BUM Social Connect 2026 – professional dialogue, community, and inspiration in one space

The BUM Social Connect event series is one of the defining formats of professional events organized by the Shopping Street Management. While the BUM Business Breakfasts primarily serve the practical information, education, and targeted networking of entrepreneurs, the Social Connect meetings address a broader professional audience, emphasizing community experience, partnership, and showcasing cultural values.

The event was opened by Dr. Viktória Bódi, Secretary General of the Budapest Chamber of Commerce and Industry. In her welcome speech, she emphasized the importance of strengthening urban retail streets and local businesses, as well as highlighted the role of the Shopping Street Management in bridging businesses, local governments, and professional decision-makers. In her opening remarks, she spoke about the significance of long-term collaborations and the mindset that interprets cities not only as economic but also as community and cultural spaces.

Following the opening, Attila Antal, the Managing Director of the Shopping Street Management, presented the most important professional achievements of 2025, as well as the strategic directions and highlighted programs for 2026. In his presentation, he provided a comprehensive overview of the diverse activities of BUM over the past year: the renewal of marketing and communications, strengthening national network building, the development of events and thematic programs, as well as initiatives such as the Kibérelem.hu project or the SlowXmas city marketing campaign.

The presentation also highlighted that the Shopping Street Management is no longer solely focused on connecting streets and businesses but also plays a complex role in urban development, community building, and knowledge sharing, with a focus on a sustainable, livable, and economically viable urban environment. Among the strategic focuses for 2026, there is a strong emphasis on supporting entrepreneurs with online and offline tools, experience-based city marketing, and further developing and sharing BUM's own know-how.

Following the professional content, the event was enriched by a special cultural moment. Ágnes Kovács-Haraszti, a staff member in the marketing and communication area of the Shopping Street Management, recited two of her own poems to the participants. One poem came from her early creative period, while the other was written specifically for entrepreneurs on the morning of the event. The literary block created a personal and inspiring atmosphere and aligned well with the efforts of Social Connect events to complement professional dialogue with cultural experiences.

Ágnes Kovács-Haraszti's literary career has been flourishing since 2000: her poems have appeared in domestic and foreign journals, including Élet és Irodalom, Bárka, and Holmi. Previously, she was an author and editor of the Slovak literary and artistic journal Szőrös Kő, completed her university studies at the Faculty of Humanities of the University of Debrecen, and published her own volume in 2004. Her presentation exemplified that, alongside economic and professional collaborations, cultural values are also an integral part of the Shopping Street Management's approach.

As a closing of the program, informal networking followed, providing participants the opportunity for informal conversations, establishing new connections, and deepening existing collaborations. The January BUM Social Connect event reinforced that professional content, community experience, and cultural inspiration can together create a platform that adds value to the development of urban commerce and partnership networks over the long term.

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