Final Round of the High School Competition: “NATO and Youth – The Role and Place of Hungarians in Alliance Systems”
The national final of the high school competition titled “NATO and Youth – The Role and Place of Hungarians in Alliance Systems” was held on January 30, 2025, in Eger, at the Glass Hall of the Town Hall on Dobó Square. The event was jointly organized by the Agria Universitas Association and the Hungarian Atlantic Council. Nine teams earned their place in the final in Eger by successfully overcoming the challenges of the two previous rounds. Teams from Budapest, Pécs, Szeged, Tiszafüred, Nyíregyháza, and Tokaj competed for prizes and recognition. The competition series, launched in 2024, focused on NATO as its central theme, marking the 25th anniversary of Hungary’s accession to the Alliance on March 12, 2024.
A zsűri elnöki tisztségét Dr. Ágnes Horváth, university professor and President of AUE, látta el, tagjai: Ambassador Dr. István Gyarmati, Secretary General of the Hungarian Atlantic Council, Dr. Tünde Gerelyes-Ivanyik, Head of Department, Directorate for Security Policy and Non-Proliferation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Attila Kovács, journalist and Press Officer of the Hungarian Atlantic Council, és Áron Lázin, Head of the Youth Section of the Hungarian Atlantic Council voltak. A ceremóniamesteri tisztséget László Keresztes látta el, a Hungarian Atlantic Council képviseletében. Nélkülözhetetlen munkájukkal hozzájárultak a verseny sikeréhez a Hungarian Youth Atlantic Council tagjai, Judit Lilla Kanizsai, Bence Koppány Molnár és Dorián Krisztofer Csete. Végül nem mehetünk el Professor Lajos Hacsi értékes tapasztalata mellett, mint veteran organizer.
At the lively and engaging competition, the teams completed a wide variety of complex tasks. They confidently tackled challenges such as identifying NATO member countries and their capitals, as well as recognizing political figures from portraits. In addition, they were required to explain the benefits and obligations arising from Hungary’s NATO membership and to present the country’s participation in NATO missions. They also had to argue both for and against the accession of countries aspiring to join NATO. Throughout the final round, the teams repeatedly demonstrated their comprehensive knowledge of NATO.
The first place was awarded to the team of Laura Balla, Ákos Bíró, and Anna Gál from BGSZC Keleti Károly Economic Technicum in Budapest. Their teacher was Veronika Kutassy-Fecske.
Second place went to the team of Bence Lusztig, Ákos Kovács, and Bertalan Pintér from Lőwei Klára Secondary School in Pécs. Their teacher was Krisztina Radványi.
The team of Máté Ferenc Györki, Márk Kókai, and Mátyás Zalán Molnár from SZC Csonka János Technikum in Szeged finished in third place. Their teacher was István Szalkai.
Special prizes were awarded to Laura Balla and Bence Lusztig.
Thanks to the support of the Hungarian Atlantic Council, the European Union, and NATO, the first and second place teams will be rewarded with a four-day study trip to Brussels, while the third-place team and the special prize winners will participate in a two-day professional study trip to Vienna.
The teams that qualified for the final will take part in a professional study visit to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a one-day field trip to the Hungarian Defence Forces Ludovika Battalion’s training base in Ócsa.
Congratulations to the winners, all participants, and their teachers — excellent work from everyone involved!
