Under the Scholarship Programme for Christian Young People (ÖKF), religious students living in a minority in their home country receive higher education support. The programme currently has 19 scholarship holders studying at Széchenyi István University, a group of whom recently visited Pannonhalma Abbey.

For Christian communities living in a minority in their homeland, it is vital that young generations receive a quality higher education if they are to thrive in their homeland. To help them do this, Hungary launched a scholarship programme in 2017, which is an integral part of the Hungary Helps humanitarian programme in Hungary. The aim is to enable participants to return to their countries after graduation and become agents of development.

Currently 19 Christian students are attending at SZE as part of the ÖKF from Kenya, Syria, Pakistan, Nigeria and Lebanon. The Győr-based institution provides them with colourful programmes and unique opportunities to integrate and freely practise their religion. The most recent community-building cultural event was an excursion to Abbey of Pannonhalma, which the group of international young people visited.

The international Christian scholarship students studying in Győr were also able to visit the 800-year-old basilica of the Pannonhalma Abbey.

The university's ÖKF delegation visited the 800-year-old basilica and the complex of buildings of the abbey, as well as the history and activities of the Benedictine order that dominated Pannonhalma. The special programme enriched the students’ days in Hungary from both a cultural and spiritual point of view.

“I really appreciate the opportunity to visit the Abbey of Pannonhalma, it was one of the most beautiful experiences I had in Hungary. Both the trip and the guided tour were really enjoyable, we learned a lot of interesting historical facts. Thank you to the University for organising this,” said Felicity Thomas, a Nigerian scholarship student.

The young Christians who came to Széchenyi University from all over the world appreciated the opportunity to visit Pannonhalma.

The Pannonhalma Abbey and its natural environment, 25 kilometres from Győr, was classified as a protected landscape in the 1960s, and the area, which was the home of the Benedictine order, is now a listed monument. In 1996, on the thousandth anniversary of its foundation, it was put on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

“At Pannonhalma Abbey, we were immersed in a harmony of history and spirituality that left a lasting impression. The work being done in Pannonhalma is exceptional, the visit was full of interesting facts about the cultural values to be found there, and the tranquil spaces of the Abbey provided an opportunity for reflection. I am grateful that they have preserved the values of the historic abbey for so many years and are still ensuring that its heritage is preserved today,” said Pakistani student Arooj Yousaf.