In the final days of August, the Board of the EU Section of the Hungarian Economic Association (HEA), accompanied by a small delegation, paid a visit to Tren\u010d\u00edn, which this year holds the title of European Capital of Culture jointly with Oulu, Finland. The delegation was led by G\u00e1bor Iv\u00e1n, Chair of the Section, and included Board members Zsolt Becsey, Orsolya Szijj\u00e1rt\u00f3 and P\u00e9ter Mocs\u00e1ry, as well as Imre Juh\u00e1sz, Secretary of the Section. It is worth recalling that in 2023, Veszpr\u00e9m\u2013Balaton held the title of European Capital of Culture, an occasion with which the HEA\u2019s EU Section was also associated through a professional visit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Located in western Slovakia, approximately 240 kilometres from Budapest, Tren\u010d\u00edn has a population of around 55,000 and is hosting a wide range of exhibitions, concerts, cultural events and gastronomic programmes with a European dimension throughout the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The HEA delegation was hosted first at a lunch and subsequently at a meeting by Stanislav Kraj\u010di, CEO of the Tren\u010d\u00edn 2026 European Capital of Culture project; Patrik Zak, Deputy Mayor of Tren\u010d\u00edn; Jan Vaclav, Head of the regional organisation of the Slovak Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Martin Moj\u017ei\u0161, Manager responsible for the European dimension and international relations of the Tren\u010d\u00edn 2026 European Capital of Culture project; Iveta Ni\u0148ajov\u00e1, responsible for tourism and regional relations within the Tren\u010d\u00edn 2026 European Capital of Culture project; and Luk\u00e1\u0161 Trnk\u00f3ci, the Tren\u010d\u00edn Region official responsible for education and culture and coordinator of the region\u2019s European Capital of Culture project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During the meeting, the Hungarian guests presented an overview of the activities of the HEA, including those of its EU Section.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The officials responsible for the European Capital of Culture programme in Tren\u010d\u00edn had prepared a diverse and highly informative programme for the Hungarian delegation. Following an official lunch devoted to topics of mutual interest, the guests visited, among other sites, the city\u2019s iconic castle, the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, and the synagogue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the second day of the visit, the delegation toured the RONA glassworks and its museum in Lednick\u00e9 Rovn\u00e9, approximately 20 kilometres from Tren\u010d\u00edn. RONA is Slovakia\u2019s most significant domestically owned exporting company, employing more than 1,000 people. The official programme concluded in Dubnica nad V\u00e1hom (M\u00e1riat\u00f6lgyes), with a visit to the former castle of the Ill\u00e9sh\u00e1zy dynasty, a family well known from Hungarian history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The two-day programme provided an opportunity to gain insight into the cultural, economic and tourism background of the Tren\u010d\u00edn 2026 European Capital of Culture project. At the same time, it highlighted that the city and its surrounding area, rich in historical sites and events, will remain well worth visiting even after the project comes to an end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n