PTE Welcomes EU Ambassadors at the 10th Zsolnay Light Festival

The historic city of Pécs was illuminated for the 10th anniversary edition of the Zsolnay Light Festival, a spectacular celebration of art, creativity, and international collaboration. With Ireland serving as the guest country of honour to mark the beginning of its presidency of the Council of the European Union, a delegation of EU ambassadors visited the city. Fon 3rd of July 2026, the University of Pécs (PTE) hosted the prestigious gathering which served as an important platform to champion European unity, internationalisation, and the future of higher education.

Present at the event were Ragnar Almqvist representing Ireland, Jeroen Vergeylen representing the Kingdom of Belgium, Maria Ivanova Anguelieva representing the Republic of Bulgaria, and Homer A. Mavrommatis representing the Republic of Cyprus. Furthermore, the meeting was attended by Pertti Juhani Anttinen as the delegate for the Republic of Finland, Julia Katharina Gross for the Federal Republic of Germany, Dr. Giuseppe Scognamiglio for the Italian Republic, and Mindaugas Rukštelė for the Republic of Lithuania. The delegation also included Maria Cristina Xavier Castanheta as the Ambassador of the Portuguese Republic, Gabriel-Cătălin Şopandă as the Ambassador of Romania, Anžej Frangeš as the Ambassador of the Republic of Slovenia, Luis Ángel Redondo Gómez as the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Spain, and Diana Helen Madunic as the Ambassador of Sweden.

Speaking to the distinguished European guests at the opening event, Prof. Dr. Adrián Fábián, Rector of the University of Pécs, anchored his address around the theme of "new beginnings" and the vital importance of EU integration for the academic community.

The rector drew poignant parallels between Ireland's presidency and the university’s aspirations, specifically addressing the recent challenges in European-Hungarian academic relations and expressing strong optimism for the future.

"I hope that we are getting a new beginning in this sense as well," he emphasised. "Why is it important for my university? Just two key words: Erasmus and Horizon. A new beginning for lecturers, a new beginning for my students. This is an international university, and a new beginning in the international arena is very important not only for the scientific side but also for the educational side."

Following the Rector’s forward-looking remarks, dr. István Tarrósy, director of the International Centre at PTE, delivered a comprehensive presentation showcasing the university's global footprint. He reminded the audience of the institution's deep historical roots before highlighting its modern, dynamic reality. 

Dr. Tarrósy encapsulated the relationship between the university and its host city, a sentiment that resonated deeply during a city-wide festival: "This is a multi-campus regional university. And if you look around Pécs, we would say Pécs is our campus. The entire city is our campus."

The opening ceremony was followed by an international press conference where the Irish light artist, Aideen Berry was officially introduced. Her work was featured during the festival with the collaboration with the Irish Embassy of Hungary.