We Hungarians are proud of the fact that ever since the earliest days of our recorded history there is evidence of our efforts to live in harmony with the natural world around us, and of the respect and honour we feel for our environment. One proof of this is the fact that the history of the Hungarian nation features countless scenes relating to nature and hunting; one only needs to mention the legend of the Wondrous Stag, which can be seen as the starting-point of our national identity. Further proof is found in famous hunters such as Zsigmond Széchenyi and Kálmán Kittenberger, successful forest managers such as Albert Bedő and Károly Wágner, internationally acknowledged painters of nature such as Pál Csergezán or Róbert Muray, and acclaimed filmmakers and photographers such as István Homoki-Nagy and Bence Máté. Together with the scientific and educational activities of a multitude of Hungarians, these all prove that ours is a people with centuries of experience in how to live in harmony with the natural world, and how to take advantage of it while conserving its treasures.

In organising the “One with Nature” World of Hunting and Nature Exhibition, Hungary’s clear intention is to provide the general public – both domestic and international – with an authentic and contemporary overview of nature conservation through the presentation of examples of game, fish and forest management. This philosophy is reinforced by the vision of the Exhibition, which reflects a world in which sustainability is attained through synergy between the activities of disciplines which are close to the world of nature, and in which the use of nature is an important means for the preservation of biodiversity.

The motto of the series of events – “one with nature” – is also expressive. It communicates the message that humanity will forever remain a part of nature; its fate depends on the future of the global biosphere, which must therefore be conserved while its regenerative capacity is maintained.

A priority for the Exhibition is to call people’s attention to the importance of conserving nature, to the meaning of the sustainable use of nature, and to the advantages and need for game, fish and forest management.

In the spirit of this endeavour, within the World Exhibition we have created the international initiative which is the World Conservation Forum 2021. This provides an unprecedented platform for dialogue at global level between actors in various sectors. Behind this initiative is a notion that nowadays increasingly urges us to take action, according to which individual sectors are no longer rivals to one another in the conservation and management of the natural world. On the contrary, they are activities to be performed in harmony with one another, as it is in the collective interest of them all that the natural resources currently available to us remain sustainable in the long term, can periodically regenerate, and be there for the generations following us.

The World Conservation Forum 2021 will be staged during the World Exhibition, with an extraordinarily large number of specialist speakers and organisations. The Forum represents an unrepeatable opportunity for professional and civil society participants to form a realistic image of disciplines which are close to the world of nature (hunters, anglers, foresters, etc.) and of the future of nature conservation based on common foundations. The event will highlight the fact that some of the main enemies of our natural resources are those with exploitative aims whose illegal activities – for instance, poaching – represent a real, globally recognised danger to wildlife, resulting in the extinction of many species.

In the International Hall we shall explore these areas through presentations, panel discussions, digital and analogue installations and interactive elements – all with the maximum interactive involvement of visitors. Together let’s shatter long-standing misconceptions and create a new narrative! Let’s look to the future with confidence and act responsibly today!