Recipients of This Year’s Count Lajos Batthyány and Count Antónia Zichy Award Named

János Martonyi, jurist and former Foreign Minister, received this year’s Count Lajos Batthyány Award. Judit Ritz, head of the Bálint Sándor Charity Service of the Szeged-Csanád Diocese, received the Count Antónia Zichy Award, named after the wife of the martyred Prime Minister, at an event organized by the Hungarian Batthyány Foundation in Budapest on Thursday.

Péter Hoppál, Minister of State for Culture of the Ministry of Culture and Innovation, stressed at the event held in the Fiumei út garden, that Hungary and the Hungarian nation need people who, both in their professional and private lives, strengthen Hungarian communities, families and the Hungarian nation.

In his eulogy, Péter Hoppál said that every moment of Judit Ritz’s life is permeated by the selfless love, compassion and sense of vocation that comes from Christianity. It is her faithfulness, her extraordinary caring and teaching work for small communities, the elderly, the bereaved and family unity that makes her worthy of the Count Antonia Zichy Prize,” he said.

János Martonyi is a role model as a jurist, politician and professor, who has always stood on the basis of principles and legality, just like the award’s namesake, Count Lajos Batthyány,” the State Secretary said, adding that János Martonyi’s broad-minded, loyal and conservative thinking has helped him to achieve his achievements. The basis of his credo, his patriotism, is the Euro-Atlantic commitment of Hungarians based on national identity, Péter Hoppál said. János Martonyi is also a member of the board of trustees at the Friends of Hungary Foundation, publishers of Hungary Today.

Zoltán Balog, the Reformed Bishop of the Dunamelléki diocese, the main patron of the award, stressed in his speech that there is no Christian culture, worldview and value system without personal commitment and personal faith decision.

Featured Photo: MTI/Szigetváry Zsolt