Krištof Nemet, a student of “Svetozar Marković” highschool, has been named Student Of The Year. He finished the Social-Linguistic program and is described as someone who has always wanted to know more about the world he lives in, which was best provided by geography.
“I think it's important to look at everything globally today, to think globally and not be focused on just one nation, but to observe the world through all nations. It is also important to reduce differences in society to a minimum, and that is achieved by getting to know other cultures. When you learn about a culture and learn more about other countries, you won't get lost in the world, you will be more tolerant and some of the inequalities that exist between people and nations are eliminated by learning about a culture and realizing that we are all actually equal," explains Krištof on what geography has taught him.
He had the opportunity to demonstrate that knowledge at numerous competitions, of which the most impressive was the European Geography Olympics, from which he returned with a bronze medal in two consecutive years. Krištof also made it to the World Olympics, but the friendships he made along the way were more valuable to him than the awards.
"At the national geography competition, I met many peers and am still in contact with some of them. I met a boy from Novi Pazar who is of the Islamic faith, I am Catholic, and there was another boy with us who was Orthodox. It was interesting for us to talk, we talked a lot about culture, and it was a very nice experience for me," says Krištof.
Besides being open to other cultures, Krištof is also open to other languages, and so far he has learned English, German, and Latin. He also speaks Serbian but does not neglect his native language, Hungarian, from which he has also competed and achieved success both at the republican and international level.
"Every language has its own logic behind it, and I think it's very important to first understand our own language and to be proficient in it, in the sense that we are confident in everything we speak and write. If we know our language well, then it will be easier for us to learn other languages," Krištof emphasizes.
Krištof Nemet is one of the 12 students awarded by the organization "IT Subotica 2030" within the "Students of the Year" project. Regarding his future plans, his love for geography prevailed, which he will study at the University of Szeged. He already has a ten-year plan for himself, which includes going to another country for a year during his studies to try it out, perhaps learn another language, but also, one day to return to Subotica with all that knowledge and experience.
"I want to see Subotica in 2030 as one of the top 10 cities in Vojvodina, having prospered culturally and economically. I would also like the linguistic barriers between the Serbian and Hungarian languages that exist in Subotica to disappear, and I would like to work for an international company in Serbia, but most of all, I would like to write for National Geographic," Krištof says.
