In the frames of the Russian-Ukrainian war unfolding in our neighboring country, it resembles the Second World War. Trenches, forward outposts, continuous artillery fire, and destroyed cities. In Bahmut, they even kill each other with infantry shovels, which, on the other hand, is reminiscent of the Verdun bloodbath from World War I, which meant certain death for most soldiers. Nobody is mentally or emotionally prepared for this, and one cannot be prepared for this, says Jászberényi Sándor, a journalist and war correspondent who has been to the Russian-Ukrainian front three times.
How does the journalist make his way to the Russian-Ukrainian front? Do the soldiers serving on the front open up to him? Can the fear of death be suppressed? What did he discuss with Hungarian soldiers from Transcarpathia? How credible are the reports of casualties? How does a war change an entire generation?
On April 18, Tuesday, from 17:30 onwards, we will have a discussion with Jászberényi Sándor, the war correspondent, about the Russian-Ukrainian war and what he has seen on the front, accompanied by a screening. The event will take place at the Beszélő Köntös in the city center of Kecskemét. Questions will be posed by Falusi Norbert, historian and journalist. Admission is free.
Jászberényi Sándor has reported on conflicts such as the Darfur conflict, Yemeni separatist movements, the 2009 Cast Lead Operation in the Gaza Strip, the Nigerian leprosy and tuberculosis epidemic, the 2011 Egyptian revolution, and the Libyan civil war. He has been regularly published as a writer and poet in numerous prestigious journals for over 20 years, achieving international success, with his short story collections translated into several languages worldwide. From 2013 to 2016, he was part of the editorial staff of atlatszo.hu, from 2014 to 2016, a member of 24.hu's editorial staff, and from 2016 to 2021, he worked as a freelance writer. Since 2021, he has been the editor-in-chief of The Continental Literary Magazine.
If you can say that attendees were hanging from the chandeliers at an event, then the latest KecsUP event was just like that. Of course, only metaphorically. Honestly, we didn't expect such a turnout, and the Kamra private room turned out to be too small. But it's a huge joy for us, and it signals that we can confidently seek larger venues for our events.
We hosted an open literary event
But let's talk about the most recent one. For the first time, we organized an event that was not about public or current affairs. Last Friday, we invited people to a literary event. Furthermore, it was an open literary event, which meant that we gave anyone the opportunity to read from their writings. We had two guests who the audience could get to know better. Horváth Florencia and Pál-Kovács Sándor also read from their own writings.
KecsUP events are not primarily organized by the editorial staff. It's more of a publishing effort carried out by the Áramlat Foundation. There are a few curators, and, of course, members of the editorial staff are involved. But in some way, we, daily writers, are still outsiders. So, from the sidelines, if not very far, we watched the Friday event.
We entered a strange world. Intelligent, young faces, but all unique. Scholars, literary enthusiasts, bohemians, individuals with unique attire. But all of them were open-minded and receptive. During those slightly over two hours, nothing else mattered but literature. Specifically, contemporary literature, as the creators, writers, and poets were all present in one space. After listening to the guests, they read from their own works. Some more confidently, some more shyly. Some at length, some briefly. Teenagers, those in their twenties, people in their forties, and those over fifty. It was a mixed crowd. Someone sat in their chair without shoes, legs pulled up. Others sat on the floor when they saw there were not enough seats. Someone stood in the aisle. And yes, many ended up in another room and watched our live broadcast. At that point, we joked that next time we'll have a big screen so that those who couldn't get into the KecsUP event can follow the proceedings from another location.
First time with the new sound system
But speaking of collections, not long ago, another campaign of ours came to an end. A successful campaign. We asked our readers and sympathizers for donations for a sound system. After all, we had been struggling with outdated equipment at previous events, which was not suitable for sound reinforcement. It worked fine for music, but not for sound reinforcement. But it was what we had, and we were grateful for it. After a campaign that raised more than 800,000 forints, we were able to purchase a sound system. Part of it was already used at the last event. However, only part of it, as the microphones came in another shipment and were only recently received. On Friday, we still used the old microphones. And while we also bought subwoofer speakers, they were not needed for the literary event. In reality, we didn't even need sound reinforcement because the room was small. However, we brought it along to show our appreciation and gratitude. Of course, we are not professional sound engineers. We are still learning. Perhaps the sound will never be perfect. But we have already reached a point where the audience in the room and on Facebook can hear the conversation clearly.
We will surely find an occasion to showcase the entire setup. Perhaps at a party. We're thinking and planning. Once the concept is formed, everyone will know. You probably won't have to wait long for this. And perhaps at our next literary event. Because they said that events like this are needed. It was also successful. So why not have a sequel? But until we come up with the specifics, here's a video from Friday and the new sound system.
The unquestionably most important topic of 2022 is water and its scarcity, while we should be finding a way out of the crisis caused by the war, the healthcare challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic, the all-consuming and depleting capitalism, and the poverty affecting broad segments of Hungarian society during this transitional period that shapes our future. These are complex problems that will undoubtedly present significant challenges for future generations. To engage in finding solutions, we need to start working today to have something to engage in at all.
In our narrow home, Kecskemét, officially situated in the semi-desert region known as Homokhátság, the issue of water has become particularly significant due to this year's drought.
Water is the condition for life; without it, there is no city, no urban world
That's why among the invited guests of KECSUP EST, we have asked individuals who are well-acquainted with Kecskemét and who are actively involved in the city's development, drawing from direct experience and with sufficient insight.
Dr. Edit Hoyk, an associate professor at the Neumann János University Faculty of Horticulture and Rural Development, provided a novel perspective on establishing a relationship with urban trees. She argued that the monetary value of living trees best demonstrates the significance of our green assets found in public spaces. The researcher calculated that we are walking under a tree stock worth 1.4 billion forints in Kecskemét's main square. However, in a previous study, she pointed out that the proportion of green spaces in Kecskemét drastically decreased, by more than 30% between 2009 and 2017.
Kata Farkas-Barta, president of the Green Mission Association, initiated numerous tree planting actions and rain garden projects with several volunteers in Kecskemét. Most recently, they planted 30,000 tree saplings together with hundreds of Kecskemét volunteers. However, when necessary, she speaks up loudly, as she did when she fought alongside her colleagues to draw attention to the importance of larger green areas in public spaces with the cry, "We need more trees, hedges, and green walls!" at Centrum Áruház.
Vilmos Sütő, chief engineer of the sewerage services division at BÁCSVÍZ Zrt. He also participated in technical training at Kocsis Pál Technical School. In 2009, he received the Environmental Protection Award from the City of Kecskemét. He has been assisting the work of the Hungarian Water Utilities Association for decades. In 2021, he received an award from the Minister of Interior, the Kvassay Jenő Memorial Medal.
Zoltán Lejer has been a municipal representative in Kecskemét since 2019 and serves as the chairman of the Environmental, Urban Development, and Agricultural Committee.
We also invited Deputy Mayor György Falu to the event, but despite multiple requests, he did not respond.
The event will take place on August 30, 2022, from 18:15 to 20:00.
Location: Bozsó Collection, 6000 Kecskemét, Klapka Street 34, entrance from Fecske Street. Those who cannot attend in person can follow the event live on the KECSUP Facebook page.
The event is free of charge.
