Details of the 2nd KINCS Family Friendly Settlements Expo
This year, the city of Tata is hosting the 2nd edition of the „Family Friendly Settlements Expo”, featuring professional and family-friendly programmes. The aim of this all-day professional and family event is to showcase the good practices of municipalities, professional and civil organisations working in a family-friendly way and to strengthen cooperation in the service of families.
The Family Friendly Settlements Expo in Tata was opened by the performance of the Tata Band of Soldiers’, followed by a welcome speech of the mayor of the town. József Michl stressed that families are the key to our survival and safety, and which rescue us, which is why the Hungarian state pays special attention to supporting families.
In her welcome speech, Tünde Fűrész said that family friendly Hungary is a treasure worth living and working for. This is why the Family-Friendly Settlements Expo in 2024 was launched, aiming to present the cooperation formulated in the Cardinal Act on the Protection of Families: „Family protection and the reinforcement of family welfare is a task shared by the State, local governments, non-governmental organisations, media providers, and businesses.” The President of KINCS expressed her delight that an international family policy organisation and several cross-border municipalities present their family-friendly practices at this year's event. She added that without them, we could not talk about a family-friendly country or a family-friendly nation either.
János Bencsik, a Member of the Hungarian Parliament, drew attention to the close relationship between families and settlements. He emphasized that a settlement can only be strong if it supports families and children. He pointed out that children are not only the greatest asset of a family, but also of a settlement, as a community can only survive if there is someone to carry it on.
Dr. Csaba Kancz, Capital and County Government Commissioner, pointed out that there are currently more than thirty government measures to support families, but this has not always been the case. He emphasised that fostering family-friendly attitudes is crucial today, as negative influences and harmful practices are pushing children away from the family. This is why organising such events and fostering the solidarity they generate is so important.
The family is the foundation of the nation and the future of the family lies in its children!
Municipalities are struggling to attract young families. However, Hungarian family support measures offer a solution to this. Since 2010, the government has doubled the number of nursery places, improved infrastructure and doubled the amount of the „village CSOK”, said Zsófia Koncz at the KINCS Family Friendly Settlements Expo. The State Secretary for Families emphasized that the Hungarian family support system is unique worldwide. „When the strength of the Hungarian economy allows, we will expand family support”, she said.
Dr. Csaba Latorcai said that the government's goal is to make living in a city or the countryside a matter of personal preference, lifestyle, rather than a reflection of quality of life. The Deputy Minister stressed that Hungarian families are our shared treasure, regardless whether they reside in villages or towns, within or beyond the borders. He added that the Hungarian government would continue to guarantee to be a driving force for common development.
Supporting families, encouraging childbearing and tackling demographic challenges are some of the most urgent common tasks of our time
In his speech, Károly Szita, Mayor of Kaposvár, drew attention to the serious demographic challenges facing Europe, and Hungary in particular. The President of Association of Cities with County Rights recalled that while Hungary had the lowest fertility rate in the EU in 2010 (1.23), thanks to the unique family policy measures of the government, this figure had risen to 1.56 in the years preceding the crises. However, to achieve this, central measures alone are not enough - local authorities must also contribute their own knowledge, opportunities and experience to help families to thrive. According to Károly Szita, this contribution means not only financial support, but also the creation of a complex, liveable urban environment in which having children is a safe, predictable and attractive.
Like the Mayor of Kaposvár, Dr. Péter Hanusi, mayor of Mátészalka, pointed out that making a country and a municipality family-friendly is a common challenge, and that municipalities must complement state measures with their own family-friendly programmes. As President of the National Association of Local Governments (TÖOSZ), he stressed that family-friendliness is an approach, not a separate project, and that one of its key elements is making settlements liveable and retaining young people. This can be achieved by providing discounted rental housing, scholarships, sports facilities, programmes for the elderly and colourful community events, among other things.
In her speech, Regina Maroncelli praised the Hungarian family policy, stressing that the whole world is observing its impact. The President of European Network of Family Friendly Municipalities, which brings together 160 municipalities, also pointed out that Europe is facing a serious demographic crisis. By 2023, just a quarter of EU households have children, potentially leading to population decline, an ageing society, labour shortages, the emigration of qualified young people, and the decline of rural areas. Regina Maroncelli also emphasised the importance of family-friendly municipalities, stating that prioritising families and children would not only foster prosperity, but also promote well-being.
The common goal: supporting families, valuing the elderly and nurturing talent!
The first round table of the KINCS Family Friendly Municipalities Expo focused on family friendly cities. In his presentation, Dr. Miklós Dukai spoke about the importance of time- and talent-friendly municipalities. The State Secretary stressed that municipalities that operate in an age-friendly way are working for all of us. He added that recognising and nurturing talent is the most important key to building the future. Jakabné Engert, Deputy Mayor of Kecskemét, emphasized that the family is a value and the child is a treasure - this is the city leadership’s approach to development. Péter Kovács, Mayor of District 16 of Budapest, said that it is of the utmost importance that people not only live next to each other, but also form a community and join together. He added that it is the job of local government to identify what is good for families. József Tóth-Szántai, Mayor of Miskolc, said that their goal is to support community building and that several municipal programmes serve this purpose. He stressed that families and small communities are important for the future of the city, so the priority is to provide jobs, support housing, and create a liveable urban environment. József Michl, Mayor of Tata, pointed out that almost 300 weddings are held in Tata every year. The city supports the newlyweds by offering them gifts. Sándor Török, the deputy mayor of Százhalombatta, emphasised that the city administration aims to provide families with the necessary infrastructure and various forms of support, including grants to help with the costs of starting school.
The real treasure of small settlements lies in their communities supporting each other!
At the round table on family-friendly small settlements, in her presentation, Judit Czunyiné Bertalan spoke about the importance of supportive communities and families working together. The State Secretary for Territorial Development emphasized that, in the case of villages, the support of mutually reinforcing communities is the most effective way forward. Zalán Trizsi, Mayor of Onga, said that the most important task of a local government is to support community building and bring people together. He added that family support measures – in particular the introduction of the Baby Expecting Subsidy – have significantly contributed to the growth of the municipality’s population.
Szabolcs Torma, the Mayor of Nemesnádudvar, said that the developments of the past fifteen years have meant a lot for the village: the roads and public institutions have been renewed. The village CSOK housing subsidy, for example, is a great help in retaining young people, he added.
József Cellár, Mayor of Szomód, emphasized that supporting families is the most important factor in village life, alongside infrastructure development. He also highlighted that incorporating the views of local residents is a key priority in managing the small settlement.
Endre István Szebellédi, Mayor of Nagymágocs, said that their priority is to rebuild traditional family-friendly values and a sense of community in the village. He added that in Nagymágocs, the health visitor service also functions as a space for family consultation: the local health visitor gathers ideas from mothers with young children and forwards them to the municipality.
The discussion was moderated by Tünde Fűrész, President of KINCS.
Hungarian children are the key to the future of Hungarian communities!
What makes a good family-friendly settlement? What best practices are used in Hungarian communities beyond the border? These were the key questions explored during the round table discussion titled “Family-friendly settlements beyond the border,” opened by the State Secretary for National Policy. Lőrinc Nacsa emphasized that for a settlement to truly be family-friendly, three basic conditions must be met: it must provide safety, ensure quality Hungarian language education, and be built on a strong, cohesive community—something that can be fostered through churches, sports, cultural events, and civil society networks. The State Secretary underlined that “Hungarian children are the key to the future”—which is why two major family support measures, the maternity allowance and the baby bond, have been extended to Hungarian families living beyond the borders. Interest in these measures has been high: so far, around 70,000 families have applied for the maternity allowance, and over 60,000 for the baby bond. Mayor Béla Keszegh stated that Révkomárom (Komárno) aims to revive community-building activities, which have declined in recent years. The mayor stressed the importance of creating anchors that encourage people to stay in the area.
Mayor István Szakács-Paál spoke about the importance of bottom-up initiatives, highlighting the role of more than 50 civil society organizations active in Székelyudvarhely (Odorheiu Secuiesc). He said that grassroots initiatives play a key role, which are the result of the more than 50 civil society organisations operating in the town. Mayor Hajnalka Burány emphasized the importance of preserving Hungarian-language education and shared details of local family-friendly measures. Among these, the mayor mentioned the municipality of Zenta’s (Senta) support for newborns, travel subsidies for schoolchildren, a scholarship program for learners in high-demand professions, and various family and child programs that also feature prominently in the town’s cultural events.
Deputy-Mayor István Vince of Beregszász (Berehove) pointed out that while Transcarpathia is currently considered Ukraine’s safest region, the consequences of war—such as mobilization and the mass conscription of men—profoundly affect both community life and families. As a result, the current priority for settlements is not growth or major development, but ensuring sustainability and survival. However, there is a great need for initiatives that strengthen community cohesion and create opportunities for children to spend quality time together. In this spirit, the Bereg Region Football Club was created as a community-building initiative. The discussion was moderated by Virág Hajnal, Head of the National Policy Strategic Planning Department of the State Secretariat for National Policy.
Performances, family programs and personal encounters
In the morning of the 2nd Family Friendly Settlement Expo, Kecskemét, Miskolc, Onga, Ászár, Nagymágocs, Nemesnádudvar, Hévízgyörk as well as two towns from beyond the border – Székelyudvarhely and Naszvad – showcased their values. The settlements welcomed visitors with stands, interactive programs, and activities for children. Our professional and civil society partners committed to supporting families – including FICSAK – the Young Families’ Club, the Single Parent Centre, the Parents’ House Foundation, the Foundation for Our Families, the Family Friendly Hungary Centre, the You Can Talk to Me initiative, the Hungarian Health Visitors’ Professional Association, and Ringató – also presented their programs, good practices, and support services. Local organisations also played a part among the exhibitors: including the Association of Large Families of Tatabánya, the Tata and its Area Civil Association, the Maltese Playground and Day Care Centre for the Elderly, the Social Care Institution of the City of Tata, the Magyary Zoltán Folk High School Society, the Komárom-Esztergom County Directorate of the National Institute of Culture, and the kindergartens of the city of Tata, among others, contributed to the event’s vibrant and diverse community atmosphere.
Following the professional programs, storyteller Petra Piroska Kelemen and the popular Kolompos Ensemble entertained the little ones. The award-winning Pötörke Folk Dance Ensemble also performed on stage, as well as a spectacular dance performance by students from the Reformed Primary and Vocational School of Arts and Crafts.
A heartfelt thank you to the City of Tata and the Güntner Arena Municipal Sports Hall for hosting the event, and to all the participating settlements, civil organisations, and performers for their contributions making this day truly a celebration and appreciation of families, their value and their future.
