“We are gathered here to remember the heroes of the 1848 Revolution. And also to pay tribute to those who have done so much for our university and our community,” said Dr. Béla Merkely in his speech at the beginning of the event held at the NET Building. The rector pointed out that the commemoration of the March 15 revolution is a long-standing tradition at Semmelweis University, but in 2020 and 2021 the coronavirus pandemic prevented the university from holding a joint event to honor the heroes of 1848, and this year’s event is also different from the usual one.
“Today, when war is raging in a neighboring country close to us, when millions of lives are in imminent danger, and when more than 200,000 people have fled to our country alone, the commemoration of the events of 174 years ago is seen in a different light. At such a time, the role of our vocation, the role of healing, is reassessed or rather revalued. The importance of saving lives in peacetime is clear, but in such times of emergency, it is a responsibility that overrides all else,” he said, referring in particular to the heroism of doctors and medical students who stood up for the cause in 1848-49 and the role of the university during the coronavirus pandemic.
Now that COVID-19 is on the way out, we have to help the victims of the war, and that is just as serious a task as fighting the pandemic. From the very beginning, our university has been helping refugees from Ukraine in several areas. In addition to teaching and research, our core mission is patient care. So it was natural for us to provide immediate medical care to patients who have fled Ukraine. We also feel it is important to enable medical and health students who have previously studied there to continue their studies with us on a temporary basis.
– Dr. Béla Merkely said, expressing his appreciation to the staff who are helping to alleviate the humanitarian challenge on a daily basis. He added that it is in these uncertain and difficult times that traditions, memories and values rooted in the past are most needed. He also highlighted the sacrifice and commitment of the staff honored during the event.
“To stand here today and speak Hungarian, we needed the sacrifice of the heroes of 1848. Freedom and national independence were not given to us as a gift, but were won by our forefathers, and it is our duty to preserve and commemorate them,” said Balázs Hankó, Deputy State Secretary for Higher Education. He recalled the events of the revolution and the importance of the April Laws. “The framework in which we live today and which we take so much for granted – equality of rights, representation of the people, freedom of the press – was born then. This is what makes the 1848 revolution one of the most successful transformations in our history,” he said, highlighting the role of Frigyes Korányi, Lajos Markusovszky and Károly Thán, among the emblematic figures of the university, in these historic events. Dr. Balázs Hankó pointed out that it is conscious construction that can lead to outstanding results – and it is also sacrifice and service that have made the university the leading institution of higher education in medicine in Central Europe and, in the years to come, in Europe.
In his speech, Dr. Péter Torzsa, Head of the Department of Family Medicine, emphasized the importance of fateful moments, patriotism and loyalty: “The era in which we live perhaps does not demand from us such extreme self-sacrifice as from the heroes of the War of Independence. We live in a time of creative work. But it makes a difference what words and phrases we carry in our hearts in our daily work,” he said. He also pointed out that, whether it was screening, patient care or vaccination, Semmelweis University was at the forefront of the fight against the pandemic.
During the ceremony, Rector Dr. Béla Merkely and Deputy State Secretary Dr. Balázs Hankó also presented the awards previously awarded on the recommendation of the Prime Minister’s Office and the Ministry for Innovation and Technology. Rector Merkely awarded the Pro Universitate Award to several recipients, and also presented the Outstanding Staff and Outstanding Conductor awards, as well as Rector’s Commendations.
Various other university leaders presented additional awards to faculty members and students at the event.
Gallery
Szabó Ádám
Translation: Tamás Deme
Photo: Bálint Barta, Attila Kovács – Semmelweis University
