Katalin Novák paid a three-day visit to Nógrád County

President of Hungary Katalin Novák began her visit to Nógrád County on Monday morning, and met with the county’s local leaders as well as with the county’s Members of Parliament.
At the meeting, the parties reviewed the issues the people of Nógrád are most concerned about, after which the Head of State received the ambassadors and heads of mission of Arab countries accredited to Hungary in Alsópetény, sending a signal that not only Budapest but also country towns can be the venue of events of presidential diplomacy. 

The parties discussed the evolution of their economic relations, energy security and demographic issues.
During the visit to the county – in the context of " Sándor Palace relocated"– the President will continue to perform her official tasks, albeit in the countryside. Thus, Katalin Novák has also adopted official resolutions in Alsópetény. 

In Balassagyarmat, the Head of State wreathed the Civitas Fortissima memorial. The President of Hungary also visited the Ray of Hope Children’s Home in Balassagyarmat, where children who are temporarily or permanently away from their parents are looked after. In the city’s Traffic Rules Park, the President met with kindergartners. After this, she also visited Szécsény, where she was briefed on the results of the only mill to be found in the county. 

On the second day of her visit to the county, Katalin Novák visited the “Nógrádi” crunchy stick factory in Karancsberény. When in Sóshartyán, Katalin Novák visited the Presence service operated by Hungarian Baptist Aid.
At the meeting of woman mayors held in the garden of Terény’s Village House, the Head of State said: we must make sure that "everyone can line up at the start line". If women with the same skills and experience as men working in similar fields cannot be there, „it is impossible to draw on their talent” – she added. 

Katalin Novák emphasized how encouraging she finds the fact that in Hungary today, more women than men earn a university degree, and she also stressed the importance of making sure that there is no irreconcilable antagonism between family and profession. 

The President of Hungary also emphasized: "if we try to get ahead at each other’s expense, we will never get anywhere ". In public life as in the family, the female and male mindsets and roles are both necessary. 
She explained: the visit to Nógrád is special, because this is the first time Sándor Palace has moved its operation to the site of the visit; resolutions dated in Alsópetény have been adopted, and there were also meetings where all the participants arrived from Budapest. 

The President pointed out: she has started to visit Hungary’s counties because she wishes to direct attention to how wealthy Hungary is: not just in national resources, but also abundantly so in valuable people.
These visits are also intended to put the periphery, i.e. the local communities where less attention is paid in daily life, in the centre – she explained. 

At the event, Katalin Novák also stressed that she met strong women in Nógrád. She added: Police Chief Gabriella Somssich is a good example of the strong woman leader; and the associates working at the Ray of Hope Children’s Home in Balassagyarmat are also strong, standing by children with disabilities day by day, as are the participants of the programme of Hungarian Baptist Aid in Sóshartyán, the female workers of Salgótarján’s Wamsler factory, or the women performing their work at the production line of the crunchy stick factory in Karancsberény, a job requiring tolerance for monotony. 

The Head of State also emphasized that woman leaders often have to resolve the same type of conflicts as they have to manage in the family. In both of these areas, compromise and empathy are valuable traits – she said. 
Katalin Novák thanked the participants of the meeting for their leadership at the head of their communities, by which they are contributing to building strong communities in Nógrád as well, where "life is not easy". 
I would like more and more of us to look on Nógrád as a hidden resource, a treasure trove of a reserve where there is still a lot to discover – she said.

Nógrád is the fifth county the President of Hungary has visited. Her most recent visit was to Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County.