Prof. Dr. Gerhard-Dieter Seewann recieved Nationality Award
On 18. December 2014, the Day of Nationalities the Nationality Award of Hungary was handed over. This year, Prof. dr. Gerhard Seewann, Leader of the der Foundational Department of German History and Culture in Southeastern Central Europe at the University of Pécs recieved the award from Minister Zoltán Balog.
Since 1995, every year in December the Nationality Award – until 2011 under the name "Minority Award" – was handed over. The honour is conferred on such persons, associations and local governments, that had outstanding achievements in the field of public life, education, culture, religion, science, media or other economic self-organisation. In 2014, 6 persons and 4 organisations recieved the prize. The awards were handed over by Zoltán Balog, Minister of Human Resource Development on 18 December 2014, the Day of Nationalities in the Pesti Vigadó.
Zoltán Balog emphasised in his speech: There were people in Hungary with double identities and their dual identity means a mental and spiritual reserve which the country and the culture needed. Hungary's greatest treasure lies in the human resources, the awardees were this year were good examples for it.
Miklós Soltész, State Secretary, Executive Secretary for Church, Nationality and Civil Society Contacts, described the award winners as ambassadors of the nationalities that should be the ambassadors of peace in Hungary and in the Carpathian Basin with their culture, language and faith.
On the part of German nationality the historian Gerhard-Dieter Seewann and Ágnes Huszti recieved the prize. Professor Seewann is since 2007 the Chair of German History and Culture in South Eastern Europe at the University of Pécs, his research and publications are fundamental in the study of German nationalities in Hungary.
Congratulations on the recognition!