Dear Colleagues,

 

The two AIPS presidential candidates, Hee Don Jung and Dr. Zsuzsa Csisztu, laid wreaths at the memorial site dedicated to the Korean victims of the Budapest boat tragedy, and then held consultations with Prof. Dr. Tamás Sterbenz, Rector of the Hungarian University of Sports Science, on the possibility of launching a university-level master's programme in sports media.

 

Sport taught me that competitions end, but decency and goodwill stay with us. The same spirit lives in sports journalism. Ahead of the AIPS elections in Lausanne on April 12, Hee Don Jung and I are running against each other for the presidency of an organisation currently led by Gianni Merlo, who has held the position for 21 years and is seeking a sixth term. We are rivals, but outside the arena, we are colleagues. A painful moment of remembrance reminded us that certain occasions rise above every candidate, every programme, and every ambition.

This week, Hee Don Jung, a distinguished television and sports media professional from South Korea, President of AIPS Asia and fellow presidential candidate, and I jointly laid a wreath at the memorial by the Margit Bridge, where the names of the 26 Korean victims of the 2019 Budapest boat disaster are engraved in marble. The memorial was designed by architect László Földes, who involved renowned Korean architect Jong-Ruhl Hahn in the process, taking into account the specific characteristics of Korean mourning culture.

For me, this commemoration was about more than remembrance. It spoke of the mutual respect between the Korean and Hungarian peoples, and of everything that helps us cope with tragedy: humanity, inner strength, understanding, and forgiveness.  

Hee Don Jung's words stayed with me: the pain of tragedy and the experience of loss can become a bond between nations. That is also what sport has always taught us. The commemoration was attended by a representative of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea and György Szöllősi, President of the Hungarian Sports Journalists' Association, and we closed the ceremony with a moment of silence in honour of those who were lost. 

Later that day, we were received by Prof. Dr. Tamás Sterbenz, Rector of the Hungarian University of Sports Science, where we discussed the future of sports media education. Hee Don Jung teaches sports journalism at university level in Seoul; I teach sports media and diplomacy at master's level in Hungary. We are in full agreement that AIPS must offer higher-level educational programmes for the next generation, and that conviction holds regardless of who wins the election on April 12.

The election day is approaching. I believe that the spirit which brought two candidates together at a memorial will carry AIPS forward in the years ahead.

The full programme is available at csisztu.com.

With respect and friendship, 

Dr. Zsuzsa Csisztu
AIPS Vice President | AIPS Presidential Candidate