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Debrecen and the University of Debrecen will never forget the greatness of the martyred Prime Minister, Count István Tisza, and all that he did for the city, said György Kossa, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Count István Tisza Foundation for the University of Debrecen, in his welcome speech at the Senate's formal session.
- The memory of our Prime Minister of moral greatness means a great deal to all those in Debrecen who are committed to science and education, and it means a great deal to us, the members of the Board of Trustees. We are faithfully following the instructions left to us by Count István Tisza, which marked out the goals through which higher education in Debrecen can preserve its five-century-old reputation and we can look to the future of the University of Debrecen with well-founded confidence," said the Chairman of the Board of Trustees.
He recalled that the University bore the name of Count István Tisza until 1945, and collected relics related to him and his family for decades.
Zoltán Szilvássy, Rector of the University of Debrecen, described Tuesday's event as a very special meeting of the Senate, where the past meets the future.
- Count István Tisza, twice Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Hungary and the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, did a great deal for the university. It is to his credit that, after the Imperial Council voted against it, Franz Joseph I decided to establish the modern-day University of Debrecen by Act 36 of 1912, exactly the way István Tisza had proposed to him. Today we acknowledge and pay tribute to the past and at the same time to those with whom we are building the future. They are our honorees who strengthen the ever-expanding network of connections of our university, from America to the other side of the Pacific," said Zoltán Szilvássy, Rector.
In his welcome speech, Zoltán Bács, Chancellor of the University, also praised the award winners and their achievements.
- The University of Debrecen is a community. There are teaching, research, staff and student communities, but it also operates at the level of larger units, institutes and faculties, and it is very important to find members of our community outside the university. Those who were once students of the University and are now leaders in various public and other organizations continue to help the University, in its present and future. We also, of course, honor our staff who are outstanding achievers, and they are honored on special occasions. I believe that the successful community building of the past 15-20 years is the right way to go, which contributes strongly to the fact that we can count on each other, to the fact that the University of Debrecen is a buzzword," the Chancellor said, addressing the guests.
At the ceremony, László Pósán, Member of Parliament and Chairman of the Cultural Committee of the National Assembly, gave a historical overview of the political career of Count István Tisza, the four assassinations against him and the events of his final day, 31 October 1918.
He emphasized that in modern Hungarian history, many prime ministers had met violent deaths, but István Tisza was the only one to be assassinated, and that his fate coincided with the collapse of historic Hungary. In his remembrance, he also touched on the story of the statue of the former prime minister in Debrecen, erected in 1926. The statue was placed in its final location in 2016, in front of the Main Building, where it was originally intended.
- The history of our university, linked to István Tisza, still defines the most important task and the main vocation of our institution. To recall the late Prime Minister: to fight for a just and holy cause, i.e. for the Hungarian nation, is a beautiful thing, to die for a just and holy cause is glorification. I wish that in the future not glorification, but true beauty will be our legacy here in Debrecen and in the whole country - concluded László Pósán.
Following the toasts at the formal Senate meeting, three of the University's experts were appointed as academic advisors. Based on the decision of the Senate, Viktória Jeney, a staff member of the Research Centre for Molecular Medicine of the Faculty of Medicine, Csilla Ágota Rákosi, a staff member of the Institute of German Studies of the Faculty of Humanities and László Zsombik, Director of the Agricultural Research Institutes and Agricultural Research Institute of Nyíregyháza, were appointed scientific advisors with effect from 1 September 2024.
Three people were awarded the Pro Universitate Debreceniensi 2000 medal at the ceremony. The prize is awarded to those natural and legal persons from Hungary and abroad who have contributed in an outstanding way to the teaching and research work of the University, have contributed to the development of the institution, have increased its recognition at home and abroad, and have played a significant role in the development of the University's social and scientific relations. This year, the University of Debrecen awarded the medal to Hans-Peter Kemser, President and CEO of BMW Debrecen, Béla Kocsy, Agricultural and Environmental Diplomat at the Hungarian Embassy in Washington, and Zsolt György Papp, President of the National Chamber of Agriculture.
The University of Debrecen honors the memory and spirit of Count István Tisza and his activities in the interests of national and, within this, Debrecen higher education with the István Tisza Award. The medal was awarded to István Jakab, Vice President of the Parliament, and Ferenc Miklóssy, President of the Hajdú-Bihar County Chamber of Commerce and Industry, for their outstanding support of the university's work and their long-standing activities in the realization of its strategic objectives.
The University of Debrecen also awarded one of its highest honors to Aurelia Skipwith Giacometto, Secretary of the Environment of the State of Louisiana, who was made an honorary citizen of the institution. The title of Civis honoris causa is a high degree of recognition that the university only uses in exceptional cases. It may be awarded to a national or foreign person who has made an outstanding public or artistic contribution and who has helped to enhance the reputation of the University or one of its departments through their work, moral or financial support.
Aurelia Skipwith Giacometto is an American lawyer, biologist and former director of the US Fish and Wildlife Service. She was born and raised in Indianapolis, the eldest of nine children. Her family eventually settled in Mississippi, where her grandparents were farmers. She graduated from Howard University in 2003 with a degree in Biology, and also holds a degree in Molecular Genetics and a law degree.
She began his career as a laboratory technician at Monsanto in 2006 and has also worked as a manager for the Sustainable Agriculture Partnership. Following her work at Monsanto, she attended law school and had a brief career as a researcher and legal intern at the US Department of Agriculture. She also served as an intellectual property consultant for the United States Agency for International Development. She worked for a time at Alltech, a company specializing in animal nutrition and algae production, and later co-founded the agricultural "blockchain" company AVC Global with her husband.
For almost three years, she served as Assistant Secretary of State for Fish, Wildlife and Parks at the Department of the Interior, where she was responsible for ensuring the protection and care of wildlife, fish, plants and water. She has assisted in policy planning and oversight of regulatory actions of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service. Since January 2024, she has been Secretary for the Environment in the state of Louisiana.
Aurelia Skipwith Giacometto and her network of contacts support the collaboration between the University of Debrecen and the University of South Dakota in the field of agriculture for joint degree programs. She is involved in the development of joint research programmers, supports UD's US collaborations and research in agriculture and other fields, and encourages the expansion of bilateral exchanges - emphasizing the importance of international experience in education.
The ceremony was also attended by the descendants of Count István Tisza, Ilona Tisza, Gréta Tisza and Mátyás Tisza, who, together with members of the Senate and invited guests, watched a film made by the University for the occasion, commemorating the former Prime Minister.
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