Kossuth and Széchenyi Prize winners and recipients of the Hungarian Order of Merit honour
Dr. Tamás Sulyok, President of Hungary, presented Kossuth and Széchenyi Prizes and Hungarian Order of Merit honours to Hungarian artists, researchers, scientists and prominent public figures in the Dome Hall of the Parliament on the occasion of the 15 March National Day.
Recipients of the Kossuth Grand Prize:
Gábor Koncz, Kossuth and Jászai Mari Prize-winning actor, director, Meritorious Actor, in recognition of his exceptionally valuable and exemplary artistic career, his stage and film performances that have enjoyed unparalleled popularity in Hungary, as well as his iconic roles and valuable productions, which have shaped generations.
Recipients of the Kossuth Prize:
Kálmán Balogh, Martin György Prize-winning cimbalom player, in recognition of his exceptionally valuable contribution to Hungary, marked by an authentic and virtuoso cimbalom performance style refined not only in traditional folk music, but also in classical and jazz genres, as well as his dedicated work as a music educator committed to mentoring young talent.
Imre Benkő, Balázs Béla Prize-winning photographer, Distinguished and Meritorious Artist, full member of the Hungarian Academy of Arts, in recognition of his exceptionally valuable artistic work for Hungary, as a decisive figure of Hungarian documentary photography, and for his unique works analysing the relationship between man and his environment,
Kornél Döbrentei, Laurel Wreath Award and József Attila Prize-winning writer, poet, journalist, full member of the Hungarian Academy of Arts, in recognition of his exceptionally valuable artistic career, his lyrical works depicting the eternal themes of faith and patriotism and the questions of human destiny with a rich linguistic idiom, and his prose enriching youth literature,
Marcel Ferencz, DLA – Ybl Miklós and Pro Architectura Prize-winning architect, full member of the Hungarian Academy of Arts, in recognition of his exceptional design work, which is of exceptional value to Hungary, unfolding from the unique combination of traditional and modern values of architecture, his iconic public building designs, especially the design of the new building of the Museum of Ethnography, which has also won international awards,
Péter Fried, Liszt Ferenc Prize-winning opera singer, honoured for his repertoire exceptionally valuable for Hungary, ranging from Baroque classics to contemporary music, for his successful career as an opera, oratorio and concert singer, and for his artistic and teaching work dedicated to the presentation of works by 20th century and contemporary Hungarian composers,
László Kelemen, Erkel Ferenc Prize-winning composer, folklorist, and the Honorary Director General of the Hungarian Heritage House, in recognition of his artistic, scientific, organisational and institutional leadership activities, which have been of exceptional value for Hungary and have been performed with great dedication for many decades in the preservation and promotion of traditional folk culture,
Krisztina Kókay, Ferenczy Noémi Award-winning graphic artist, textile artist, Distinguished and Meritorious Artist, full member of the Hungarian Academy of Arts, in recognition of her exceptionally valuable artistic career, her unique vision and sovereign form of expression, her monumental and elaborate works, her dedication to art education and her valuable work as a curator,
Dr. Tamás Lajos, Balázs Béla Prize-winning cinematographer, producer, and Meritorious Artist, in recognition of his exceptionally valuable career as a cinematographer for Hungary, and his multifaceted and dedicated work that has laid the foundations for the success of countless documentaries, feature films and television programmes of outstanding quality,
Ferenc Mikulás, Balázs Béla Award-winning animation film producer, founder and director of the Kecskemét Animation Film Studio, in recognition of his artistic career, exceptionally valuable for Hungary, and his contributions as the producer and studio director behind, among others, the globally unique as well as immensely popular Hungarian Folk Tales series, and for his various experimental and art films, and for his work as the founder and director of the Kecskemét Animation Film Festival,
Péter Müller Sziami, poet, performing artist, director and cultural organiser, in recognition of his performing artistic work exceptionally valuable for Hungary, with an iconic role in alternative culture, the Sziami Orchestra and the Kontroll Csoport, and in recognition of his multi-faceted artistry, from theatre to film and opera to popular music, his lyrics of literary value, and his commitment to supporting actors with special talents in the Baltazár Theatre company,
Levente Nemes, Jászai Mari Prize-winning actor, in recognition of his exemplary acting career exceptionally valuable for Hungary, his always original and authentic performances, his leadership in redefining the artistic objectives of the Sepsiszentgyörgy Theatre and his outstanding role in the revival of the Hungarian theatre scene in Transylvania after the regime change,
Mária Petrás, folk singer, ceramic artist, full member of the Hungarian Academy of Arts, in recognition of her exceptionally valuable artistic career for Hungary, her performing art for the preservation and authentic interpretation of the unique song treasure of the Moldavian Csángó culture, and her ceramic work of great sensitivity to traditional themes,
Tamás Solymosi, Harangozó Gyula Prize-winning dance artist, choreographer, Distinguished and Meritorious Artist, in recognition of his solo dancing career and his grandiose choreographies, which have been exceptionally valuable and of great international acclaim for Hungary, and his successful leadership and ballet mastership as Ballet Director of the Hungarian National Ballet, which have strengthened the reputation of the company,
Recipients of the Széchenyi Grand Prize:
Miklós Maróth, Széchenyi Prize-winning classical philologist, orientalist, holder of the Hungarian Corvin Chain, full member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Honorary President of the Union Académique Internationale, retired university professor, in recognition of his scientific life's work which has been exceptionally valuable and exemplary for Hungary, as an internationally renowned authority on Hungarian Oriental Studies, for his richly published research results in the field of Ancient Greek and Arab culture, as well as for his outstanding teaching work and his active scientific public and scientific organizing activities, which enriched Hungary’s intellectual life.
Recipients of the Széchenyi Prize:
Dr. Vilmos Bárdosi, linguist, Professor Emeritus, in recognition of his scientific career in the field of French linguistics in Hungary exceptionally valuable for Hungary, his internationally renowned research work as an internationally appreciated authority in the field of monolingual and bilingual lexicography, as well as in recognition of his valuable contributions as an educator, mentor of future scholars, and organizer within the academic community.
Dr. János Mihály Boros, philosopher, Doctor of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Professor Emeritus, in recognition of his academic career, which has enriched Hungarian philosophy and which has been exceptionally valuable for Hungary, as well as in recognition of his influential works, his work in shaping Hungarian democratic thought after the regime change and his teaching work, which has been a guiding light for generations of philosophers,
Péter Domokos, physicist, research professor, full member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, in recognition of his scientific career exceptionally valuable for Hungary, his pioneering research in the field of quantum optics, his achievements in quantum technology in many fields, which have attracted considerable international attention, and his active public activity in both international and domestic scientific life,
Dr. György Ernő Duda, virologist, immunologist, Doctor of Biological Sciences, Professor Emeritus, in recognition of his exceptionally valuable scientific career in Hungary, his internationally significant research achievements in the field of basic medical research, and his exemplary post-graduate education and teaching activities that launched the careers of outstanding researchers, including Nobel Prize winners,
Balázs Gulyás, physician, neurobiologist, external member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, president of the HUN-REN Hungarian Research Network, university professor, in recognition of his exceptionally valuable scientific career for Hungary, his outstanding achievements in internationally significant research, especially in the field of neurological and psychiatric diseases and the understanding of the capabilities of the human brain, as well as his multifaceted and committed public scientific work for the development of Hungarian scientific life,
Miklós Neményi, mechanical engineer, full member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Professor Emeritus, in recognition of his exceptionally valuable scientific career for Hungary, his research in the field of sustainable food production technologies, his scientific developments in the field of agricultural digitisation and precision crop production technologies, and his outstanding teaching and research organisation activities,
László Nyulászi, chemical engineer, corresponding member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, university professor, in recognition of his research achievements in the field of inorganic and computational chemistry, which have been at the forefront of international research, his discovery of the catalytic effect and industrial applicability of numerous compounds, and his pioneering work in research and education,
Dr. Lajos Sipos, József Attila Prize-winning literary historian, Professor Emeritus, in recognition of his academic career exceptionally valuable for Hungary, in particular his outstanding achievements in the field of research on the life's work of Mihály Babits, the critical publication and care of the author's works, and his activities in the analysis and promotion of Hungarian literature from beyond Hungary’s state borders, above all the life's work of Áron Tamási,
Dr. István Stumpf, constitutional lawyer, political scientist, former constitutional judge and Minister of the Chancellery, university professor, in recognition of his academic career exceptionally valuable for Hungary, his outstanding research work in the field of political science, especially in the analysis of the state order and the constitutional state, his many and significant publications, and his committed and effective teaching and public engagement activities,
Mihály Takaró, József Attila and Németh László Prize-winning author, literary historian and teacher, in recognition of his exceptionally valuable academic career for Hungary, his scientific, public, artistic and teaching activities, which have created lasting intellectual value for Hungary and have also facilitated the survival of Hungarian traditions, while at the same time being particularly committed to the transmission of knowledge,
Dr. Péter Pál Varga, spine surgeon, orthopaedic specialist, in recognition of his exceptionally valuable research and teaching career - a decisive factor both in Hungarian and in international scientific life - especially his outstanding results in the surgical treatment of spinal tumours, which has been pioneering on a global scale, as well as his outstanding achievements in the application of new surgical procedures and implants which he has developed, and his foundational activities as head of institution,
Dr. András Varró, Doctor of Medicine and Biologist, Doctor of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Professor Emeritus, in recognition of his exceptionally valuable scientific career for Hungary, his achievements as an internationally renowned researcher in theoretical cardiology, as well as in recognition of his pioneering talent development and teaching work carried out for the training of future scientists, notably as the founder of the National Academy for the Education of Scientists.
Dr. István Vásáry, historian, Orientalist, Turkologist, full member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Professor Emeritus, in recognition of his internationally significant scientific achievements in the field of Hungarian prehistory and early history, the history of the Turkic peoples, which have been significant globally, his exemplary teaching work in the field of Turkology and his outstanding diplomatic activities,
Sándor Zettwitz, mechanical engineer, owner and Managing Director of 77 Elektronika Kft., in recognition of his exceptionally valuable career for Hungary, for his decades of uninterrupted commitment to the establishment and efficient operation of Hungary's largest medical instrument company, for his leadership in strengthening the reputation of the Hungarian economy and for the advancement of Hungarian innovation.
Recipients of the Commander’s Cross with the Star of the Hungarian Order of Merit, Civilian Division:
László Palkovics, Széchenyi Prize-winning mechanical engineer, full member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, former minister, managing director of the Automotive Test Track Zala Ltd., rector's advisor of Gábor Dénes University, government commissioner for artificial intelligence, in recognition of his outstanding leadership in the fields of innovation in the Hungarian automotive industry, modernization of vocational training and higher education, and his outstanding work in the development and expansion of the competitive Hungarian defence industry,
Zoltán Pokorni, former Minister of Education and Member of Parliament, former Mayor of Hegyvidék, XII. district of Budapest, in recognition of his multifaceted public activity with exemplary dedication during the period of the regime change and in the following decades, his leadership with outstanding professional knowledge, which determined the development of Hungarian public and higher education, and his nearly two decades of community leadership serving Budapest’s Hegyvidék community.
Recipients of the Commander’s Cross of the Hungarian Order of Merit, Civilian Division:
Dr. Péter Sárdi, Principal Advisor on Foreign Policy to the Speaker of the National Assembly, retired Head of the Directorate for International Relations of the Office of the National Assembly, in recognition of his decades of dedicated work and exceptional diplomatic skills in deepening and developing the international relations of the National Assembly,
Tamás Wachsler, architect, CEO of the Steindl Imre Program Nonprofit Zrt., former Member of Parliament and State Secretary, in recognition of his work in the first democratically elected Parliament and his outstanding leadership in the preparation and implementation of the reconstruction of Kossuth Lajos Square and its surroundings.