Over the past years, the Subjective Values Foundation has implemented several projects aimed at supporting the social integration of migrant communities living in Hungary. As a civil society organization, it is not our goal or role to promote or encourage migration. However, we firmly believe that those who already live, study, and work here — and who envision their future in Hungary — deserve access to the opportunities and support that enable them to integrate and participate in society. This is the area where we take responsibility and see our mission.
It is important to us that public discourse around migration remains nuanced and credible. Migration is neither inherently good nor bad — it is simply a natural, ongoing phenomenon that has existed for as long as humanity itself. Ever since humans have lived on Earth, they have migrated for geographical, economic, political, or cultural reasons. A modern society should not deny this phenomenon, but rather learn to live with it and manage it in the best possible way — with humanity, planning, and dialogue.
In the past fifteen years, the number of migrants living and residing in Hungary has steadily increased. The government actively supports this development through its own means — including labor market programs. Within this context, the projects our foundation has participated in have become increasingly important.
With the support of the Migration Fund and the Ministry of Interior, we implemented the Lunar New Year Projects, which aimed to increase the cultural visibility of East Asian communities living in Hungary — primarily those of Chinese and Vietnamese origin. As part of the project, we organized community events such as the Lunar New Year celebrations, which contributed to multicultural dialogue and strengthened social openness. The program demonstrated that cultural diversity is not a threat, but rather an opportunity for mutual learning and value creation.
Following this, we launched the “Get down to business” business development program series — again with the support of our previous partners — which aimed to support the economic independence of third-country nationals. The goal of the project was to provide migrant-background participants with the skills and knowledge necessary to start their own businesses and thereby establish a stable livelihood.
A similar initiative was the Budapest Migration Roundtable, coordinated by the city of Budapest under the leadership of Mayor István Tarlós, where we had the opportunity to contribute as expert participants.
At the international level, we have also actively participated in migration-related work. Under the leadership of the Pope John XXIII Foundation, we took part in the European AMIR program, which supports the integration of immigrants in their host countries.
We believe that social questions surrounding migration should not be approached from an ideological perspective, but rather with a focus on human dignity and social usefulness. As a civil organization, we aim to help those who already live here gain a fair chance at participation — and through that, we all benefit by building a more livable and inclusive society.