Katalin Bogyay
Encyclopedia
Katalin Bogyay is the President of the General Conference of UNESCO
(2011-2013) and the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary and Permanent Delegate of Hungary to UNESCO
(2009-).
, Hungary. Bogyay read Economics
at the Corvinus University of Budapest
(formerly the Karl Marx University of Economic Sciences), holds a postgraduate diploma in Journalism and a Master of Arts in Communications.
.
In 1994, with another scholarship
from the British Government, she received a Master of Arts in Communications from the University of Westminster
and in 1995 she studied Counseling at the Westminster Pastoral Foundation.
Bogyay started her career as a theatre and music critic, later becoming a presenter, producer and senior editor of Music and the Arts at the Hungarian National Television (Magyar Televízió
or MTV). After hosting many concert galas and interviewing celebrities from all over the world, she hosted her own show, 'Katalin Bogyay and her Guests.'
She went on to become an international broadcaster and documentary film-maker, working throughout the 1990s as an independent producer based in London notably for European Business News
, BBC Radio
, Global Vision Network, MTV, Danube TV
. In 1999 she led the UNESCO
Communication Campaign for the World Conference on Science.
Bogyay has also written and published four books: Dajka (1989), In Memoriam Pilinszky (1990), My Meetings in the World (1996), which covers some of the global figures she has interviewed, and The Voice of Freedom (2006), which features interviews concerning the 1956 revolution.
Márta Mészáros made a documentary film about her in 2002( "Woman and politics") ,and Hedvig Dvorszky wrote an interview book about her in 2010("In the Service of Hungarian Culture").
As Director General she opened the Hungarian Cultural Centre in 1999 in the heart of London's Covent Garden
. The Centre was uniquely and recognisably successful in putting Hungary on the cultural map of the United Kingdom.
To mark Hungary's entrance into the EU in 2004, Bogyay masterminded Magyar Magic, a seventeen-month-long festival celebrating Hungarian talent throughout Britain under the dual patronage of Her Majesty the Queen and the President of the Republic of Hungary.
She gave a platform to over two thousand Hungarian and British artists in a cross cultural bridge-building exercise and organised more than five hundred events with more than 300 British partner organizations. The audience for these in Britain alone topped one million. Before her departure from London in 2006 HRH The Prince of Wales noted that "Hungary is lucky to have you back and London will miss you a lot!"
In the course of her multifaceted activities she has become convinced that her bridge-building philosophy and approach can be extended to other key countries as well as to the fields of science and education, which today are becoming increasingly interlinked with culture.
In 2007 Bogyay was selected by the London School of Economics
and the Financial Times Business as one of the Top 50 thinkers for a publication: EU The Next Fifty Years. In her invited editorial she wrote about the new European cultural space.
In 2007 she represented Eastern, Central and Southern Europe as one of the deputy chairpersons of the Cultural Committee at the UNESCO
's General Conference. In 2009 she served as one of the vice presidents of the 35th General Conference of the UNESCO.
Her educational interests include the Liszt Academy Network, which she co-founded and launched at Kensington Palace with the support of HRH Prince Charles in 2001.
Between July 2006 and April 2009 Bogyay served as the State Secretary for International Affairs at the Hungarian Ministry of Education and Culture.
Since September 2009 she has been based in Paris as Hungary's Ambassador to UNESCO.
On 5 October 2011 UNESCO's Executive Board unanimously proposed Ms Bogyay as President of UNESCO's 36th General Conference.
On 25 October 2011 the General Conference unanimously elected Ms Bogyay as President of UNESCO's 36th General Conference.
Ms Bogyay succeeded Davidson L. Hepburn (Commonwealth of The Bahamas) who presided the 35th session.
and is currently a trainee solicitor
at an international law firm in the City of London
.
(FRSA) in London. In 2009 she was awarded the Aphelandra Prize for her work in cultural diplomacy
.She is also an Honorary Fellow of the Imago- International Multi-Lingual Psychotherapy Centre in London.
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
(2011-2013) and the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary and Permanent Delegate of Hungary to UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
(2009-).
Biography
Katalin Bogyay was born in SzékesfehérvárSzékesfehérvár
Székesfehérvár is a city in central Hungary and is the 9th largest in the country. Located around southwest of Budapest. It is inhabited by 101,973 people , with 136,995 in the Székesfehérvár Subregion. The city is the centre of Fejér county and the regional centre of Central Transdanubia...
, Hungary. Bogyay read Economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
at the Corvinus University of Budapest
Corvinus University of Budapest
The Corvinus University of Budapest is one of the most prestigious Hungarian universities located in Budapest, Hungary. The university offers degrees in multiple disciplines, but it is characterised by its programmes in economics and management. -History:...
(formerly the Karl Marx University of Economic Sciences), holds a postgraduate diploma in Journalism and a Master of Arts in Communications.
Professional career
Following the fall of communism, in 1990 she became the first Hungarian television personality to be awarded a Know How Fund Scholarship to study media in democracy at the BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
.
In 1994, with another scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
from the British Government, she received a Master of Arts in Communications from the University of Westminster
University of Westminster
The University of Westminster is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom. Its origins go back to the foundation of the Royal Polytechnic Institution in 1838, and it was awarded university status in 1992.The university's headquarters and original campus are based on Regent...
and in 1995 she studied Counseling at the Westminster Pastoral Foundation.
Bogyay started her career as a theatre and music critic, later becoming a presenter, producer and senior editor of Music and the Arts at the Hungarian National Television (Magyar Televízió
Magyar Televízió
Magyar Televízió is the Hungarian national public service television company, with three TV channels, called m1 , m2 and m3....
or MTV). After hosting many concert galas and interviewing celebrities from all over the world, she hosted her own show, 'Katalin Bogyay and her Guests.'
She went on to become an international broadcaster and documentary film-maker, working throughout the 1990s as an independent producer based in London notably for European Business News
CNBC Europe
CNBC Europe is a business and financial news television channel, the pan-European sister station of CNBC. The network is owned and operated by NBC Universal and headquartered in London, where it shares the Adrian Smith-designed 10 Fleet Place building with Dow Jones...
, BBC Radio
BBC Radio
BBC Radio is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927. For a history of BBC radio prior to 1927 see British Broadcasting Company...
, Global Vision Network, MTV, Danube TV
Duna TV
Duna TV or Duna Televízió is one of two public television services in Hungary. "Duna" is the Hungarian name for the Danube. Duna TV operates two channels: Channel 1 and Channel 2-Autonómia....
. In 1999 she led the UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
Communication Campaign for the World Conference on Science.
Bogyay has also written and published four books: Dajka (1989), In Memoriam Pilinszky (1990), My Meetings in the World (1996), which covers some of the global figures she has interviewed, and The Voice of Freedom (2006), which features interviews concerning the 1956 revolution.
Márta Mészáros made a documentary film about her in 2002( "Woman and politics") ,and Hedvig Dvorszky wrote an interview book about her in 2010("In the Service of Hungarian Culture").
Political career
In 1999 she became a diplomat and began working for the Hungarian Ministry for Culture.As Director General she opened the Hungarian Cultural Centre in 1999 in the heart of London's Covent Garden
Covent Garden
Covent Garden is a district in London on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St. Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit and vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist site, and the Royal Opera House, which is also known as...
. The Centre was uniquely and recognisably successful in putting Hungary on the cultural map of the United Kingdom.
To mark Hungary's entrance into the EU in 2004, Bogyay masterminded Magyar Magic, a seventeen-month-long festival celebrating Hungarian talent throughout Britain under the dual patronage of Her Majesty the Queen and the President of the Republic of Hungary.
She gave a platform to over two thousand Hungarian and British artists in a cross cultural bridge-building exercise and organised more than five hundred events with more than 300 British partner organizations. The audience for these in Britain alone topped one million. Before her departure from London in 2006 HRH The Prince of Wales noted that "Hungary is lucky to have you back and London will miss you a lot!"
In the course of her multifaceted activities she has become convinced that her bridge-building philosophy and approach can be extended to other key countries as well as to the fields of science and education, which today are becoming increasingly interlinked with culture.
In 2007 Bogyay was selected by the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
and the Financial Times Business as one of the Top 50 thinkers for a publication: EU The Next Fifty Years. In her invited editorial she wrote about the new European cultural space.
In 2007 she represented Eastern, Central and Southern Europe as one of the deputy chairpersons of the Cultural Committee at the UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
's General Conference. In 2009 she served as one of the vice presidents of the 35th General Conference of the UNESCO.
Her educational interests include the Liszt Academy Network, which she co-founded and launched at Kensington Palace with the support of HRH Prince Charles in 2001.
Between July 2006 and April 2009 Bogyay served as the State Secretary for International Affairs at the Hungarian Ministry of Education and Culture.
Since September 2009 she has been based in Paris as Hungary's Ambassador to UNESCO.
On 5 October 2011 UNESCO's Executive Board unanimously proposed Ms Bogyay as President of UNESCO's 36th General Conference.
On 25 October 2011 the General Conference unanimously elected Ms Bogyay as President of UNESCO's 36th General Conference.
Ms Bogyay succeeded Davidson L. Hepburn (Commonwealth of The Bahamas) who presided the 35th session.
Personal
Her husband is a non-practising lawyer and her son is a graduate of the University of Durham and The College of LawThe College of Law
The College of Law of England and Wales is a private educational institution in England and a registered charity which provides legal education for students and professionals.-20th century:...
and is currently a trainee solicitor
Trainee solicitor
In the United Kingdom, Australia, Hong Kong and certain other English common law jurisdictions, a trainee solicitor is a prospective lawyer undergoing professional training at a law firm to qualify as a full-fledged solicitor...
at an international law firm in the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
.
Awards and recognition
In 2005 she was awarded the Knight's Cross Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary for her contribution to international culture. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of ArtsRoyal Society of Arts
The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufacturers and Commerce is a British multi-disciplinary institution, based in London. The name Royal Society of Arts is frequently used for brevity...
(FRSA) in London. In 2009 she was awarded the Aphelandra Prize for her work in cultural diplomacy
Cultural diplomacy
Cultural diplomacy has existed as a practice for centuries. Explorers, travelers, teachers and artists can be all considered examples of informal ambassadors or early cultural diplomats...
.She is also an Honorary Fellow of the Imago- International Multi-Lingual Psychotherapy Centre in London.