Although in Hungary the technology is still in its infancy and the legal background not clarified, the emergence of digital texts and e-readers along with the fall of printed book turnover is a phenomenon which is experienced throughout the world. So the question comes up: what’s next? Give me the latest version of the iPad and Kindle or leave me alone with all this stuff because I’m a bibliophile? Experts who were invited to the topic-related presentation of the fifth MEDIA Conference in Budapest were searching for answers together with students to the issues of copyright and content-sharing problems as well as to questions connected to publishers’ and distributors’ strategies.


Among the guests were Eszter Gyuricza, head of Hungary’s leading publisher and bookstore Alexandra; dr. Balázs Bodó economist, senior lecturer at the Faculty of Economics of the Budapest University of Technology and Economics; and Péter Weiler, managing director of eBook Hungary Ltd .

First of all, the presenters made it clear that having different ideas about technological innovations comes naturally to the youth because they grew up in a digital world.

According to Péter Weiler, eBook Hungary started with an approach which aimed at preparing readers for a new world where digital texts succeed traditional books, which is already well-known in the Western countries. Whether books are really going to disappear or not is a controversial point because, despite preliminary expectations, the radio was also not abolished by television, but the market is definitely undergoing a change. The company invests its faith not in technology, but in people who may love digital reading in the future.

The Hungarian Higher Education Act is attacked at international level, too

We have already reported about new developments in the Hungarian higher education. The scary draft of the new law on higher education did not leave any other choice for students than marching to the streets and protesting for their rights. Probably most of them did not even think that people beyond our borders share their outrage – but this was proved wrong by Allan Päll, president of European Students’ Union and Stephan Stainbach, advisor of International Bureau of Austrian Student Union who both attended the demonstration on 27th October and made speeches before the crowd of around ten thousand, beside their Hungarian counterparts.



Although the jokes referring to Rózsa [Rose] Hoffmann and the rose metaphor were quite lame, the transparents at the demonstration were actually a lot more creative. According to the organizers, approximately ten thousand people came together in front of the building of the Ministry of National Resources in Budapest (housing the State Secretariat of Education) to express their discontent about the controversial points of the new law on higher education, such as the obligation to work in Hungary, the (hidden) tuition fees and limitations on student self-government. Students’ dissatisfaction appeared on a national level, which was shown by the participation of representatives from universities and colleges from around the country.

The importance of the case is highlighted by the fact that student governments from abroad provided their understanding and support for Hungarian youth on international level.

Young Hungarians are seeking a better life in Brussels

For the adult generation which grew up after Hungary joined the European Union, there are no material, sociological or educational barriers to make livelihood or a new life abroad. Although among the country's population, Hungarians’ willingness for mobility is only 22 per cent and still below the EU average, almost 100.000 people have moved away from their homeland in the past few years. But what motivates youth to leave behind their past lives even without a plan? Do the general stereotypes like 'The grass is always greener on the other side' or 'West is the land of milk and honey' give them power? We asked approximately fifty young Hungarians living in Brussels, what made them go to that city and what keeps them there.

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by Tamás Kovács

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cafebabel.com: Erzsi, your lyrics are made up of words you create. Where did you get the idea of ‘languagelessness’ from?
Erzsi Kiss: I didn’t have a model for this – it’s something that comes from my childhood. When I was involved in theatre, I often got to improvise or imitate african languages and drums. I find that african languages liven up percussion music and I often look for that kind of onomatopoeic word. So I had two sources of inspiration: western ideas, musical elements and songs which I’ve been working on since my childhood, but also these arabic and slavic rhythms which I used to improvise on stage.

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Romania has recently announced plans to evict roma from the northern town of Baia Mare, in a move which could leave hundreds homeless. The move emphasises the continued urgency of the theme ‘roma women in central and eastern Europe’, discussed during the European women's lobby’s conference in Budapest on 7 April this year. The lobby aims to bring the double discrimination that roma women endure to the attention of European decision-makers. Interview with Brigitte Triems, the lobby's president.

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The concept of a gay quarter in Budapest was on the agenda but current economic and political circumstances do not favor the LGBT world. Nevertheless Capella and Alterego bar&lounge are gay friendly.

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Etre femme et Rom en Europe Centrale et de l’Est

par Linda Krajcsó

En Hongrie, les Roms fuient Gyöngyöspata par peur de la violence des milices d’extrême-droite. C’est donc dans la capitale hongroise que le Lobby Européen des Femmes a organisé une conférence sur les femmes Roms en Europe centrale et de l’est. Objectif : alerter les décideurs européens sur la double discrimination subie par les femmes Roms. Entretien avec Brigitte Triems, la présidente du Lobby.

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