On 29 January, H.E. Ambassador Tamás Iván Kovács hosted an informal working dinner at his residence on Belgian-Hungarian higher education relations, inviting Professor Bruno van Pottelsberghe, the Rector of Corvinus University of Budapest, and Mr. Jan D'haene, the Director of the Royal Conservatory of Brussels.
At the invitation of H.E. Matthias Diependaele, Minister-President of Flanders, H.E. Ambassador Tamás Iván Kovács represented Hungary at the New Year’s Reception of the Government of Flanders in the Errerahuis. The event provided an excellent opportunity for the Ambassador to meet, beside the Minister-President of Flanders, Julie Bynens, Secretary General of the Flemish Chancellery and Foreign Office, and Piet Demunter, CEO of Flanders Investment and Trade.
On 27 January, on behalf of the Embassy of Hungary, H.E. Ambassador Tamás Iván, the Honorary Consul of Hungary in Flanders, Mr. Ari Epstein and Krisztina Molnár, diplomat laid a wreath at the Kazerne Dossin Holocaust Memorial on the occasion of the International Holocaust Memorial Day. The Auschwitz concentration and extermination camp was liberated 80 years ago, on 27 January 1945.
On 16 January, H.E. Ambassador Tamás Iván Kovács, accompanied by Szabolcs Nemes, our Chargé d'Affaires in Luxembourg, and Zsófia Kovács, Director of the Liszt Institute Brussels, had a meeting with Mr. Eric Thill, Luxembourg's Minister of Culture.
On 15 January, H.E. Ambassador Tamás Iván Kovács represented Hungary at the New Year’s Reception of H.R.H. the Grand Duke and the Grand Duchess. The Ambassador also extended New Year greetings to Claude Wiseler, President of the Luxembourg Chamber of Deputies and Prime Minister Luc Frieden, who were both guests of honour at the Heads of Mission programmes of the Hungarian EU Presidency in Luxembourg.
On 9 January, H.E. Ambassador Tamás Iván Kovács and his wife, Dr. Edit Szepessy attended the New Year’s Reception of H.M. King Philippe and Queen Mathilde in the Royal Palace of Laeken. They had the opportunity to talk to His Majesty in person, as well as to H.E. Bernard Quintin, Minister of Foreign Affairs, about the outstanding successes of our Belgian-Hungarian EU Presidencies, in the special year of 2024.
On 18 December, H.E. Ambassador Tamás Iván Kovács visited the German-speaking community of Belgium in Eupen, meeting H.E. Gregor Freches, Minister of Culture, Sports, Tourism and Media of the German-speaking community in Belgium, and H.E. Patricia Creutz-Vilvoye, President of the Parliament of the German-speaking Community of Belgium.
On December 17, our Embassy hosted the ninth and final meeting for EU Heads of Mission in Belgium at the House of Hungary. This time, our distinguished guests were H.E. Mr. Peter De Roover, President of the Belgian Chamber of Representatives and H.E. Ms. Valérie De Bue, President of the Senate. At the conclusion of the event, the presidency baton was passed on to the upcoming Polish presidency.
On 5 December, H.E. Ambassador Tamás Iván Kovács handed over the state decoration of the Knight's Cross of the Hungarian Order of Merit, awarded by the President of Hungary, Tamás Sulyok to Professor Jean-Marie Majerus, at our Embassy's Office in Luxembourg for his invaluable efforts to commemorate the centenary of diplomatic relations between Luxembourg and Hungary, researching and co-authoring the book written on our common history.
Eight Hungarian hydrogen industry companies represented themselves at the European Hydrogen Week exhibition, held between November 18 and 22, one of Europe’s most significant hydrogen events. The participants had an exceptional opportunity to showcase and present Hungary's innovative technological solutions to the international audience. H.E. Tamás Iván Kovács and the Foreign Trade Office of our Embassy personally visited the Hungarian stand.