AUGUST 2022

LIFE & FAMILY

About the Ambassador After earning her first degree at Budapest Business School, Judit finished her studies at the Université March Bloch de Strasbourg, as an interpreter. In 2005, she joined the Office of the Hungarian President serving as chief of press and spokesperson, and, in 2011, became a chief of cabinet at the Hungarian Ministry for National Development. In 2012, she was asked to head the newly established International Communication Office at the Office of the Prime Minister, before becoming Ambassador of Hungary to Indonesia, East-Timor and ASEAN in Jakarta in 2015 – a post she held for over six years. For her outstanding achievements, Judit has received awards from the Minister for National Development (2012) and the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade (2016); she has also received state decorations from Lithuania, Belgium and Poland. Personally, she is engaged in women empowerment, mentoring and supporting female leadership, as well as being a strong advocate for sustainability.

Is there a big Hungarian community here? It’s one of the biggest Hungarian communities in the region. I don’t know the exact numbers, since they don’t need to register at the embassy, but we estimate about 350 to 500 adults – and most of them are here with family and kids. I want to bring Hungary closer to the people living in Singapore. I want to raise the awareness of the potential that lies in the diversity of Central-Eastern Europe and the resilience and creativity that is so characteristic for my people. We’ve faced so many historical setbacks, yet we are among the economically best performing countries of Europe, attracting the highest FDI, having the lowest unemployment rate and having a constantly growing trade with Singapore. What is a typical day for an ambassador and how do you stay stylish throughout the day – especially in this tropical heat? My schedule is usually very busy and I have several meetings a day. I love the tropical weather and the heat, so I have no problemwith that. I usually like to wear bright colours and clothes from local and Hungarian designers. What do you like most about Singapore? I really like the diversity of Singapore, from the food to the culture; and I also love the tropical weather, the lush greenery and the array of outdoor activities. Singapore? And what’s your sporting regime here? There are a lot of vegan restaurants and eateries in Singapore, and there’s also quite a big vegan community on Facebook where I always get informed about new places and shops. I have my favourite vegan hawkers as well; one of my favourite dishes is a vegan version of laksa. I used to do rock climbing, but nowadays I don’t do so much extreme sports; I’m still active in sports every day though. I have a daily routine of doing at least 30 minutes HIIT training in the morning followed by some stretching and meditation. In the afternoon, if I have time, I go to a yoga or Pilates class and sometimes I play tennis or squash with my husband, or we go cycling. Have you picked up any Singlish? Just a bit, lah! But I do speak Bahasa Indonesia, which makes it easier to understand the words which originate from Malay. What would you like to achieve during your service in Singapore? We’ve heard that you’re vegan, and that you love extreme sports! Is it easy being vegan in

82

AUGUST2022