World Refugee Day is held on the 20th of June. In Hungary, this commemorative day is unsurprisingly known by relatively few, given the country's decidedly anti-immigration attitudes that has only until recently been tested by the arrival of Ukrainian refugees in 2022.
With so many having negative attitudes towards refugees, I was intrigued then, to see what World Refugee Day looks like in Hungary.
A Sparse Calendar
Events marking World Refugee Day 2026 in Budapest are sparse. One Facebook event held at the city park supposedly drew around 30 guests with other results appearing on Google as past events whose pages were never taken down.
One event did stand out, however: "World Refugee Day at Eötvös Loránd University — Academic and Expert Discussion with a Photo Exhibition."
Inside the Conference
The conference was held in collaboration with the UNHCR, filling a room of more than 50 with students, professors, members of Hungary's civil society and, for the first time, in what every speaker remarked as ‘forever’, representatives from the newly formed government.
As the opening speeches commenced, the flashing red microphones placed on tables and the rapid-fire clicking of camera shutters in the background made the whole event feel less about the story of refugees and more like a press conference for the local Ferencváros FC.
From start to finish, however, the 1951 Refugee Convention was repeatedly referred to as "the greatest moral achievement of mankind in the 21st century".
Prof. Boldizsár Nagy spoke first, reminding us that "Refugees are not so foreign to Hungary" since less than 70 years ago it was Hungarian refugees fleeing the 1956 Revolution. A commanding speech by András Léderer, Head of Advocacy at the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, followed, delivering a sobering account of international refugee protection in Hungary, which felt more directed at the distracted government representatives than those with questions.
The closing address was delivered by Tamás Molnár, a typical-looking lawyer in a tweed blazer, covering the technicalities of the newly enforced EU migration pact. His outline of the legal and border procedures, whilst fascinating, was beginning to test the patience of the restless undergraduate students.
Who Is It For?
At the end of the conference I left feeling optimistic about the future of international refugee protection, yet, I was still left wondering, is this what World Refugee Day is about? A reminder for professionals, students and volunteers who'd already long ago decided to dedicate their careers to the plight of refugees? Probably not.
In a country like Hungary, where public discourse surrounding refugees has been so intentionally geared towards xenophobic attitudes over the last 20 years in both politics and the media, there is much to be done among the general population. Indeed, ask someone the difference between a refugee, an immigrant or, regrettably, a terrorist, and don't be surprised if you are met with a blank stare.
Talking to the UNHCR
So during the conference's coffee break, I asked Helena Behr, Legal Officer for the UNHCR Representation for Central Europe, what events are held to raise refugee awareness among the general public on World Refugee Day. She didn't find it difficult to respond, highlighting the numerous public awareness campaigns held throughout the year, from press events in Czechia to lighting up public buildings in Poland. These events, however, have been on pause in Hungary and only now hope to be restarted with Orbán's and his government's departure.
What was clear in her response, however, was that conferences like today offered optimism for the UNHCR in Hungary. Yet, Mrs Behr reminded me that the UNHCR is increasingly operating on limited resources, and that conferences like these, and the students who attend them, are more important now than ever if we are to see future World Refugee Days come to pass.