The third Planet Budapest sustainability expo and experience program will open this Wednesday, moving to a new, larger location at the Budapest Railway History Park. In the latest episode of the “Blue Planet” podcast, former President János Áder, Chairman of the Blue Planet Climate Protection Foundation, and Zsolt Unger, owner of Unger and Partners, discussed the unique nature of this Hungarian-developed event. The program aims to show how current living standards can be maintained while ensuring that resources remain accessible for future generations.
Responding to feedback from previous years, the event has undergone significant changes in terms of duration and scale. The relocation to the Railway History Park allows for a more expansive experience, including massive structural installations and extended public access.
Quantitative Data and Structural Facts
The event features impressive logistics and architectural feats specifically designed for this occasion:
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The Dome: A massive white “half-planet” structure has been built inside the roundhouse, measuring 72 meters in diameter and 36–38 meters in height, with a total weight of 156 tons.
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The Expo: A classical five-day expo will showcase 100 Hungarian companies presenting sustainable solutions.
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Duration: While the professional conference lasts three days and the expo five days, the “edutainment” spaces for the general public will remain open for 33 days.
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The Experience: The “Ride” program consists of a 45-minute metaphorical journey through time, tracing the history of industrialization and consumption.
Three Distinct Programs: Explorers, Ride, and Heroes
The organizers have designed three main pillars to engage different audiences through various storytelling techniques:
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Explorers: A traditional exhibition covering 12 key themes, including clothing, digital content consumption, transportation, waste management, and animal husbandry.
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Ride: A “parable” and time-travel experience that tells the story of how humans became consumers from the industrial age to the present, while looking toward future solutions for the planet.
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Heroes: Specifically designed for school groups, this section features “Hollywood-quality” sets. Children participate in a “live movie” with actors, solving tasks as they travel through a “multiverse” to learn about environmental responsibility.
The Message: Protecting the Life Chances of Future Generations
János Áder emphasized that the event is a uniquely Hungarian development, combining the creative ideas of many people. He stated that, to their current knowledge, the format is unique in Europe.
The central message of Planet Budapest is the pragmatic use of resources. As Áder highlighted, the goal is to discover how to use available resources to maintain our current quality of life without depleting those resources for the next generation, thereby protecting their “life chances.”
Practical Information
The event, hosted at the Budapest Railway History Park (Vasúttörténeti Park), is free to visit. The podcast episode detailing the preparations is available on major video-sharing platforms.
Official Sources and References:
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MTI (Magyar Távirati Iroda) – News Archive (Feb 23, 2026)
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Planet Budapest Official Site: https://planetbudapest.hu/en
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Blue Planet (Kék Bolygó) Podcast Foundation: https://kbka.hu/