Press Releases

Budapest, October 1, 1999

On October 2, 1999 Mr. László Hajdú, Mayor of Budapest's District XV and Mr. Bálint Nagy, PR Director of MATÁV opens the second MATÁV playground in Budapest. It is located at Pestújhelyi square in District XV. Mr. Kálmán Katona, Minister of Transportation, Communications and Water Management and Mr. Elek Straub Chairman-CEO of MATÁV also took part in the landscaping work preceding the opening.

The official opening of the second MATÁV playground in Budapest is the closing event of the 1999 series. This year MATÁV has built playgrounds in eight cities of Hungary. The first Budapest playground was opened on May 15, 1999, followed by playgrounds in Kaposvár, Pécs, Székesfehérvár, Sopron, Debrecen, Kecskemét and Miskolc, and, finally, the second playground in Budapest. After the official opening ceremonies MATÁV invited the children at every location for cocoa and cakes, and for a colorful program. Employees and executives of MATÁV took part in the landscaping work at the different locations preceding the opening ceremonies.

The playground opening ceremonies were great successes in all the cities concerned: hundreds of children came to enjoy the programs. MATÁV playgrounds have become very popular places.

Numerous local governments have contacted MATÁV since the launching of the program, offering their cooperation in the construction of playgrounds. Based on the increasing interest, the management of the company decided to continue next year with the program started in 1999, opening approximately the same number of playgrounds as this year.

MATÁV has been devoting special attention to its sponsoring activities for years; as a responsible corporate citizen it makes conscious efforts to participate in solving the problems of communities to an extent which is in accordance with its economic weight, setting an example for other players of the economy. Its sponsoring activity was acknowledged in 1998 by the Nonprofit Information and Training Centre (NIOK) and the Soros Foundation which awarded MATÁV the title of the "Corporate Donor of the Year?. In 1999 the company extended its sponsoring activities to new areas, taking an increasing role in social sponsoring.

Our purpose is to contribute to the development of a more pleasant environment and better quality of life for local communities.