Planet Budapest 2021 Summary
Dear Guest!
The previous years’ Budapest Water Summits have provided us with a wide range of knowledge and experience. It is in this spirit that we organized the Planet Budapest 2021 Sustainability Expo and Summit under the patronage of President János Áder, who once again testified that he is an authentic and committed representative of the cause.
Although the pandemic made it difficult to organize the Planet Budapest 2021 Sustainability Expo and Summit, participants came to the event from nearly 103 countries. In addition, it should be emphasized that Planet Budapest 2021 debuted as the largest ecoindustrial Exhibiton in Central Europe.
Our aim was not to compare the performance of each country in terms of climate or environment protection, but to show what politics, cities, municipalities and we as individuals can do for our future.
Sustainability is not tied to industry, however, all areas must be an integral part of the strategy. Planet Budapest 2021 has highlighted that there is a serious need for sustainable solutions all over the world, which opens up a new perspective for Central European businesses as well. At the same time, we are convinced that the dialogues that took place during the panel discussions at the Summit will make a significant contribution to finding the sustainable solutions to economic and social challenges.
The event in numbers
Nearly 100 speakers took part in the 10 thematic section meetings of the plenary program of the Summit, while 65 speakers participated in the professional program of the Sustainability Expo. Among others, Andrzej Duda, President of the Republic of Poland and Mathias Cormann, Secretary General of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development traveled to Hungary for the event. The 40 high-level delegations participating at the Summit held nearly 250 bilateral negotiations, during which 6 cooperation agreements were signed. As part of the Expo, the exhibiting companies held a total of 3537 business negotiations.
Guests from more than 30 countries arrived to learn about the latest digital technologies through Your Planet Public Programs and gain insight into the everyday life of the future along 11 Sustainable Development Goals of paramount importance in the region. Visitors interviewed, including many schoolchildren, reported that after their participation in the event, they want to cooperate in protecting the environment. As part of the Heroes of the Future Youth Experience Program, more than 150 school groups were able to walk through an interactive escape room mixed with live theater elements to help young people learn about the consequences of their decisions while shaping their attitudes.