Tibor Rosenstein became an honorary citizen of the district

Those Who Contributed the Most to the Development of Józsefváros Were Honored

On the occasion of the 247th anniversary of Józsefváros, the district once again held its annual awards ceremony to honor its distinguished recipients. In his speech, Mayor András Pikó stated that the awardees have achieved outstanding accomplishments in their respective fields and continue to serve their communities.

The ceremonial hall of the Szabó Ervin Metropolitan Library was filled to capacity on November 7, where those whose life’s work has contributed to the development of Józsefváros were celebrated.

In his welcome speech, Mayor András Pikó emphasized that the awardees have excelled in their fields and serve their communities with dedication, and that it is important to acknowledge these exceptional achievements. “You represent immeasurable value to all of us and to the communities of Józsefváros; through your work, our district becomes a true home,” the mayor added.

Honorary Citizen of Józsefváros

Tibor Rosenstein, who has been in the hospitality industry for nearly sixty years and has continuously worked to renew and develop Hungarian gastronomy. He opened his family restaurant on Mosonyi Street 27 years ago, rooted in the traditions of Hungarian–Jewish cuisine. Today, Rosenstein Restaurant — run together with his son, Róbert — is one of Budapest’s most acclaimed dining establishments.

 

 

Józsefvárosi Aranykoszorú (Golden Wreath of Józsefváros) Awardees

Zahid Mehmood, head of JK-Gold Kft., who arrived in Hungary as a refugee from the Pakistan-occupied part of Kashmir in India in 2010. Over the years, he has launched several businesses and is now the owner of multiple shops in Népszínház Street, including “Kashmir Bazaar,” which also organizes a gastronomic festival to establish new local traditions.

 

 

Lumen Pálma Kft., which operates two hospitality venues in the district: one on Mikszáth Square and another on Horánszky Street. The latter features unique interior and exterior spaces, an event hall, and a larger kitchen, offering a distinctive atmosphere compared to the venue at Mikszáth Square.

 

 

Music World Kereskedelmi Kft., founded in 1998 by Gábor Pálmai with the aim of creating a unique business in Hungary focused on drums, percussion instruments, cymbals, and related accessories.

 

 

Mrs. Imre Szabó, one of the merchants of the Teleki Square Market. Her family supports her work; she began selling pickles, vegetables, and fruits at the market together with her husband, Imre Szabó. Their daughter, Melinda Szabó, grew up in this environment and has been serving customers at their shop for 30 years.

 

 

Katalin Takácsné Varga, whose shop has been operating in Józsefváros since 1988. Initially a confectionery, café, and later ice cream parlor led by her mother for 10 years, the business was transformed into a stationery store in 1998. According to Katalin, it is important to greet every customer with kind words and bring a bit of cheer to those who visit.

 

 

Guricsné Pásztor Erzsébet Awardees

Viktória Lipcsei, European champion pole sports athlete and resident of Józsefváros. In 2024, she won first place at the Hungarian Championships and the European title at the POSA Pole and Aerial Sports Championships in San Severo, Italy.

 

 

Flóra Pásztor, Olympic fencer. She began as a gymnast before switching to fencing in 2007. She has been a certified competitor of Törekvés SE since 2009 and currently serves as a squad leader in the Hungarian Defence Forces Sports Battalion. She placed 17th at the 2023 European Championships, won silver at the 2023 European Games, and finished eighth in women’s foil at the Paris Olympics. She attended the Vajda Péter Singing and Sports Primary School in Józsefváros and currently ranks 30th in the world.

 

Mónika Hajnalka Sipos, Hungarian boxing champion and resident of Józsefváros. She earned third place at the U22 European Championships and won the national title at the 100th Papp László Hungarian Boxing Championships. She continues to lead the “Szelídek Tanodája” in Józsefváros.

 

 

Józsefváros Culture Award

E. Kata Fris, recognized for her outstanding urban research work. After her earlier research on the Teleki Square synagogue and local Jewish history, as well as her involvement with the Roma Parliament, she has recently become known for her local history walks. Her “Small Houses, Small Existences” (Lujza Street) walk was recognized as one of the best tours of Budapest100. In 2024, she also provided the historical, architectural, and cultural background for a film-themed walk organized at the Kolónia.

 

Superar Music Foundation Hungary, part of a Europe-wide music education–based social program active in eight countries. Founded in Hungary in 2018, it began collaborating with the Losonci Square Primary School in September 2019. Superar provides high-quality, free music education primarily to schools serving children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

 

 

Award for Józsefváros

Erzsébet Aissou, who began her career in 1993 at the Koszorú Kindergarten and served as kindergarten director and developmental educator at the Lőrinc Pap Square Kindergarten from 1994 for a decade. She introduced her educational program titled Comprehensive Aesthetic and Artistic Education. From 2020 to 2024, she directed the kindergartens of Józsefváros. She received a mayoral commendation in 2004 and played an active role in implementing EU-funded projects. Under her leadership, Józsefváros kindergartens received numerous national and international recognitions, and despite the nationwide shortage, the number of kindergarten teachers increased.

 

 

Ottó Kovács, who served Józsefváros from 1997. Between 2001 and 2015 he was the managing director, and from 2019 the chairman of the board of “Kisfalu Józsefvárosi Vagyongazdálkodó Kft.” (now JGK Zrt.), responsible for the district’s property management tasks.

 

Csilla Sárkány, architect, who began working in Józsefváros in 1997 at the newly formed Rév8 Zrt. She led the district’s major social urban renewal programs, including the Magdolna Quarter Programs and the establishment of the Kesztyűgyár. From 2019 to 2024 she served as CEO of Rév8 and launched the Józsefváros Housing Agency.

 

Józsefvárosi Communities Award

Fókusz Community Space, a popular, child-friendly, safe, and inclusive community hub in Józsefváros. Their programs — including Tipegő, Tízórai Family Sing-Along, and Ringató — are not only entertaining but also promote children’s physical, emotional, linguistic, and musical development. They also accept donations during opening hours, which visiting families may take as needed. Their “Me-Time Program” won the Józsefvárosi Communities Award in 2020.

 

 

 

Civilians for the Palace District Association, representing residents since 2008. Their mission is to strengthen local identity and protect the heritage of the Palace District. They organize events, concerts, and cultural programs and play a prominent role in community building. They were previously involved in the “Europe’s Downtown” program and remain active in greening initiatives, organizing flower-planting activities, public discussions, and forums to address local issues.

 

 

Józsefváros Cross of Honor

Alexa Szvitacs, table tennis player, who at a very young age had to suddenly face a severe and mysterious illness in 2018. She never gave up and is now a Paralympian. By winning the 2019 European Championships, she qualified for the Olympics and went on to win bronze in the S9 category at the Tokyo Paralympics. She received the Guricsné Pásztor Erzsébet Award in 2021. Szvitacs lived in Józsefváros for 20 years.

 

Szvitacs Alexa – Photo: Koszticsák Szilárd/ MTI

Ildikó Varga, who has worked for 40 years as an early childhood educator in the nurseries of Józsefváros, contributing significantly to their high professional standards and national reputation. She became an active member and later head of the Józsefvárosi Nursery Workers’ Union. She is retiring this year.

 

 

Soma Vogel, world champion and Olympic bronze medalist water polo goalkeeper. He won gold at the 2020 European Championships, bronze at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, silver at the 2022 European Championships, gold at the 2023 World Championships, and placed fourth at the 2024 Olympics. He received the Guricsné Pásztor Erzsébet Award in 2022 and is a resident of Józsefváros.

Vogel Soma – Photo: Koszticsák Szilárd / MTI