The MCC Feszt, held for the fourth time in Esztergom, was a huge success, featuring 300 speakers, more than 100 professional programs, over 40 music events and 150 exhibitors on the Edu promenade. The three-day music festival organized by the Mathias Corvinus Collegium (MCC) attracted almost 49 thousand visitors, marking an absolute record in the festival's history.
MCC's event has become one of Hungary's most significant international intellectual gatherings, also offering a series of high-quality pop music programs. At the festival, many Hungarian and foreign experts, public figures and academicians shared their thoughts.
120 foreign speakers from more than thirty countries accepted the organizers' invitation.
The recent European Parliament elections were analyzed by Sebastian Kurz, former Austrian chancellor, Jan Figel, former Slovak minister and EU commissioner, Balazs Orban, chairman of the MCC board of trustees and the political director of the Hungarian prime minister, as well as Zoltan Szalai, the MCC's director general.
Ministers presented the government's strategy at the MCC Feszt. Minister for European Union Affairs Janos Boka drew attention to the need to restore Europe's competitiveness as one of the priorities during Hungary's EU presidency. Defense Minister Kristof Szalay-Bobrovniczky highlighted the need to re-establish the social recognition of soldiers, while Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto spoke about the challenges facing Hungary's foreign policy.
Known for triggering the Harvard plagiarism scandal, Chris Rufo, senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, praised Hungary's immigration policy. British historian Peter Frankopan elaborated on the geopolitical significance of the next ten years, while gastroenterologist Richard Schwab talked about the effects of the Hungarians' eating habits.
There were also exciting debates on foreign capital investment in Hungary, conservative education, the organization of the Olympic Games and the state of journalism.
The so-called Edu promenade, featuring more than 150 exhibitors, offered interactive and family activities. On all three days, crowds of people strolled along the stalls to find out about the MCC's training programs, institutes, partners, and cooperating student organizations. This year, in parallel with the Olympics, MCC students organized a sports day and discussions about sports.
In the evening and early morning hours, entertainment was provided by well-known Hungarian pop musicians and bands such as Akos, Majka, Ivan & The Parazol, Tankcsapda and many others. The folk tent was a huge success, where adults and students alike took part in activities, dance houses and folk music parties.
