Ambassadors act as bridges between the project and their communities, ensuring meaningful participation and fostering long-term impact. Their role is both participatory and transformative, as they help create inclusive spaces, facilitate access to opportunities, and empower others by transferring essential skills and promoting collaboration.
Here, we introduce the ambassadors in their own words:
Hungarian Ambassadors
Szabolcs GULYÁS
“Hello, my name is Szabolcs Gulyás. I am 21 years old, and I am currently studying social work at a university in Miskolc. I graduated from Dr. Ámbédkar School in Miskolc, and I live in Hernádszentandrás. In the future, I hope to find a job in this field, ideally somewhere nearby, as I have already started looking for opportunities in the area. I really like to travel and discover new things. I also love acting and meeting new people.
I didn’t like my elementary school so much because they didn’t like Roma people there. They told me I would amount to nothing and wouldn’t even graduate. When I expressed my desire to study in Budapest, they were surprised and even called my mother in to ask if we were serious. We said yes because I really liked that school. Unfortunately, I could only go there for one year because we had to return home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I don’t want to write too much because once I start, I won’t stop, so that’s all for now.
Personally, I believe I can contribute to a community in many ways. My ability to empathize and communicate openly helps me connect with others and build meaningful relationships. I enjoy finding creative solutions to problems and always approach challenges with a positive mindset. I also value collaboration and love working with others, as I think we can achieve so much more as a team. Lastly, I believe I have some untapped potential and skills that I might not even realize yet, but I’m always ready to adapt and learn to bring out the best in myself for the benefit of the community.”
János KURU
“My name is János Kuru, I am 21 years old, and I study Religious Social Work at the Budapest University of Jewish Studies. I am from Borsod County, specifically the Miskolc area. I completed my eight years of primary education at the Dr. Ámbédkar School through an evening program, where I earned my high school diploma.
As I continue to learn more about myself, I’ve discovered qualities I hadn’t noticed before. For example, I’ve realised that I am a great listener. I enjoy paying attention to others, and I’ve found that this often helps people open up or feel better. I also have a strong sense of empathy and can easily understand others’ situations, often finding the right words to give them strength during difficult times.
Mutual respect is very important to me. I believe that if I show respect to others, it always comes back to me. I also try to be reliable—someone people can count on—because when I make a promise, I keep it. My flexibility helps me adapt to different people and situations, which is often useful when working towards common solutions.
I’ve also come to appreciate my creativity as a real asset. I enjoy coming up with new ideas or finding unique solutions that bring value to the community. Additionally, I’ve noticed I’m good at connecting people—I can see who might be able to help each other or who might get along well. These are qualities I enjoy sharing with others around me.
I believe these skills allow me to contribute meaningfully, whether it is building relationships, providing support, or solving problems.”
Mirella RUSZÓ
“My name is Mirella Ruszó, and I am 19 years old. I am currently studying at the Dr. Ámbédkar School, training to become a social care nurse. I have already completed a trade and sales qualification, which is the field I currently work in.
What I can offer to a community:
Empathy: I understand other people’s feelings and strive to be supportive in difficult situations, helping to strengthen community bonds.
Positive attitude: I always try to remain optimistic, which helps to make community members feel better.
Sharing my skills: If I’m good at something, I’m always happy to share it with others.
Building connections: I help people form friendships and encourage deeper connections within the community.
With these contributions, I hope to help create a supportive and inspiring community where everyone feels valued.”
French Ambassadors
Kenzo ANTHONIPILAI
“Hello, my name is Kenzo, and I am 16 years old. I have been part of this family for two years, but dancing for six. I will be honest with you, I am in love with hip-hop culture. It has helped me through difficult moments in my life, and this journey will allow me to improve my leadership skills, increase my self-confidence and my love for this culture.
This journey will also help me enrich my dance vocabulary and develop my identity. I already have a lot of skills, but I have many things to learn, and Playmo always says: ‘We will never finish learning, nor stop learning to learn.’ So I need this journey to develop new skills, and it will also help me in my everyday life. Throughout this journey, I will be myself—curious, doing things wholeheartedly, serious, and a leader. I am also determined, and will be punctual, and committed to exceeding your expectations and learning.”
Shana BUNET-DELVIN
“I’m in my final year of high school, and I’ve been studying English since the first grade. This allows me to be more comfortable speaking in English.
I love dancing, I’ve been doing it since I was four years old, it’s my passion. I also really like to travel and get to know other cultures. I have already been to London to try to work on my English.
I would be really happy to be part of this project in Hungary to get to know the culture and dance, and to continue to deepen my English knowledge, for I hope to become bilingual in the future.”
Shaïnez COULIBALY
“My passion for hip-hop dance has grown through my involvement in my high school’s hip-hop section, where I had the opportunity to hone my skills by competing in various championships and participating in an Erasmus exchange.
These experiences allowed me to proudly represent a culture that is deeply meaningful to me. Even before high school, my interest in urban arts was sparked in middle school through the Art Attak project, which introduced me to street art and expanded my artistic horizons.
Competing at departmental, academic, and national levels has not only refined my technical and artistic abilities but has also taught me discipline, perseverance, and the value of cultural exchange. I would be honored to bring this experience to the Hungary Project, contributing my energy, teamwork, and commitment to sharing the core values of hip-hop.
Participating in this project would be a unique opportunity to represent hip-hop dance on an international stage, connect with like-minded individuals, and promote the values of inclusion, creativity, and determination that define this art form.”
Timothée DEBETHUNE
“I am currently a first-year student at Jean-Jacques Rousseau High School in Sarcelles, France. Passionate about hip-hop, I have been practising this discipline for several years. This year, I had the opportunity to give hip-hop lessons to people with disabilities, which allowed me to develop my pedagogical and communication skills.
Participating in this project in Hungary represents a great opportunity for me to share my skills and my passion for hip-hop with the Roma community and contribute to social inclusion through dance. This seems important to me in a country led by a right-wing man where the Roma face discrimination in various areas of life.
I am convinced that this experience will be enriching both personally and professionally, allowing me to develop new skills. I am motivated, serious, and ready to fully commit to this project.”
Diakité FATOUMATA
„I’m Diakité Fatoumata, a passionate dancer with three years of experience and a deep interest in cultural exchange. I’m curious, determined, and always eager to step out of my comfort zone to learn from new people and places. Taking part in the CuC project feels like a unique opportunity to grow personally and professionally, discover Hungarian culture, and share this journey with others who are just as enthusiastic as I am.”
Benjamin MANZANZA
“My name is Benjamin Manzanza, and I have been dancing since I was 15 years old. I have been a hip-hop instructor at Jean Jacques Rousseau High School since 2013, where I have had the privilege of sharing my passion for this extraordinary culture with young people.
In addition to my teaching experience, I have served as a dance coach for the last two national inter-high school championships, where I guided students in showcasing their talents and creativity. I am deeply passionate about hip-hop culture and am dedicated to inspiring the next generation of dancers.”
Sabrina ROTSEN
“As president of the Art Lab association, attached to the Jean Jacques Rousseau High School, I had the opportunity to invest myself in this passion which has driven me since my beginnings in competition, crowned by a title of French UNSS champion HIP HOP in 2014.
Over the past decade, I have mentored the young generation of high school dancers, an enriching experience which has highlighted my leadership, my pedagogy and my kindness. Dance has allowed me not only to grow personally, but also to develop key skills that I want to share with other communities.”
Alicia SEMEDO MORENO
“When our teachers presented this project to us, they asked us to write a motivation letter. Instead, I choose to write a presentation letter—a little bit risky, but what is life without taking any risks?
I am Alicia-Maria, but people call me Alicia. I am 17 years old now and will turn 18 this October. I left my country at a very young age, and since then, I’ve learned to love foreign cultures and appreciate the differences that we all have as an opportunity to learn more about others but also about ourselves. Growing up surrounded by different cultures made me someone who sees the values of every tiny difference that resides within us.
For me, this project symbolizes an opportunity for us as dancers to share and discover more about that passion that we have in common. I am really excited about the idea of sharing my dance history with you and learning more about you all. Hoping that we will see each other very soon.”
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
With the support of the National Cultural Fund.
