Opening conference about social entrepreneurship

On August 28th 2019, the opening conference about social entrepreneurship took place at the Congress venue Izvir in Health Resort Radenci within the framework of the project SENS NETWORK. Local development foundation for Pomurje region was the organizer together with the project partner Zala Zöld Szíve Vidékfejlesztési Egyesület form Hungary.

The purpose of the conference was to draw attention to the significance of social enterprises, present their regulation, as well as the opportunities that they bring to the local, regional, national and cross-border environment. Conference was divided into two parts: the first part was devoted to a detailed presentation of SENS NETWORK’s project content and project partners, while the second part was dedicated to experts inputs that were presented by Hungarian and Slovenian experts, representatives of social enterprises or organisations that work with and offer expertise to social enterprises.

Matej Verbajs, head of the Legal Service at the National NGO umbrella network, presented legislative frameworks for operating of social enterprises to participants, while Sebő Sánta, general manager of the organisation DDTG Nonprofit Ltd., made a thorough review of the social entrepreneurship sector in Hungary. Tomaž Šiftar from association Connect, social enterprise, presented reasons for failure of social enterprises and improvement of chances for success in the market and Anikó Kocsis from the organisation Ökorégió Alapítvány a Fenntartható Fejlődésért presented aspects of social enterprise in Hungary and ecological development. That social enterprise can be an opportunity for the youth, presented Lea Cipot, founder of the Institution Korak naprej Murska Sobota, social enterprise and founder of Association REC, social enterprise.

The conference was concluded with a round table discussion with guests about the significance of social entrepreneurship, opportunities, support and cross-border cooperation.