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One hundred elite athletes, performers, and public figures accepted one of the greatest sporting challenges: running a marathon in solidarity with seriously ill children. They completed the distance as a relay, with each participant running 1%—exactly 422 meters. This symbolic act highlighted how a small individual contribution can lead to something truly significant when we join forces.

“Everyone running here is brave. Go Bátor Tábor!” chanted the cheering crowd as the baton passed from hand to hand. Completing the marathon together was a celebration of community strength—the same kind of unity that gives daily support to the young heroes of Bátor Tábor. Despite her injury, Olympic swimmer Ajna Késely chose to take part: “It was really important for me to raise awareness for these children and contribute my own 1% to the marathon.” Ajna even wrote a poem for Bátor Tábor, which she shared on her social media.

The event also saw the participation of Attila Katus and Olympic gymnastics champion Krisztián Berki, who said: “As an athlete, I received so much from the public—now I try to give back wherever I can.” Three-time Olympic water polo champion Gergely Kiss echoed the sentiment: “Olympic champions have a moral responsibility to take part in causes like this. And it means the most when it comes from the heart. For me, two things matter most: sport and children. This cause unites both in Bátor Tábor’s amazing and important mission, which always moves me deeply.”

Alongside the athletes, renowned figures from the arts—such as Vivien Rujder, Judit Rezes, and Kornél Simon—also ran for the cause. Even Zsófi Kemény joined in, despite a past knee injury that kept her from running for years: “It’s not more than what you’d run to catch a bus. Helping sick children should matter to everyone. It’s inspiring to see volunteers giving so much of their time, energy, and heart for this cause.”

Bátor Tábor’s volunteers and hobby athletes were also on the course—not just passing the baton, but passing on their passion too. They cheered and supported the runners just as they do every day in Bátor Tábor’s programs. The baton changed hands every 422 meters, and together, step by step, they completed the full marathon.

The goal was simple: to show that “every little bit counts” and that, together, we can achieve great things. Some even joined virtually—like Anna Trokán, Kata Mérai, and world champion swimmer Boglárka Kapás and her husband Ádám Telegdy. The couple had previously supported sick children through another Bátor Tábor fundraising initiative.

News anchor Ági Szabados also spoke about how deeply moved she is by Bátor Tábor’s work: “It was such an uplifting experience to run while being cheered on by so many people. It’s incredible to see how the foundation transforms the lives of sick children and their families—how friendships are formed during these camps. If running 1% of a marathon helps, then I’m here, and I’m running.”

Touching, honest, and deeply human—this is the short film created by Bátor Tábor. Featuring real children and genuine reactions, the film aims to raise awareness of the challenges faced by seriously ill children and to inspire collective action for meaningful change in their lives.

The concept behind the film is simple: young children casually name hospital tools—words they shouldn’t even know. These are the same children who, at Bátor Tábor, get the chance to truly be kids again—where healing begins with play, joy, and the rebuilding of confidence.

What makes the film even more special is that it was created with virtually no budget, produced by an in-house team and supported entirely by pro bono contributions. The children in the film are either Bátor Tábor campers or the children of our team members. Props were sourced from our staff’s homes and the mini-hospital at our campsite in Hatvan, and the filming location was provided free of charge.

It’s thanks to the generosity and collaboration of many good people that children living with cancer, chronic, or other serious illnesses can take part in therapeutic programs that offer them what they deserve most: a real childhood.

“The children featured in the film have all attended Bátor Tábor because of their illnesses. Their parents trusted us completely when they allowed them to take part in filming—knowing they would be safe here, both emotionally and physically—and that by doing so, they would not only support Bátor Tábor but also help other families like theirs,” said Éva Fodor-Kovács, Head of Communications at Bátor Tábor.

Each year, Bátor Tábor provides life-changing experiences to 4,000 children living with cancer or other chronic illnesses and their family members. These children often spend their days in a constant state of uncertainty, confined to hospital walls, unable to live as their peers do. Through the Foundation’s free programs, they can focus not on their illness, but on themselves—on their strengths, gaining resilience for recovery and self-confidence for life.

One camper summed it up perfectly:
“Bátor Tábor is like a machine—you put in a sick, tired kid, and out comes a much happier, healthier child, full of new experiences,” said Peti, a camper living with cancer.

A total of 25 well-known artists and bands have joined the initiative, including Péterfy Bori, Viktor Király, and musicians from Parno Graszt. The challenge was kicked off on the radio by Anna Pásztor with the song Márti dala, and she then passed it on to the band 30Y and Bocskor Bíborka, lead singer of Magashegyi Underground. As a mother, the campaign deeply moved Anna, the lead singer of Anna and the Barbies. “I know exactly what it feels like when children are sick, and how helpless I feel in those moments. There’s nothing I could start with more fittingly than the song Márti dala—it’s a magical song in itself,” she shared.

The cause has inspired iconic veteran musicians such as Tibor Bornai, keyboardist of KFT, and Rezső Soltész. The latter, who once gave a mini-concert for volunteers at the camp in Hatvan, sent a heartfelt message to the children on his 80th birthday, having been deeply touched by Bátor Tábor’s mission. The younger generation is also taking part—Дeva, who now volunteers in school programs, experiences firsthand how vital the Foundation’s work is.

As everyday people, we might find it easier to sweep the reality of these children’s lives under the rug—either because what they’re going through is frightening, or because we feel powerless to help. That’s why it’s so moving to see how many people have joined this initiative. Lóci Csorba, frontman of Lóci Játszik, shared why he chose to support Bátor Tábor: “Helping others is the most human thing I can imagine. If your goal is to become an emotionless, perfect robot, then by all means ignore this issue. In every other case, I believe you can only gain by turning your attention to the lives of others.”

The musical campaign was launched with a dual purpose. It raises awareness about children living with cancer and chronic illness, and encourages people to donate 1% of their income tax to this cause. Every year, many taxpayers miss the opportunity to allocate this donation—though it could change lives. The participating artists all agree: as many people as possible should support this meaningful cause.

Follow the hashtag #ZenévelABátrakért on Facebook or Instagram to discover the songs!

Évi has been supporting Bátor Tábor for over a decade—hosting RTL’s charity broadcasts and attending our fundraising events—so she knows our foundation’s work inside and out. From the very beginning, she has contributed with incredible passion and professionalism to help us better serve seriously ill children and their families. As an official ambassador, she now becomes an even more active advocate and shaper of our cause.

“I was once a sick child, and I’ve also feared for a sick child. I know what it feels like to go to bed and wake up with anxiety, to battle pain, to race against time, and to endure the feeling of helplessness. Illness can isolate, close people off, and make an entire family feel alone. At Bátor Tábor, a sick child can simply be a child again—among other children. They can dive into games without fear, overcome anxiety, and gather soul-healing, empowering experiences in a safe environment. This magic is what I believe in. It’s something so beautiful, so powerful, that everyone should know about it. Children living with serious or chronic illnesses should know they can come here for free. Healthy adults should know that supporting Bátor Tábor is truly worthwhile. And those adults who still carry their brave inner child should know that their help, creativity, and presence are needed here.”

We thank Évi for joining us and look forward to the journey ahead together!

In 1988, Paul Newman envisioned a place where children living with illness wouldn’t be seen as sick kids. He dreamed of a safe camp where these children and teenagers could explore, play, and misbehave just like their healthy peers. This vision led to the creation of the SeriousFun Children’s Network, a global alliance of camps, of which Bátor Tábor is a proud member. Over the past 36 years, SeriousFun camps and outreach programs have provided more than 2 million healing experiences to children and their families worldwide.

Paul Newman instinctively understood what children facing illness truly need: Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs)—joyful, meaningful moments of childhood. Research confirms that these experiences, where children feel safe, cared for, and truly seen, have a measurable positive impact on their healing, well-being, and overall quality of life. They also help counteract the negative emotions (fear, anxiety) caused by illness.

As a Central European center for therapeutic recreation, Bátor Tábor is proud to be part of this global movement of kindness and to carry forward Paul Newman’s legacy every single day.

Simon Detti takes over the regional leadership of Bátor Tábor after 26 years of experience in advertising agencies and on the client side. Until December, she will be working alongside CEO Tamás Knecht until December.

The new leader previously worked as a consultant, marketing director, strategic planner, and client relations director. For the past nine years, she was responsible for the business results and operational efficiency of the DDB Advertising Agency. She managed brands such as McDonald’s, Magyar Telekom, Auchan, and Törley. In addition to his business career, she was a member of the Ronald McDonald Foundation’s board for three years.

‘Although I loved agency life and am particularly proud of the many local and international successes we achieved with DDB, it was never a question for me that I wanted to join the cause represented by Bátor Tábor and its dedicated team. As one of the most professionally run foundations in Hungary, we use therapeutical recreation to help children and families struggling with serious and chronic illnesses—there’s nothing more inspiring or uplifting that I can imagine. As a parent, I also believe this sets a good example for my pre-teen son.’

‘Visiting the camp and seeing the happy children and the super-enthusiastic volunteers was a source of energy for me. My favorite moment was with a little girl on the first day of camp, standing next to me at the evening camp dance. Since I didn’t know the choreography, she said, “I see you’re new, come, I’ll show you!” She was right: I am new, and now I’m learning.'”


For the second time we have produced our Sustainability Report, the result of a collaboration between our Foundation and Planet Fanatics’ Network Ltd. Our aim is to provide an overview of our sustainability goals and achievements to date. The Bátor Tábor Foundation remains committed to achieving climate neutrality by 2030.


We have been working for 23 years to create social value on a non-profit basis. Every year, our programs help more and more children and families who are struggling with serious or chronic illness. In recent years, we have developed new programs, including camps, schools, hospitals and online spaces to support children with illness and their communities. We believe that sustainability goes hand in hand with value creation.

As a leading organisation in Hungarian NGO sector, we focus not only on social sustainability but also on reducing our environmental impact. That is why we committed to protecting the environment in our first Sustainability Report. Climate protection is a key focus of our environmental objectives adopted in 2022: we have set ourselves the ambitious goal of making Bátor Tábor Foundation carbon neutral by 2030.

To this end, we have committed ourselves

We are committed to further reducing our carbon emissions,
To achieve this goal, we will reduce our carbon footprint by 2030,
increasing the energy efficiency of our properties,
improve the operation of our vehicle fleet

Our positive impact on environmental sustainability is already visible in the short term: compared to 2019, we have managed to halve the organisation’s GHG emissions from nearly 40 tonnes CO2e to 18 tonnes CO2e. Meanwhile, our programs – with the new programstructure – reach twice as many children, parents, siblings and classmates as in 2019.

The Foundation’s activities contribute to several of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We are a key contributor to the Health and Wellbeing (SDG 3) and Reducing Inequalities (SDG 10) goals, both improving the mental wellbeing of society and contributing to reducing inequalities. We will promote a culture of giving and volunteering, which will foster social solidarity and redistribution of wealth in our country – without which there is no equality of opportunity.

To achieve the sustainability goals we have set ourselves

In 2023, the children’s shelters and the main building of the camp will be equipped with a new solar system,
and the solar panels in the programme building and the volunteer shelters have been renovated,
From 2022, we will also use our own renewable energy production at our campsite in Hatvan, which covered the energy needs of our Budapest office in 2023,
We are also continuously reviewing our activities to take further steps to make our operations more sustainable.

If you would like to read our second Sustainability Report in Hungarian, please click here.

This summer, we are inviting seriously or chronically ill children, teenagers, and their family members to 4 camp sessions. Among these, the Sibling Camp and the International Family Camp promise to be particularly special.

Traditionally, we have held 4-day Sibling Camps in the spring, where children affected by illness bring their healthy siblings. Unfortunately, due to economic challenges, we haven’t been able to organize this type of camp for the past two years. However, we believe it is crucial to have a camp session focused on building sibling relationships. Prolonged, serious illness often weakens or complicates this special bond. For example, siblings might not see each other for extended periods during hospital treatments, or the disruption in family dynamics might result in less attention for the healthier siblings. Therefore, in the summer of 2024, we will be holding a Sibling Camp: in our third summer camp session at the end of July, children and teenagers living with illness will come together with their siblings.

In early August, we will be welcoming Czech and Slovak families. In our session organized in collaboration with our international co-foundations (Czech and Slovak Spolu s odvahou), which is slightly shorter than the 6-day camps exclusively for children, not only will campers come from Czechia and Slovakia, but there will also be volunteers who do not speak Hungarian. Thus, the working languages of the session will be both Hungarian and English. Our international camps have repeatedly proven that play and laughter are the strongest universal languages – and we know this time will be no different!

Curious about the fantastic camp mood? Click here for the latest pictures!

In our latest short film, our campers share what Bátor Tábor means to them. They explain how our free therapeutic recreational programs have helped them and their children face the fears caused by illness with even more courage, or how they’ve learned to accept living with a lifelong illness while staying strong and being kids.

“Bátor Tábor is a gate to a better world,” they say, and that’s exactly what we are working towards. Would you like to be part of our mission? It only takes 2 minutes until May 21st! Donate 1% of your tax to Bátor Tábor so that we can provide even more soul-healing experiences for seriously or chronically ill children and their families!

Bátor Tábor provides unforgattable experiences, a new family, a countless smiles and friendship for children and teenager who lives with a chronic or serious illness. On the programs of Bátor Tábor no one feels like an outsider, everyone is equally valuable, and families affected by illness are not alone. We not only shape a week in the lives of children but also forever change it, empowering them to believe that anything is possible.

Children diagnosed with severe, chronic illnesses face many challenges. They spend months in the hospital isolated from their families and friends. However, through Brave Camp’s free programs, they find strength for healing and confidence for life. Each year, they help over 3,000 sick children and their families! Your support is needed to continue their work so that more seriously ill children can experience healing moments!

We need your support in our mission: don’t forget to offef tor Bátor Tábor the 1% of your personal income tax. The deadline this year is: 21th May!

You can read more (in Hungarian) about how to donate 1% of your taxes here.

In 2023, a total of 5,340 individuals participated in the programs of Bátor Tábor (or our Slovak and Czech foundation, Spolu s Odvahou). Across the camp, classrooms, hospitals, online, or other offline programs not held at the camp, we provided a total of 40,624 therapeutic hours for seriously or chronically ill children, their families, classmates, and families who have lost their children.

Of these more than 5,000 participants, 3,605 took part in programs in Hungary. In Slovakia, 753, in the Czech Republic, 101, and in Poland, we provided courage and soul-healing experiences to 473 individuals through our free therapeutical programs.

Our School Outrech Program has been launched in Slovakia and the Czech Republic as well. Our GO! program also brings the power of play and laughter to the bravest ones next to the hospital beds in Szeged.

Our Breavement Camp turned 10 years old. In this special type of camp, moments of joy and sorrow go hand in hand. In addition to the usual programs, trained grief therapists support families who have lost their children to illness, accidents, or the perinatal period.

Of course, this year we also held all our programs with our volunteers: in 2023, exactly 653 enthusiastic and trained Cimborás – in a total of 4 countries. Their commitment is shown by the fact that on average, each volunteer participated in programs three times in 2023.

But more than the numbers, the children and parents tell us:

Would you like to help provide soul-healing experiences to as many seriously and chronically ill children as possible in 2024? Check out how you can support our work!

The volunteers of the GO! Hospital Outreach Program don’t rest even between Christmas and New Year’s. We don’t forget about those children who don’t spend Christmas, the winter break at home, so even at the very end of December in Budapest, they bring joy, play, and experience to hospitals.

Unfortunately, every year there are children who spend the holiday season in their hospital beds. They can’t go home to eagerly unwrap presents with their families. They don’t help with baking gingerbread cookies, don’t decorate trees, don’t gather around the Advent wreath this year. However, the GO! Companions bring play, experience, and smiles to hospitals before Christmas and between the two holidays, and something even more important: a piece of our community, a slice of Bátor Tábor. We believe that especially during this time, it’s crucial to make the power of togetherness and support felt. Because childhood, and holidays are everyone’s right!

I have never seen my kids happier as here, in the camp.

When I think about Bátor Tábor, it makes me feel strong, powerful emotions what are locked in my heart forever. At the end of the Family Camp, I felt, that I have to think through my life: I love my job, but here I learnt, that I can act like a kid sometimes, and it is totally OK 🙂 I learnt, how I can play or be present in my kids’ life calmly – without thinking about the illness and stressing out. I have experienced that I should pay attention to others more. That I am not alone. I can be truly happy and be happy for others successes and achievements. I can laugh together with strangers.

We, as a family have received such experiences what we never could elsewhere.

I am grateful that I have had the opportunity to meet the wonderful volunteers of Bátor Tábor. I will never forget them. They changed my life and, with all of my heart I wish them every joy what can be experienced.

n the United States, there is a much deeper culture of camping, and accordingly, its regulation is also stronger. Since Bátor Tábor is a member of the American Serious Fun Children’s Network, they have revised this regulation and extended it to international camps, including ours. Compliance with this regulation is an essential condition for our membership in the American Camp Association.

Previously, we had to undergo the inspection every 3 years, but since 2016, it has been extended to every 5 years – because before that, we performed at such a high level that we were moved to a higher category. The inspection covers everything: programs, health regulations, communication with campers and volunteers, volunteer application and selection process, camp equipment and buildings, suppliers, contracts.

The inspection consisted of two steps: first, in the spring, we had to fill out a questionnaire with 266 questions and upload all necessary documents – if I remember correctly, exactly 158! In June, a 2-person inspection committee visited the camp to check the site, programs, and ask any further questions they had.

We fully complied with the mandatory regulations, and our overall evaluation was 98%, with only 3 minor areas mentioned where improvements were suggested, but none of these affect the safety of the camp, campers, or programs. They mainly concern cultural differences, such as the emphasis on prohibiting weapon use towards campers in American camps.

Scoring 98% (and completing the mandatory regulations 100%) means that we met all these criteria, everything was found in order with our programs. They also highlighted 5 different areas that impressed them:

It was a very dear moment for me when they arrived. At the beginning, there was a discussion with Tamás Knecht, our CEO, and me about the inspection in general. Kelly and the others immediately highlighted that everything was generally fine, and although there are mandatory areas to inspect, they mainly want to enjoy the day and experience the professionalism they saw in the submitted documents. Throughout the day, they were very open and curious, not only about the camp but the entire organization.

They mentioned several times that they were asking us further questions not necessarily related to the inspection, but out of their own curiosity or interest, because they really enjoyed what they experienced with us.

When they arrived, they also shared that the day before, they went to a restaurant for dinner to prepare for the next day. The waiter overheard that they were from Bátor Tábor – I think it was one of our volunteers – and joined their conversation. They were completely amazed that we are so well-known and wherever they go, they encounter someone who is somehow connected to us.

After 22 years, Péter Küllői, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Bátor Tábor Foundation, hands over the presidency to two other Trustees.

Kamilla Hermann will take over as chairman and Balázs Báthory as vice-chairman in the Board of Trustees. Both of them have a long-standing commitment to the Foundation, thus ensuring continuity in our operating principles.

The management of Bátor Tábor, which makes the professional decisions and develops strategy, does not change; and neither does our mission.

We are grateful to Peter for his support in the past 22 years. It is thanks to his visionary leadership and mentoring that Bátor Tábor has become a professional, high-impact, independent and transparent organisation.

You can read Peter’s personal farewell note here.

Bátor Tábor, the Camp of Courage has more than 20 years of experience in preserving and developing mental health. 

Its influence reaches far and wide: it is no longer now just within the gates of the camp that the Camp provides life-changing experiences for children with serious chronic diseases and their family members. But, it also helps them recover in hospital and reintegrate into school. A new platform will be launched again in May.

The online programs were made available to everyone during the pandemic which was followed in 2021 by the Above the Clouds podcast, those episodes dealt with topics that concern us all – for example, inner peace, preserving our strength in difficult situations, or overcoming external and internal obstacles, and nurturing our human relationships.

The professional success and listenership of the podcast proved that there is a great need for a podcast about mental health and that the Bátor Tábor Foundation needs to use its expertise in the field of mental health care, in the wider society. That is why we are launching an online magazine called Above the Clouds, a platform where mental health experts meet, and their aim is to reach as many people as possible with the foundation’s message and idealism.

According to a WHO survey, 4.6% of 15-19 year olds suffer from anxiety disorders. Hungary is particularly affected by the rise of depression, for example, according to a domestic research, every tenth person is faced with mental health problems that make it difficult to perform everyday tasks. And according to a 2022 British survey, 84% of parents believe that their child’s mental problems have also increased in recent years. “The situation is similar at home, after the pandemic, the number of children and families requiring psychological help has increased significantly,” highlights Dorka Kocsis, psychologist at Bátor Tábor.  

“In the concept of health, diseases are not the only thing that can harm us, but also it can be physical, social, and mental well-being,” says Dorka Kocsis. “The experience of meaningfulness in life, satisfaction, and self-expression are all part of mental health, just as they are conditions for our wellbeing, and our physical and social well-being,” she adds.

“The extension and accessibility of the Bátor Tábor’s ideology has been a long-standing concern for us,” says Tamás Knecht, the executive director. “We want to improve the lives of readers and the state of society by sharing everything that the Camp of Courage team has learned from seriously ill children and how we help their healing through our free camp, hospital, or online programs. Moreover, in addition to personal life, the role of mental health is increasingly important in workplaces, and it is important for companies that their employees are well. Everyone needs a little Bátor Tábor.”

In the magazine “Above the Clouds,” we explore multiple topics related to mental health each week. On this new platform, the Bátor Tábor approach is accessible to everyone, based on the experiences of children, volunteers, and parents in our programs: how to find and maintain strength in difficult situations, how to turn to each other. And the title speaks for itself, as the sun always shines above the clouds!

The “Above the Clouds” magazine was made possible by the support of Abercrombie & Fitch.

Don’t just plan for a year, think long-term!

Why is planning for your long term future more beneficial than just planning for one year? You can read about it in more detail in one of our previous articles, but the essence is that you help yourself a lot more if you think ahead for 3 or even 5 years instead of just 365 days! By doing so, you’ll be able to formulate a more accurate and realistic goal for one year. Moreover, according to the suggestion of coach Gábor Cséffalvay, it’s worth outlining our entire life journey because we can draw a lot of inspiration from our past for our future!

Set realistic goals and break them down into steps!

Bikini body in a month? Running a marathon from scratch? Going vegan overnight for a meat lover? Some people succeed with drastic changes, but if you’re not part of that lucky group based on your experiences, feel free to break down your ultimate goal into smaller steps. It may turn out in time that it’s not realistic to complete a full marathon within a year, so instead, prepare happily and confidently for a relaxed half-marathon! When it comes to changing lifestyles, then start with meatless Mondays, then add one meat-free day per week (and so on). If you have time to adapt to the changes, it’s much more likely that you’ll stick with them in the long run, and you won’t have to suffer!

Find what motivates you in your resolution!

In order to stick to your resolution even in the hectic everyday life, it’s not enough to have a large goal in mind. You also need to know exactly why this goal is important to you. What is your personal motivation, and your mission? For those embarking on a diet, they are more successful if they change their eating habits not for the sake of the scale and an idealized dream body, but to live a longer and healthier life. Even Incorporating exercise can also be motivated by charity: if you prepare for that first half-marathon as a member of the “Élménykülönítmény,” you’ll be more eager to put on your running shoes even on gloomy Mondays!

Be patient with yourself!

One bad habit of modern humans is always wanting everything immediately and perfectly. It’s time to remind yourself that you’re not a robot and can’t handle everything at once, and you can’t perform flawlessly all the time. Instead of beating yourself up, realize that mistakes are not failures but part of our development! And most importantly, don’t forget to celebrate your “small” successes! Couldn’t run to catch the bus last year, but now you can run 2 km in February? Did you eat fresh vegetables with every meal this week? Your fundraising campaign is already at 20%? They all deserve a pat on the back!

Choose a goal (or goals) that also helps others!

You have probably heard that charity and volunteering not only change the lives of those who receive help but also the lives of people who help. Supporters, volunteers, and donors of the Bátor Tábor can confirm that giving to them is also a life-changing experience! Going to bed knowing that you made the world a slightly better place today is a completely different feeling. Give it a try and provide courage to seriously ill children through volunteering, regular donations, or fundraising! We guarantee that you will notice: the sun always shines above the clouds!

Inhaling. Liberated joy. A new momentum. In addition to numerous adventures, new challenges, and the power of a community of friends, and parents these are many of the things people experience in the Family Camps. They are happy – and we are very proud of them! – that they allowed themselves, dared themselves, these few days. The few days when they could break away from the daily grind, step out of their comfort zone, so that their sick child, healthy siblings, and themselves, as parents, could gain a new strength to keep on fighting, and bravely confront the difficulties that they face in life. We have gathered some energizing thoughts from parents who participated in the Family Camp.

The camp was special because…

We could be carefree together, and recharge.

The Brave Camp is like…

Being in the camp as an adult…

We are proud of ourselves because…

Since 1996, the International Day of Tolerance has been celebrated on November 16, initiated by UNESCO. Its main goal is to draw attention to the dangers of intolerance and promote non-violence within the school environment. However, understanding and attention are also greatly needed in our everyday relationships. Dorka Kocsis, a psychologist from the Bátor Tábor Foundation, offers five simple but proven tips on how to be more understanding and patient with our own difficulties and how to provide emotional support to others.

There are many factors that influence how we handle stressful and challenging situations. It’s not just the level of mental stress and our previous experiences that matter, but also our current physical and mental state. Emotional regulation plays a significant role in how we react and how we influence our environment. It enables us to adapt to the world around us by indicating that we can influence and control our emotions. Our feelings, thoughts, and physical sensations are closely interconnected and mutually influence each other. Striving for understanding and sincere communication forms the basis of successful human relationships. However, amidst the hectic demands of everyday life, it can be challenging to remain constantly aware of this. The International Day of Tolerance reminds us to pay closer attention to others and ourselves.

Take care of ourselves!

Taking care of ourselves also plays a significant role in our openness towards others. When we are tired or after a stressful day, even the slightest novelty or obstacle becomes difficult to handle. Shifting perspectives and looking at things from different angles requires considerable mental resources, as our physical condition influences our emotions. Physical and mental rest, whether it is active (releasing tension) or passive (recharging), is an important step towards achieving a more balanced emotional state.

Ask questions boldly!

Ask questions to ourselves and others. Through internal dialogues, we can answer why certain things affect us sensitively and what bothers us. However, it’s better not to understand the other party’s perspective in a one-sided dialogue; involve them in the conversation and establish a connection. Understanding and changing perspectives can help transform stereotypes and ingrained beliefs.

Acquire knowledge!

If something is difficult for us to tolerate, let’s learn about it and gain a better understanding. Whether it’s a phenomenon, external stimulus, or situation, watching movies, reading, or becoming neutral observers in specific situations these can all help. Our thoughts and cognition also influence our emotions.

Engage in conversations!

Engage in conversations with acquaintances and friends who can better help us cope with what is challenging for us to accept. Learn from them, observe or ask them what helps them cope. It’s easier to deal with a situation when there is someone we can look up to as an example. Have conversations with friends with whom we can share our feelings and dilemmas with, allowing our internal struggles to be expressed. Learning about opinions different from our own can broaden our horizons and break free from habitual thinking and emotional processes.

Meet in person!

Maintaining distance and avoiding interactions can protect us from tension, but it may not help change our perspective. A meeting, closer contact, or shared activity can provide an opportunity to seek similarities instead of differences and understand the other person’s viewpoint.

Since 2001, the Bátor Tábor Foundation has provided healing experiences to over 15,000 seriously and chronically ill children and their families. Through the methodology and tools of adventure therapy, they bring the carefree nature of childhood not only to camps but also to the schools and hospitals as well.

As the first among Hungarian nonprofits, we have issued a sustainability report.

The Bátor Tábor Foundation has prepared its first Sustainability Report in full compliance with the global reporting standard (GRI). The Foundation has set a goal to achieve climate neutrality in its operations by 2030 through energy modernization, efficiency improvement, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and fuel consumption. A significant part of the Foundation’s emissions is attributed to the energy consumption of the campsite complex in Hatvan, amounting to 28.6 tons of CO2e in 2021, representing the annual emissions of Bátor Tábor.

In addition to its important social mission and its history of ethical and transparent operations, the Bátor Tábor Foundation is increasingly focused on the environmental aspect of sustainability. In 2021, a shortened ESG assessment was conducted to examine the sustainability of their operations based on environmental, social, and corporate governance criteria. As the next step, the organization prepared its first Sustainability Report in 2022, with the assistance of Planet Fanatics’ Network Ltd. The data calculations were based on the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, following international expectations. This resulted in the Sustainability Report covering the data from 2019 to 2021.

“As one of the influential foundations in Hungarian social life, we consider it our duty to serve as a good example to society by making our operations sustainable. We carry out our work, focused on providing assistance to children and their supporters, ethically, as fair employers, and on sustainable financial grounds. It is inspiring to see not only the quantified environmental impact but also to commit to clear and forward-looking goals such as achieving zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030,” expressed Erna Kindli, the CEO of the Bátor Tábor Foundation, emphasizing the milestone’s significance.

The Bátor Tábor Foundation has excelled in two aspects of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for decades, namely Health and Well-being (SDG3) and Reduced Inequalities (SDG10). Over the past 20 years, the Foundation has provided courage through its programs to more than 15,000 children and their family members battling cancer or other serious chronic illnesses, who still consider Bátor Tábor the most positively impactful environment in their lives. In addition to supporting the mental well-being of society, the Foundation also promotes a culture of giving and volunteering, contributing to the strengthening of social solidarity. Beyond the therapeutic camps, they also facilitate the integration of severely and chronically ill children into communities, as well as the development of healthy interpersonal relationships and social skills through hospital, online, and school programs.

“We collaborated with the Bátor Tábor Foundation in this form for the first time two years ago when they participated in our Sustainability Day online event. Last year, we conducted their simplified ESG assessment and calculated their GHG inventory. We highly value the cause represented by Bátor Tábor and the Foundation’s way of operating, and the challenge of preparing a report for a nonprofit organization based on the GRI used by companies was so unique that there was no question whether we would embark on it,” said Katalin Szomolányi, CEO of Planet Fanatics’ Network Ltd., about the cooperation.

To achieve the set sustainability goals, in 2021, the Bátor Tábor Foundation installed solar panels on their program building at the campsite in Hatvan, which was completed a few years ago. They also carried out the comprehensive replacement of boilers and maintenance of windows and doors. Since a significant portion of their emissions comes from electricity consumption, they place particular emphasis on measures aimed at achieving higher efficiency in the future. To reduce their indirect emissions, they plan to decrease the energy demand of their properties by 2030, and to avoid these emissions, they will increase their solar energy capacity. In order to reduce fuel consumption, they have been organizing carpooling tables for volunteers and staff for several years to optimize per capita fuel consumption. Additionally, they have set tasks for the modernization of their vehicle fleet and the acquisition of electric vehicles. The combination of solar energy supply and electric vehicles is important not only for reducing emissions but also for reducing dependence on external pressures and ensuring continuous operation.

The Bátor Tábor Foundation believes that civil organizations should follow the progressive models of the business sector, and sustainability is an area that affects everyone, regardless of the sector, and everyone has a responsibility to contribute. This is why they considered it important to take another step towards sustainable development.

The Bátor Tábor Foundation’s Sustainability Report can be downloaded in Hungarian from this link.

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Én minden egyes pillanatot, percet, másodpercet és órát magammal akarok vinni! A barátokról a csodaszép emlékeket, a leküzdött félelmeket és minden kalandot és kimondott kedves szót.

Balázs, 17 éves

Én minden egyes pillanatot, percet, másodpercet és órát magammal akarok vinni! A barátokról a csodaszép emlékeket, a leküzdött félelmeket és minden kalandot és kimondott kedves szót. Az egész tábor életem legemlékezetesebb és legboldogabb hete volt.

Balázs, 17 éves

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