Arriving in Budapest as Argentina’s ambassador was, in many ways, both a return and a discovery. A return to Central Europe, a region I had studied and explored from various angles throughout my career, and a discovery of a country that welcomed me with a heartfelt blend of history, sophistication, identity and warmth. But above […]
In its WittyLeaks series, Diplomacy and Trade regularly publishes the personal accounts of ambassadors and other mission leaders accredited in the Hungarian capital on their experiences on 'excursions' into Hungarian culture, art, gastronomy, customs, scenery, etc. This time, the Irish ambassador explains how baking binds Budapest and Dublin. Arriving on post, a new diplomat can expect to […]
One of the main reasons why I wished to be appointed for a second term as Ambassador of Switzerland to Hungary and why I enjoy my second term so much is certainly the fact that as a Swiss Ambassador to Hungary – and as ambassador of any country in Hungary, I am quite sure – […]
There is a phrase in Hungary – “Valaminek a Csimborasszója” – which means the peak of something in the Hungarian language. It is similar to the Chimborazo of Ecuador, an imposing dormant volcano in my country that has a fascinating and symbolic connection with the world, both from a geographical as well as cultural and […]
In the WittyLeaks series, Diplomacy&Trade regularly publishes the personal accounts of ambassadors and other diplomatic mission leaders accredited to Budapest. I arrived in Budapest end of November 2021, when the sky is gloomy and grey. I got myself an apartment to rent in downtown District 5 so that I could walk to work. The place […]
In the WittyLeaks series, Diplomacy&Trade regularly publishes the personal accounts of ambassadors and other diplomatic mission leaders accredited to Budapest. As I stepped into the role of the Ambassador of Egypt to Hungary, little did I know that this opportunity would lead me on a remarkable journey of discovery, cultural immersion, and friendship. From the […]
Prior to the recent visit to the Hungarian capital by Pope Francis, there were numerous requests to the Apostolic Nunciature in Budapest for an audience by the Pope. One of these came from the Argentine Embassy in Hungary. Their request was accepted and the Embassy issued a statement about the audience the circumstances of which […]
Becoming a diplomat has been my dream since my early youth. Learning about other countries, cultures, and peoples, communicating with them in their languages and serving my country at the same time have always attracted me very much. Diplomacy to me is not only my work but also the way of life, my hobby and […]
When my transfer to Budapest was announced in October 2021, I felt great joy and satisfaction, as I would be completing my diplomatic career in a country with a long and glorious history whose people have been linked to the Greek people for centuries. Thus, I arrived in Budapest on January 19, 2020, full of […]
During my country’s history as an independent nation – and especially during the first half of the 20th century –, thousands of multifaceted and hard-working people emigrated to the long and narrow land, washed by the waters of the Pacific Ocean, that we call Chile. Among them, a small but talented group of Hungarian artists, […]
The last time I wrote for this column, the topic how sport connects people. Don't worry, I will not bore you with football again, rather with other forms of connectivity like experience or enjoyment. I have been working at our Embassy in Budapest for 12 years now and even prior to that, I had the […]
Over a year ago, in the heat of the COVID-19 pandemic, I was designated as the next Bulgarian Ambassador to Hungary. At the time, there were not too many options to travel by air, so I decided to reach Budapest by car and this gave me the freedom to pick the date of my entry. […]
In Diplomacy & Trade’s Witty Leaks series, diplomats give their personal account of the experiences of their 'excursions' to Hungarian culture, art, gastronomy and landscape. This time, it is about how musical collaboration becomes a tool of cultural promotion. It’s still a very fresh memory how I came to visit Hungary for the first time, […]
As we have entered a new year, I look back at 2021 with very mixed feelings. As in 2020, the COVID pandemic continued to affect our lives negatively, sometimes even with tragic effects. One year ago, my father passed away in Switzerland – not from COVID, but with COVID – and we were not able […]
A diplomatic career appears interesting and even exciting to some, but in reality, it is filled with various routines and ceremonies, which are monotonous at times. At the same time, diplomacy requires dealing with a series of tense, if not conflicting, situations in which one must often find carefully measured compromises and solutions, when it […]
