On the occasion of Debrecen City Day, Mayor László Papp presented the city’s highest honours at a ceremonial meeting of the Debrecen General Assembly held on 11 April 2026 at the Kölcsey Centre. The awards included honorary citizenships, Pro Urbe awards, and the Frigyes Déri Prize.
In his speech, the mayor expressed gratitude and appreciation to the awardees for their decades of dedicated work, highlighting their inspiring commitment, innovative thinking, and contributions to Debrecen’s development alongside their professional careers. He emphasized his wish for Debrecen to remain a city of opportunities, knowledge, and community.
Honorary Citizens of Debrecen
The title of Honorary Citizen of Debrecen was awarded to Professor József Balla, director of the Internal Medicine Clinic and head of the Nephrology Department at the University of Debrecen, and to Elek Bartha, professor emeritus at the Faculty of Humanities.
Professor Balla is a renowned physician and researcher, internationally recognized for his work in vascular biology and kidney-related research. He spent years conducting research in the United States, where he received a Clinical Research Excellence Award, later establishing a leading research laboratory in Debrecen. His work has significantly contributed to international medical science, particularly in cardiovascular and kidney disease research.
Professor Emeritus Bartha is an ethnographer and scholar of religious studies whose academic career has been closely linked to Debrecen and the University of Debrecen. His research covers folk religion, cultural ecology, and ethnography of Central Europe and the Balkans. He has received numerous national and international awards and served as Vice-Rector for Education at the university until 2025.
Pro Urbe Award Recipients
The Pro Urbe Award was granted to Imre Aranyi, director of Fazekas Mihály Grammar School, Anikó Asbóth, former director of the Vojtina Puppet Theatre, and folk artist László Radics, master of traditional gingerbread making.
Aranyi has been a key figure in Debrecen’s education system for over 40 years, leading Fazekas Mihály Grammar School to national prominence. Asbóth played a decisive role in transforming the Vojtina Puppet Theatre into a professional institution and is a long-standing figure in Hungarian cultural life. Radics is one of the most prominent representatives of traditional gingerbread craftsmanship in Hungary, actively preserving and passing on folk traditions.
Frigyes Déri Prize Recipients
The Frigyes Déri Prize was awarded to Ferenc Miklóssy, managing director of KEVIÉP Ltd. and president of the Hajdú-Bihar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and to László Vaszkó, managing director of V-Trade Exhibitions Ltd.
Miklóssy has played a key role in regional economic development and infrastructure projects, as well as in strengthening cooperation between business, academia, and government. Vaszkó is the founder of the Farmer-Expo agricultural and food industry exhibition, one of Hungary’s most important trade fairs, which has significantly contributed to the region’s economic growth and international visibility over the past decades.
