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"We have not inherited the Earth from our fathers, we are borrowing it from our children." | Dr. Anna VarkonyiGlobal Visiting LecturerI began my professional career in Hungary as a chemical engineer. I switched to environmental journalism only six years later, when the UN Conference on Human Environment in Stockholm launched the UN Environmental Program. Although the communist regime didn’t favor environmental protection, UNEP pushed the issue into the administration, and an environmental authority was established in Hungary. During the cold war my editorial position allowed me to take part in numerous international environmental events and conferences; among them some landmark events, for instance the Acid Rain Conference in Stockholm (1982), the Public Hearing of the Brundtland Committee in Moscow (1986), the 20th Anniversary Meeting of the Club of Rome in Paris (1988), the Earth Summit follow-up in Geneva (1992) and many workshops and conferences organized by UNEP, UNFPA, FAO, ECE, IIASA and different West-European NGOs.It was a lucky coincidence to follow and contribute to the evolution of the Hungarian environmental policy from the vantage point of journalism. During these years, I was able to gather a considerable amount of information and knowledge on the state of the environment, both in Hungary and the rest of the world. This background allowed me to write my Ph.D. Thesis on The Role of the Development of Public Awareness in Relation to a Sustainable Society. Since then, I have devoted myself to global environmental issues and concerns. Since the environmental policy of the European Union has been focused on the sustainable development, I was able to take on consulting jobs for the Directorate General of Environment Protection in Brussels. As a media expert, I made a survey for the National Environmental Council about how the broadcasting media could influence public awareness on environmental issues in Hungary. I was member of the Hungarian government delegation at the 5th Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development and the UN General Assembly Special Session in 1997. The International Studies Association (ISA) Annual Convention in 1998 invited me to write a paper on the Obstacles in Communicating the Concept of Sustainable Development. Currently, I am lecturer of the Balint Gyorgy School of Journalism. It’s a great honor for me to contribute to the Global Challenge project of the Fairleigh Dickinson University as a Global Virtual Lecturer. Links of interest: Virtual tour of Hungary Email address: avarkonyi@hotmail.com | ||
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