User:MrFringilla/HunSkeptSoc

The Hungarian Skeptic Society (HSS, Hungarian name: Szkeptikus Társaság Egyesület) is a skeptic organisation based in Hungary. Founded in 2006, it is a member of the European Council of Skeptical Organisations (ECSO) since 2007. It's current president is Gábor Hraskó, who is also chairman of ECSO since 2013.

History of skepticism in Hungary
After the political changes in Hungary, pseudoscientific claims started to proliferate in the beginning of the 1990-s. There was a group of scientists from the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, led by the late professor of anatomy János Szentágothai who, along with science writers at the journal Természet Világa (the World of Nature) and columnists of the time, formed a group called Tényeket Tisztelők Társasága (Society of the Respecters of Facts, also called 'Hungarian Skeptics'). However, this was not an officially existing body, only a fellowship of like-minden scholars and journalists, including SETI astronomer Iván Almár, TV host István Vágó and many others. Also, the approach of this group was fairly different from that seen in other skeptical organisations around Europe and the world, lacking grassroots activism and focusing on high-ranking scholars, expressing their opinion to a wider audience.

Founding the Hungarian Skeptic Society
In the second half of 2006, skeptics began to bring together those critically-thinking individuals and small groups who frequently shared their ideas, usually publishing their work on the internet or other channels. On December 15, 2006 the Hungarian Skeptic Society was founded with 19 participants and now it has around 100 members from across Hungary.

Online
The HSS has an intensive online presence with an official website, an official Facebook page, a discussion group, a blog and a podcast channel, along with a Twitter handle (@szkeptikus) and a YouTube channel.

Darwin-day
In 2007 the organisation launched a campaign to celebrate the life and achievements of Charles Darwin and the scientific importance of evolution and joined the international Darwin Day with a few local events and a website, that was later followed by a Facebook page.

Skeptic Club
Every month, lectures are held in the centre of Budapest, covering different topics ranging from Philosophy to Homeopathy and featuring many well known experts on each individual field.

14th European Skeptics Congress
Between 17 and 19 September 2010 ECSO gave the chance to the Hungarian Skeptic Society to host the 14th European Skeptics Congress in Budapest. The 3-day conference, held in Hotel Flamenco in Buda featured many internationally recognized skeptics, including Willem Betz from SKEPP, British psychologist Chris French, Michael Heap from ASKE, paranormal investigator Joe Nickell from CSI, Massimo Polidoro from CICAP in Italy and science writer Simon Singh along with several Hungarian skeptics.

"1023 Homeopathy - There's Nothing in It" campaign
In 2011 the HSS joined the 10:23 Campaign, a worldwide challenge to raise awareness about the ineffectiveness of homeopathic remedies and the implausibility of the mechanisms they claim to work in the background of it. As part of the campaign, members and supporters of the organization executed a homeopathic overdose in 3 Hungarian cities: Budapest, Székesfehérvár, Szeged. As part of the campaign, a "Hungarian 10:23 Homeopathy - There's nothing in it" webpage and a Facebook page was launched as well.

Board members

 * Gábor Hraskó - president
 * Klára Molnár - managing director
 * András G. Pintér - vice president
 * András Szilágyi - vice president