The Foundation for Szeged hosted its 36th annual awards gala on March 8, 2025, at the Szeged National Theater. This year, the event carried an added sense of prestige with Nobel Laureate and University of Szeged professor Katalin Karikó attending as the guest of honor.
Professor Karikó, renowned for her groundbreaking mRNA research, watched the ceremony from the theater’s exclusive royal box. Her presence was a testament to her enduring connection to Szeged, highlighting the strong bond between the city’s oldest civic foundation and the University of Szeged, which has ties with many of the foundation’s past and present awardees. Her attendance further affirmed the gala’s role as a remarkable celebration of excellence in both academic and cultural achievement.
The Foundation’s 2025 Grand Prize was awarded to historian Ferenc Apró, with biologist Ferenc Nagy, ballet artist András Pataki, and drama educator Ákos Kállai also honored for their outstanding contributions to their respective fields.
The prestigious event featured an inspiring musical performance by alumni of the University of Szeged’s Béla Bartók Faculty of Arts, with the evening culminating in a standing ovation – a heartfelt tribute to both the performers and the evening’s honorees, reflecting a deep appreciation for academic and artistic achievement.
Source: SZTEinfo
Photo by Anna Bobkó
Feature photo: The guest of honor at the 2025 Foundation for Szeged Gala was Nobel Laureate Katalin Karikó, recipient of the foundation’s 2022 Grand Prize, a professor at the University of Szeged, and a member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.
