The 8th Carpathian Basin Sustainability Theme Week  began on April 24.  The purpose of the program - organized every year close to Earth Day - is to introduce the issue of sustainability to Hungarian students living in the country and beyond its borders. 

This year, the program offered students five exciting environmentally conscious topics: biodiversity, sustainable values, energy, conscious consumption and waste. Each educational package helps children expand their knowledge and learn environmentally conscious thinking with interactive, playful activities. The purpose of the training packages is for students to learn environmental protection and sustainability in a fun and interesting way, while developing responsible and conscious decisions.

This year, 400.000 students from around 1.800 schools are participating in the Sustainability Theme Week, whose chief patron is the former President of Hungary János Áder.

Some organization leaders - Theme Week's supporters -  gave speeches at the opening event held at the MTA headquarters: László Kisfaludy - Deputy State Secretary for Public Education (Ministry of Interior), Gabriella Sódar - Director of Climate Protection (Kék Bolygó Foundation), Anikó Raisz - State Secretary for the Environment and Circular Economy (Ministry of Energy), Zsolt V. Németh - Prime Minister's Commissioner for the Protection of the Hungarian Lifestyle and National Values, Dr. Krisztina Wégner - Head of Environmental Protection, Energy and Quality Management at MÁV Zrt. and Miklós Matolcsy - organizer of the Sustainability Theme Week (PontVelem Nonprofit Kft.). 

At the opening event, those persons, schools and organizations that have done a lot for the success of the Sustainability Theme Week in the past year with outstanding commitment and activity were awarded the “Green Fairy” prize. Hungarian Water Partnership was awarded as the MOST ACTIVE PROFESSIONAL PARTNER of SUSTAINABILITY THEME WEEK.

Actually, this award is for our member companies! The managers and representatives take part every year in the theme week as instructors and speakers, and invite students to visit their companies.

Zoltán Horváth - managing director of HWP Np. Ltd., on behalf of HWP, received the award from Zsolt V. Németh - State Secretary responsible for the water utilities sector of the Ministry of Energy.

Zsolt V. Németh - State Secretary responsible for the water utilities sector of the EM (left), Zoltán Horváth - managing director of HWP Nonprofit Kft. and Miklós Matolcsy - managing director of PontVelem Nonprofit Kft. (right). Photo: PontVelem