This year, I made a firm resolution to write something positive at the end of the year. After last weekend, I find this incredibly difficult, but I still want to fulfill my resolution.
I am thinking, for example, of the Pride Parade in Budapest, which was able to take place despite a ban thanks to the efforts of the mayor of Budapest.
Or the news that a drug has recently become available that can significantly slow down mental decline in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.
Or the approval of the first malaria drug for babies.
Or how cutting-edge technology can be used for the benefit of humanity and does not pose a threat to our working world: a microchip implanted under the retinas of blind study participants enabled them to read letters and numbers again with the aid of special glasses.
And then there is a piece of news that we linguists are particularly pleased about. According to a study, people who regularly speak more than one language age significantly slower.
Perhaps there were few truly world-changing positive events in 2025. This makes it all the more worthwhile to look at the “side scenes” that can ultimately have a greater impact on our everyday lives.
With this in mind, I wish you all a peaceful holiday season and all the best for 2026.
Astrid Hager