Nowadays a festival or event offers not only an experience but also creates impact — on the environment, local communities and the economy alike. But what does this mean in practice? And how can an event be organized in a truly sustainable way?
We explored these questions on December 11, 2025, at the Hungarian Tourism Program Foundation’s meetup in Debrecen, where Péter Gemza, Managing Director of SIXAGON, participated in a roundtable discussion. His fellow speakers included Lorina Buda, economist and sustainability expert, Hungarian lead for The Climate Reality Project, and Natália Oszkó-Jakab, co-chair of MTPA and director of the Valley of Arts Festival. The discussion was moderated by Gyöngyi Porkoláb, founder and leader of the Womanext Business Club and president of the Womanext Association.
Best practices—and open questions
During the discussion, several inspiring examples were highlighted, including the Campus Festival and the Valley of Arts Festival. These events are already taking significant steps toward more sustainable operations, whether through waste reduction, responsible supplier choices or shaping visitor attitudes. At the same time, it became clear that the Hungarian event and festival sector still faces challenges in many areas. Sustainability is not a “ready-made solution,” but rather a continuous process of learning and adaptation.
Key questions guiding the direction
The discussion raised several questions that go beyond the organization of individual events and instead require systemic thinking. One of these is stakeholder management: how can stakeholders—organizers, suppliers, visitors, and local communities—be truly engaged in sustainability efforts? Until this happens, even the best-intentioned initiatives will have limited impact.
Another important topic was the role of digitalization. Can digital solutions, such as apps, fully replace printed program booklets? And if so, how quickly and under what conditions? It was also discussed whether a sustainability mindset spreads more effectively when driven from the top, through strategic decisions, or from the bottom, through internal initiatives. The answer is likely not either/or—real change happens when the two approaches meet.
How does this lead to real change?
One of the key takeaways from the discussion was that sustainability in event management is largely a matter of motivation and incentives. How can industry players be encouraged to see it not as a burden, but as an opportunity? On the one hand, this requires strong examples that demonstrate how sustainable operations create value not only environmentally, but also from a business perspective. On the other hand, professional dialogue—such as this meetup—is essential: open, honest, and focused on real challenges.
More than just a conversation
For SIXAGON, this event reaffirmed that the sustainability transition is not achieved through isolated projects, but through collective thinking and collaboration. These kinds of gatherings may not provide immediate answers to every question—but that is precisely where their value lies. They spark a thought process that shapes the industry in the long term.
