The lecture titled "The Importance of Hungary in the life of Nikola Tesla" was held on May 27, 2025, at the Sava Tekelija Endowment – Tekelijanum, in Budapest.

"The Importance of Hungary in the Life of Nikola Tesla"

The lecture was delivered by Presbyter Dr. Oliver Subotic, head of the AEM Missionary Department and author of a study on Nikola Tesla, whose English edition has just been released.

The lecture was opened by the Head of the Tekelijanum, Archpriest Zoran Ostojic, episcopal deputy, who introduced the lecturer to the Budapest audience and officially began the event. In his presentation, Fr. Oliver Subotic highlighted various aspects of Hungary's influence on the life and work of Nikola Tesla. He spoke about Tesla’s arrival in Budapest upon the recommendation of his uncle, Colonel Pajo Mandic, who was a friend of Ferenc Puskás. He also discussed Tesla’s discovery of the rotating magnetic field using alternating current, which occurred during a walk in a Budapest park. Additionally, he touched on Tesla’s friendship with Hungarian engineer Antal Szigeti, as well as the influence of the novel Abafi by Hungarian author Miklós Jósika — among many other details related to the topic. The lecture also touched on how certain figures from Serbian history, such as Saint Despot Stefan Lazarevic and Nikola Tesla, can serve as cultural bridges between Serbia and Hungary.

In the discussion segment of the lecture, the impact of Tesla’s Christian family background on the formation of the character of the greatest Serbian inventor was addressed. At the conclusion of his lecture, Fr. Oliver Subotic, on behalf of the "Petar Mandic" Endowment, presented a copy of his book on Tesla in English to the libraries of the Tekelijanum and the "Nikola Tesla" Serbian Gymnasium.

The lecture was very well received by the numerous attendees from Budapest, including professors and students from the "Nikola Tesla" Gymnasium. After the lecture, there was an opportunity for personal interaction with the speaker and an exchange of thoughts and impressions.

Among those in attendance were the Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mrs. Biljana Gutic Bjelica, the First Counselor of the Embassy of Serbia in Hungary, Mrs. Ivana Kunc, the Vice President of the Serbian Self-Government in Hungary, Mr. Andrija Rockov, the Editor-in-Chief of Srpske narodne novine, Mr. Milan Stepanov, and many others.

The lecture was recorded and will be uploaded to the website of the AEM Missionary Department as soon as it has been technically processed.