{"id":12815,"date":"2018-07-11T15:32:03","date_gmt":"2018-07-11T13:32:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/?p=12815"},"modified":"2018-07-11T15:37:34","modified_gmt":"2018-07-11T13:37:34","slug":"semmelweis-memorial-year-festive-scientific-symposium-and-statue-unveiling","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/2018\/07\/semmelweis-memorial-year-festive-scientific-symposium-and-statue-unveiling\/","title":{"rendered":"Semmelweis memorial year: Festive scientific symposium and statue unveiling"},"content":{"rendered":"

At one of the most important events of the Ign\u00e1c Semmelweis memorial year in honour of the 200th anniversary of the birth of Semmelweis, at the Festive Scientific Symposium held in the Theoretical Block of Semmelweis University at Nagyv\u00e1rad t\u00e9r, several national and foreign speeches were given about the saviour of mothers. The Semmelweis-medallions issued by the Central Bank of Hungary and the Semmelweis-stamp issued by the Hungarian Post were introduced at this event. More than 600 participants were welcomed by Dr. Mikl\u00f3s K\u00e1sler, Minister of Human Capacities, and Dr. \u00c1goston Sz\u00e9l, outgoing rector of Semmelweis University. The final speeches were given by Dr. B\u00e9la Merkely, who took his rector\u2019s office on 1st July and Dr. J\u00f3zsef B\u00f3dis, State Secretary of Education. After the conference, Istv\u00e1n Madarassy\u2019s statue \u201cIn blessed state \u2013 Visitation in memory of Semmelweis\u201d was unveiled in the hall of the External Clinical Block at Kor\u00e1nyi Healthcare Building. <\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>In his welcome speech, Dr. \u00c1goston Sz\u00e9l recalled that the university would be 250 years old the following year and had been bearing the name of Semmelweis for almost 50 years. As Dr. Sz\u00e9l stated, Semmelweis\u2019 recognition was rejected probably because of its simplicity and ingenuity in his era: \u201cit is a tragedy that the doctors in the 19th century were not prepared for taking in handwashing, which was astonishing that time\u201d \u2013 he also highlighted that today Semmelweis is believed to be the hero not only of obstetrics but also of surgery, epidemiology, hygienics, biostatistics and several other medical majors.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Ign\u00e1c Semmelweis is one of the most well-known, most honoured and beloved people of the Hungarian medicine \u2013 claimed Dr. Mikl\u00f3s K\u00e1sler. The Minister of Human Capacities explained the Semmelweis\u2019 fate was almost parallel with the events of the Hungarian Revolution and War of Independence, the motivation was also similar: the unconditional love of truth and the preservation of the freedom of research. The salvation of human life was in Semmelweis\u2019 focus. The minister highlighted that Semmelweis\u2019 memory puts serious responsibility onto the Hungarian medical world and the university bearing his name.<\/p>\n

After the greetings, Eszter Herg\u00e1r, CEO for Social Contacts of the Central Bank of Hungary, introduced the \u201cSemmelweis Memorial Year\u201d medallions, issued by the Central Bank of Hungary and designed by G\u00e1bor Kereszthury, an industrial designer. The silver medallion has 10,000Ft nominal value and the non-ferrous metal medallion has 2,000Ft nominal value. Afterwards, Gabriella Nikod\u00e9m, Director of Stamp Museum gave her speech on the Semmelweis-stamp and together with Dr. Mikl\u00f3s K\u00e1sler by the first postmark they put the stamp in circulation and signed the occasional envelopes.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The first professional lecture was given by Dr. L\u00e1szl\u00f3 Rosivall, President of the Semmelweis Commemorative Committee and main organiser of the event. The professor emeritus outlined the most important events of the memorial year, among others the Semmelweis-drama written by Jens Bjorneboe in 1958 and first performed with great success in Hungary last year in the National Theatre. It was also performed by the students of De\u00e1k T\u00e9r Lutheran Secondary School in the Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology. With the help of the Committee, several Semmelweis statues were unveiled in the world to honour the saviour of mothers. The memory book titled Semmelweis 200, gives unknown details and data about Semmelweis.<\/p>\n

Dr. Frank A. Chervenak (New York) gave his lecture titled \u201cEthical dimensions of puerperal sepsis 170 years ago and today\u201d, Dr. Istv\u00e1n Gazda spoke about Semmelweis from the medical historian\u2019s point of view, Dr. Roberto Romero (Detroit) gave his presentation titled \u201eNew challenges of maternal and fetal infections in the 21st century\u201d Dr. L\u00e1szl\u00f3 Kiss (Csilizradv\u00e1ny) introduced the connection between Semmelweis and the Medical Journal, Dr. Asim Kurjak (Z\u00e1gr\u00e1b) gave his speech titled \u201cThe role of ultrasound in prevention and management of perinatal sepsis\u201d and Dr. Zolt\u00e1n Papp gave his presentation on \u201cCommemoration of the late departmental successor of Ign\u00e1c Semmelweis\u201d.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The closing speech was presented by Dr. B\u00e9la Merkely, Rector. He claimed that Semmelweis University is the flagship of medical- and health science education, research and healing care in Hungary and in the region. He also stated the university\u2019s position in the international rankings, its outstanding publication activity and its internationalism. He emphasised that the main task, according to Semmelweis\u2019 spirit, in the future is to have the university among the 100 best higher educational institutions in the world. The goal is that Semmelweis University will educate the best physicians, pharmacist doctors, health care professionals, conductors and managers not only for Hungary and our nation but also for our wider region \u2013 stated the rector.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Jubilees and ceremonies are important, however, the salute was filled with real content by the university that had adopted Ign\u00e1c Semmelweis\u2019 name 49 years ago and has gained significant results in education, research, scientific results and healing \u2013 told to the audience Dr. J\u00f3zsef B\u00f3dis, State Secretary of Education, the outgoing rector of the University of P\u00e9cs. The President of the Hungarian Society of Obstetrics and Gynaecology added that nowadays we would need geniuses similar to Semmelweis who would find a solution for decreasing the high rate of premature birth.<\/p>\n

After the conference, Istv\u00e1n Madarassy\u2019s statue \u201cIn blessed state \u2013 Visitation in memory of Semmelweis was unveiled in the hall of the External Clinical Block at Kor\u00e1nyi Healthcare Building.<\/p>\n

Dr. L\u00e1szl\u00f3 Rosivall professor emeritus, president of the Semmelweis Commemoration Committee remembered that he had agreed on the creation of the work with the world-famous artist in 2015, the goal of the statue was to be connected to the saviour of mothers in its message rather than in its shape. This is how the fire painted copper statue was created, which captures the biblical meeting of two blessed women, the Virgin Mary and St. Elizabeth.<\/p>\n

This is an occasion for art, which is often faced with science, even though this work also shows that they fit well together – said Dr. \u00c1goston Sz\u00e9l, the outgoing rector of Semmelweis University in his festive greeting. He added that every piece of art carries the message transmitted by the creator.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Ign\u00e1c Semmelweis basically determines the university’s thinking and exemplifies the three-fold mission of education, research and healing – emphasized Dr. B\u00e9la Merkely, the rector of Semmelweis University taking office from July 1. Nowadays this building is our most modern block and shows the serious commitment that Ign\u00e1c Semmelweis brought with himself every single day when he went to work – he said also adding that pregnant ladies entering this room would feel confidence when looking at the statue.<\/p>\n

Istv\u00e1n Madarassy admitted that creating the statue inspired by M.S. Master’s Visitation image was a heroic struggle not only with the two saints but also with the material. After the unveiling, the statue was blessed by Szabolcs Sajg\u00f3, a Jesuit Father who cited from Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount. Finally, Lajos Kathy-Horv\u00e1th violinist, member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts performed his improvisation.<\/p>\n

Eszter\u00a0<\/span>Keresztes\u00a0
\nJeki Gabriella, semmelweis200.hu
\nPhoto:\u00a0Attila\u00a0<\/span>Kov\u00e1cs\u00a0 \u2013 Semmelweis University,\u00a0Andr\u00e1s\u00a0<\/span>Dim\u00e9ny\u00a0
\nTranslation: Edina Szendrein\u00e9 Nagy<\/p>\n[slb_exclude]

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At one of the most important events of the Ign\u00e1c Semmelweis memorial year in honour of the 200th anniversary of the birth of Semmelweis, at the Festive Scientific Symposium held in the Theoretical Block of Semmelweis University at Nagyv\u00e1rad t\u00e9r, several national and foreign speeches were given about the saviour of mothers. The Semmelweis-medallions issued …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":101419,"featured_media":12842,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[13,17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12815","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-science","category-semmelweis-world"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12815","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/101419"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12815"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12815\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12841,"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12815\/revisions\/12841"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12842"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12815"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12815"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12815"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}