Project of the Year 2024 awarded to the University of Debrecen

On the special occasion of the 25th anniversary of the International Visegrad Fund, the Project of the Year Award 2024 was presented to honour outstanding regional cooperation and creativity.

This year’s award was dedicated in memory of Petr Vágner, former Executive Director of the Fund, whose leadership helped strengthen the V4 spirit.

Following a public vote among four diverse and impactful initiatives, the award was given to:

🏆 “Water Renovation in Ukraine”, coordinated by the University of Debrecen (Hungary)

This inspiring cross-border initiative gave Ukrainian students hands-on experience in modern European water management, through a series of practical sessions hosted by leading V4 universities: University of Debrecen from Hungary, National University in Rivne from Ukraine, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra from Slovakia, University of Agriculture in Krakow from Poland and Mendel University in Brno from Czechia.

The other three nominees were:

  • V4 Winter Games Emil Open, organised by Emilova Sportovní, z.s. (Czech Republic)—a groundbreaking inclusive sports event bringing young athletes with disabilities from all four V4 countries to compete in multiple winter disciplines.

  • V4 Network of Medical Simulation Centres, led by Lazarski University (Poland) in collaboration with Masaryk University (Czech Republic), University of Szeged (Hungary), and Pavol Jozef Šafárik University (Slovakia)—brought together leading medical simulation centres across the Visegrad region to share best practices and work on simulation-based medical training.

  • Anniversary of V4 Quartet Magazine—a unique TV partnership (STVR Košice, ČTV Ostrava, TVP3 Rzeszów, MTVA Szeged) that’s been telling powerful stories from across the Visegrad region since 2000. Created through a collaboration of regional TV studios from all four V4 countries, Quartet Magazine has spent a quarter-century spotlighting the people, culture, and connections that unite us.

These projects stood out for their excellence in culture, healthcare, sports, and humanitarian response—each reflecting the Fund’s mission to deepen regional ties and address shared challenges. Congratulations to Debrecen University and all nominees for exemplifying the cooperative spirit and shared aspirations of the Visegrad region. As the Fund celebrates a quarter-century of impact, these remarkable projects underscore its ongoing mission: building solidarity, innovation, and resilience in Central Europe.