Tessza Udvarhelyi promotes active citizenship and critical public engagement in Hungary.
Why you should listen
Tessza Udvarhelyi is the head of the Office for Community Participation at the Municipality of the 8th District of Budapest. In January 2020, under the leadership of the Mayor of the 8th District of Budapest, she launched a new Office for Community Participation to increase engagement in civic life among some of Budapest’s most disenfranchised citizens, aiming to cultivate a deeper sense of belonging and ownership of their local government. She is also the cofounder of the School of Public Life, a grassroots education and research center that aims to rebuild Hungarian democracy by supporting active citizenship and critical public engagement in Budapest. As the only organization of its kind in Hungary, the School offers free courses to individuals and civil society organizations in areas such as advocacy, activism and community organizing, engaging 800 students and 120 organizations every year. In 2009, she also cofounded a grassroots housing advocacy group called The City is for All, which has been mobilizing homeless people and their allies for housing rights.
