Sziget Receives International "Green" Recognition

The Sziget (or ‘Island’) Festival in Budapest has been awarded the "Recommended" rating by Greener Festival 2024. The recognition reflects the festival's commitment to sustainability, from reducing waste and using renewable energy sources to promoting inclusivity and responsible dining. Sziget also took home the Greener Innovation Award at the recent ‘A Greener Future’ (AGF) international awards ceremony at the Royal Lancaster in London.

The Greener Future is a non-profit organization focused on improving the environmental sustainability of live events, festivals and venues worldwide. AGF was founded in 2007 and since then has provided the world's first and most comprehensive sustainability standard for the live events sector.

At the organization’s awards ceremony this year, Sziget was awarded a 'Recommended' rating for its sustainability efforts, which denotes a well-managed, environmentally conscious event that goes above and beyond to make a positive difference. According to the rating, the Island has shown a strong commitment to social inclusion and sustainability with initiatives such as XS Land, which raises awareness of the challenges faced by people with disabilities in their daily lives, and the Magic Mirror venue, which promotes acceptance of each other. "The Island Green Points, the Think for Tomorrow stage and the Civic Island actively engage visitors in a unique fusion of social and environmental initiatives, creating a vibrant and progressive festival atmosphere," the AGF says.

The rating highlighted the Island's waste reduction initiatives, its long-standing recycling program, the tent registration system and the Island Passport Game, which rewarded participants for learning about sustainable practices. "Sziget clearly stands out among festivals by creatively combining fun with social responsibility on the Island of Freedom," they wrote, adding that the festival shows an enthusiastic commitment to more sustainable festivaling, with a focus on best practices for the future.