Created: 2025.11.28. 09:18
Alongside the Hungarian–German Youth Association as the main organiser, Széchenyi István University also played an important role in bringing together the first Hungarian–German Youth Parliament. The event, held in the Hungarian Parliament Building, contributed to young people enriching the centuries-old relationship between the two nations.
A historic event took place in the Upper House Chamber of the Parliament on 21 November: for the first time, the Hungarian–German Youth Parliament convened, creating a new forum for young people from both countries. The event was organised by the Hungarian–German Youth Association, whose president, Dr Erzsébet Knáb – founder and board member of the Széchenyi István University Foundation, which maintains the University – highlighted in her opening speech: “The challenges of the modern age do not allow nations to seek their future in isolation, for themselves and by themselves. Peace, mutual understanding and cooperation are not self-evident inheritances, but values that every generation must reinforce again and again. You, the first delegates of the Hungarian–German Youth Parliament, are undertaking this task: you build relationships, you build bridges, you shape the future. You do so knowing that not every road is smooth, and at times history tests the friendship of our nations — yet the shared direction and the shared goal must never be lost from sight.” She noted that Hungarian–German relations are built on centuries-old traditions, and it is the task of young people to bring new content to this dialogue. She emphasised that the youth parliament marks the beginning of a mission centred on the future, Europe, and the shared responsibility of the two nations.
In her opening speech, Dr Erzsébet Knáb, President of the Hungarian–German Youth Association, underlined that peace, mutual understanding and cooperation are values that every generation must reinforce time and again (Photo: Dávid Rokob)
The prestige of the event was reflected in the presence of numerous Hungarian and German political and diplomatic leaders. Dr László Kövér, Speaker of the House, addressed the participants in person as chief patron, while from the German side Karin Prien, Federal Minister for Education, Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth, greeted the participants via video message. In addition, Julia Gross, Germany’s Ambassador to Hungary, Dr Péter Györkös, Hungary’s Ambassador to Germany, and several Hungarian and German MPs – including Imre Ritter, István Hiller and Knut Abraham – also spoke. The latter two are members of the board of the Hungarian–German Youth Association.
Group photo of the participants of the plenary session of the Hungarian–German Youth Parliament (Photo: György Bálint)
Before the plenary session, five committees worked on drafting the resolutions, with 50 Hungarian and German young people collaborating on the proposals, which were later reviewed and supplemented by more than 80 additional delegates. The professional material thus created formed the basis of the plenary agenda.
Széchenyi István University served as the most important professional pillar in the legal preparation of the parliament. In her speech, Dr Erzsébet Knáb expressed special thanks to the University for its high-level intellectual and organisational support. The concept and documents of the youth parliament were developed with the significant involvement of academic staff from the University’s Deák Ferenc Faculty of Law and Political Sciences, including Dean, Dr Péter Smuk, Vice-Dean Dr Csaba Erdős and Head of Department Dr Attila Barna, as well as students of the University, among them Borbála Illés as Chair of the Committee on Procedural Rules and Hungarian Co-Chair of the session, and Máté Kónya as Chair of the Committee for Education, Mobility and Future Perspectives.
The resolutions adopted at the session addressed several areas that may shape the future of Hungarian–German cooperation in the long term: education, mobility, innovation, democracy development and foreign affairs cooperation. The closing document included several forward-looking initiatives, such as the creation of a bilingual digital remembrance platform, joint action against anti-Semitism, the development of an innovation and start-up cooperation system, and the establishment of exchange links within the German–Hungarian dual education programme.
The Hungarian–German Youth Association founded the Hungarian–German Youth Council, whose ten members were presented at the ceremonial closing of the plenary session. The Youth Council will be responsible for presenting the adopted resolutions to decision-makers in Hungary and Germany over the coming year and for preparing the parliamentary session to be held in Berlin in 2027.
The impressive Upper House Chamber of the Parliament provided the venue for the session of the Hungarian–German Youth Parliament. In the front row (left to right): Imre Ritter, Dr László Kövér and Dr Erzsébet Knáb (Photo: Dávid Rokob)
