Budapest, July 24, 2008

The “Digital Bridge” series of events launched four years ago has reached the hundredth locality. On June 23 Péter Novák singer, actor and choreographer and the volunteers of Magyar Telekom provided training on the use of the Internet for the residents of Bakonszeg.

Magyar Telekom launched its program called “Digital Bridge at Small Localities” back in 2004. The goal of the initiative was to bridge the digital gap by educating the people living in small localities about the world wide web, its benefits, and showing them how the Internet can bring people living in geographically distant areas closer together, and assist in solving their everyday problems. The target venues of the program are localities with less than 3000 inhabitants where the volunteers of Magyar Telekom provide efficient, customized training and organize competitions for children to widen their knowledge.

In the frame of the program called “Digital Bridge to Small Localities” 233 volunteers of Magyar Telekom have given talks in 99 small localities over the past four years. For the 100th session the organizers returned to Bakonszeg, the first venue of the program. On the occasion of the jubilee event the Magyar Telekom volunteers and Péter Novák brought a cake for the participants. Naturally, the people participating in the program could use the Internet free of charge, to browse together in search of answers to their personal questions and problems.

“It is a fact that bridging the info-communications gap promotes local and regional development. This is why I think it is especially important to make the Internet part of the everyday life of those living in small localities.”said Christopher Mattheisen chairman-CEO of Magyar Telekom, speaking about the program. According to Eva Somorjai Chief HR Officer of the company this program is particularly important because “the Internet makes life easier for individuals, families, communities and organizations, facilitates communication within the society, therefore it makes our future more livable and people-focused”.

After the Bakonszeg event Magyar Telekom is expecting visitors from July 25 through August 3 at the Kapolcs Days of Magic with free Internet training and NetCafé.