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The future is easy because it will arrive predictably – an interview with Albert-László Barabási

2024. június 24. 19:14

Is there a principle that can help us understand phenomena as diverse as computer networks, electric circuits, biochemistry, pandemics, or the number of friends we have on Facebook? Network scientist Albert-László Barabási gave us some insight into the magical world of network science while we chatted about COVID, the ecological crisis, future prediction, and – surprisingly – the role of the arts.

A Character in World Poetry Called Petőfi

2024. június 24. 18:37

Two hundred years ago a poet, considered by Hungarians to be the epitome of a poet, was born. When, as a child, I told my parents and grandparents that I wanted to be a poet, they laughed. My family had been poor farmers for centuries. There was not even a teacher among them. Farmers become farmers, not poets, my parents thought and laughed, but some children are crazy. He’ll outgrow this, the way children outgrow their clothes. But I was determined, so as a final argument they told me that there already is a poet: Petőfi.

Dávid Rózsa: „There will always be a need for people who can help guide us through the flood of information”

2024. június 24. 9:25

What roles might the National Széchényi Library continue to play in a world in which far more books and journals are published digitally than actually go to the printing press? And what roles might it play in a world in which people arguably read less and less? What are the oldest documents in the library’s collection? Which items from the various collections are stored in digital formats, in the archives in Svalbard, to be preserved in case of an apocalypse? We touched on these questions and more in a conversation with Dávid Rózsa, Director-General of the National Széchényi Library.

We, hungarians

We have been living in the Carpathian Basin for 1100 years, so we have a great responsibility to respond to the challenges of today. One of the greatest lessons of Hungarian history is that we do not see ourselves as victims of history, but rather as survivors. Without identity and sovereignty, however, there is no capacity to act, which is why the establishment of the Centre is an important step. For the intellectual and collections wealth that these public collections hold must be passed on to future generations in the most effective way possible, and this requires simple, transparent and proportionate operation and communication. In this spirit, a series of programmes entitled 1100 Years in Europe, 20 Years in the Union is being launched in conjunction with the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Innovation.