HUNGARIAN ambassador to Malaysia Dr Petra Ponevacs-Pana hopes to forge closer ties with the state government through collaboration in various sectors.
“We look forward to knowledge sharing in fields such as tourism, higher education, business as well as culture.
“We would like to also enhance the economic partnership between both parties,” said Ponevacs-Pana during a friendly meet up with the state Tourism and Creative Economy Commitee chairman Yeoh Soon Hin at the The Top Penang yesterday.
Dr Ponevacs-Pana has been serving as the ambassador of Hungary to Malaysia since Sept 7 last year.
She was accompanied by the Hungary’s Honorary Consul for the northern region (Penang, Perak, Kedah and Perlis) Datuk Seri Damien Chua Wei Kee.
Meanwhile, Yeoh briefed Dr Ponevacs-Pana on the efforts undertaken by the state government in enhancing the bilateral ties between Penang and Hungary.
“Two years back I had the opportunity to visit Budapest together with Datuk Seri Damien.
“During our visit, we came up with the plan to collaborate with the Hungarian National Museum to hold an international exhibition in Penang last year.
“But it was called off due to the pandemic. We hope once everything gets back to normal, we still can continue with our partnership,” said Yeoh.
Dr Ponevacs-Pana also shared on the Stipendum Hungaricum Scholarship offered here in Penang. The programme was established by the Hungarian government in 2013.
“Perhaps for higher learning studies, we can have exchange of lecturers via online learning,” added Dr Petra Ponevacs-Pana.
Dr Petra Ponevacs-Pana, who was on her first official trip to Penang, would be also paying a courtesy call on Deputy Chief II Minister Prof Dr P. Ramasamy and state Entrepreneurial Development, Trade and Industry Committee chairman Datuk Abdul Halim Hussain.
Story & Pix by Tanushalini Moroter