On Thursday, June 14th, 2007, the University of British Columbia celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the arrival of the students and faculty of the Sopron School of Forestry.

Thank-you to all the alumni, their friends and family, and all of the UBC Faculty of Forestry staff and faculty members who attended and contributed to the events. A traveling exhibit, 1956 Memorial, was on display during the three-day celebrations at the Forest Sciences Centre.

Photo Credit: Martin Dee; (from left to right) Dr. Pal Vastagh (Ambassador of the Republic of Hungary to Canada) Ms. Susan Papp-Aykler (President, Rakoczi Foundation), Dean Jack Saddler, and Mr. Jim Farrell (Assistant Deputy Minister, Natural Resources Canada) cut the ribbon to officially open the Hungarian Exodus Exhibit commemorating the lives, struggles, and achievements of the 38,000 Hungarian refugees who immigrated to and settled in Canada following the revolution of 1956.


Photo Credit: Martin Dee; Members of the UBC-Sopron Alumni seated during the Opening Ceremonies on June 14th, 2007 at which approximately 400 people including alumni, their family and friends, UBC Faculty of Forestry staff and faculty members, and various representatives of the Forestry sector were in attendance.

Photo Credit: Martin Dee; UBC – Sopron Alumn Kamil Apt (centre) and Nandor Bakomyi at the Alumni Recognition Ceremony, during which Master of Ceremonies Mike Apsey shared the individual accomplishments of the alumni in attendance. 


Photo Credit: Martin Dee; Members of the platform party stand next to the plaque revealed during the Opening Ceremonies which will be mounted and placed outside the Forest Sciences Centre in commemoration of the 50th Anniversary Celebrations.

Photo Credit: Martin Dee; UBC Forestry PhD Candidate Ms. Sierra Curtis-McLane speaks at the Opening Ceremonies regarding the legacy of the Sopron group.

Photo Credit: Martin Dee; Les Josza, UBC – Sopron Alumnus (Class of 1961) and the kopjafa (Hungarian carving) the he carved by hand from an 800 year-old western red cedar blown down by the windstorm that hit Stanley Park in December of 2006. The kopjafa now stands outside the Forest Sciences Centre in commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the arrival of the Sopron group. For more information on the symbolism of the carving, view the pamphlet.

Dean Jack Saddler and UBC Forestry MSc. Candidate Alyson McHugh demonstrate the results of the Faculty of Forestry's Grad Student Sustainability Team's efforts to make events held in the Forest Sciences Centre more sustainable. After serving a traditional Hungarian lunch for nearly 400 people, thanks to proper sorting of recyclables and compositing of all food waste, garbage from the event filled only three quarters of a garbage bag.