by national borders. When the Russian-Ukrainian war broke out, this community very quickly demonstrated what solidarity means in practice. A resolute collaboration emerged within the MRK to assist Transcarpathian institutions. We held regular consultations on what was needed most. Domestic higher education institutions expressed their solidarity not merely in words; through their fundraising efforts, they offered computers, dormitory spaces, and various other forms of assistance.
Behind these acts are seemingly simple things, but in difficult times, they mean so much more than what they appear to be. They mean that you are not alone. And perhaps this is the most important message we can take with us today.
Finally, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Ferenc Rakoczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian University for awarding the Rakoczi Prize. As the President of the MRK, I would like to assure you that the Hungarian Rectors’ Conference will continue to strive to provide all possible support to Hungarian higher education institutions in Transcarpathia during this agonizingly prolonged war. And I would like to thank our member institutions for everything they have done together and for one another in recent years. Because this ring, which we have now received, is more than an award for me and for us. It is a tangible symbol of a community’s true strength. The strength of a community that is able to maintain its relationships even when difficulties arise.
A community that is able to help even when providing assistance is not merely an obligation, but a matter of humanity. And one that knows that Hungarian higher education is a shared value, wherever the institutions that preserve and pass on this value may be located. I believe that as long as we can rely on each other, we have a foundation to build upon. I believe that knowledge, education, and community have no borders.
Thank you for the opportunity to be here today with all of you!
Thank you for this honorable recognition on behalf of all MRK members! And above all, thank you for your trust, and for the profound sense of belonging.
Thank you for your attention!
