Co-organizing the international conference, the National Research, Development and Innovation Office, a Government institution coordinating Hungary’s RDI policy and research financing, showcased some success stories from the evolution of Hungarian innovation to about 500 participants visiting Budapest’s Castle Garden Bazaar on November 6, 2015.

“Scientists have a responsibility not only to investigate global challenges faced by the world but also to suggest potential answers to these challenges. Politicy-makers need to take science based decisions while being aware of the potential consequences", József Pálinkás, President of the NRDI Office highlighted in his opening speech. It all calls for meetings and conferences similar to this one to provide an inspiring environment enabling science to really fuel social, political and business innovation processes.

The event organized by the NRDI Office showcased to an international audience how the great legacy of Hungarian innovation still lives on today. We often take pleasure and pride in the achievements of our world-famous Hungarian scientists and inventors, and we can also present their present-day followers in nearly all fields of science. At an exhibition held in the Castle Garden Bazaar these legacy inventions were paired with their present-day counterparts and showcased to visitors. It is a well-known fact that it was Hungarian doctor and physician Ignác Semmelweis who realized the role of hygiene in clinical disease prevention. It was also Hungarian engineers who developed a hand-scanner that is now used by dozens of hospitals around the world for the same purposes. If you know that the ballpoint pen, the most widely used writing instrument of our days, is a Hungarian invention, you might be curious to see the “writing instrument” of virtual reality which was developed for a 3D environment by a Hungarian student.

During the evening visitors had the opportunity to meet the likes of such innovative talents while walking around and trying out exhibited objects and products of research projects, getting answers to their questions from project representatives being present at the event.

József Pálinkás, president of the National Research, Development and Innovation Office	Gordon McBean, president of the International Council for Science (ICSU)
Tibor Pacher, Puli Space Technologies	László Lovász, president of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and József Pálinkás, president of the National Research, Development and Innovation Office
Litracon - transparent concrete	Leonar3do