“Broad range of opportunities” was the title of the Swiss Contribution Photo Contest. The aim of the contest was to motivate people to take photos or prepare photo etudes related to the focus areas of the Swiss-Hungarian Cooperation Programme. The photos should reflect the necessity of development and the positive changes occurring with the help of the grant.

Until the deadline, there were 121 photos submitted through the online registration system. The winners of the three categories - Creative, Nature, Human and Society - plus the Public vote together with the runners-up were honoured on 9th December 2014 at an award ceremony at the Residence of the Swiss Ambassador to Hungary, Jean-François Paroz. The Head of the Swiss Contribution Office, Max Schnellmann, together with Ambassador Paroz, expressed their congratulations and handed over the prizes. The Award Ceremony ended with a buffet lunch to which all participants were invited.

It is planned that in the future, roll-ups and posters will be prepared from the winning and honored pictures to be used at various publicity events of the Swiss Contribution Office.

The aim of the project is to modernise the environmental monitoring system within the competence of the Inspectorate. The existing laboratory equipment will be complemented by mobile measurement and analysis devices. The increased and strengthened environmental monitoring capacity will help to reduce environmental contamination, promote sustainable economic development and improve life circumstances for four million inhabitants living in the affected area.

The project has already produced tangible results such as a monitoring van, which could be visited at the conclusion of the opening ceremony. This mobile high tech van is equipped with very sensitive measurement instruments allowing the Inspectorate to identify contaminating emissions already in minimal quantity.

Dr András Rácz, Deputy State Secretary for Environmental Protection, Ministry of Agriculture, Jean-François Paroz, Ambassador of Switzerland to Hungary, Max Schnellmann, Head, Swiss Contribution Office, Eszter Pintér, Director of the Middle-Danube Valley Inspectorate, and Géza Hizsnyik, Head of the Laboratory attended the ceremony and addressed the press conference.