Washington, DC – On December 4, 2020, the Hungarian American Coalition (Coalition) will host its first-ever Virtual Mikulás Gala with the theme “Preserving our Past, Focusing on the Future!”. At this year’s special online event, the Coalition’s Board will honor Katalin Kádár Lynn, founder of Helena History Press. This year’s program will also include a mini concert from the renowned Hungarian folk music group, Kaláka and a special online auction.

This award is bestowed annually to those individuals and/or institutions, who have made significant contributions to strengthening transatlantic relations, assisted the Coalition’s educational and cultural programs, and helped our organization support our brethren in the Carpathian basin.

Katalin Kádár Lynn is a historian based in Budapest and California whose principal area of scholarship is World War II and the Cold War with an emphasis on Central and East European émigré political activities and organizations. She is the founder and Editor in Chief of Helena History Press, LLC a publishing house specializing in scholarship about and from Central and East Europe in English. She serves on the Editorial Board of the journal Comenius, the International Advisory Board of the AHEA e-journal Hungarian Cultural Studies, the board of the American Hungarian Library and Historical Society of New York and the American Hungarian Federation. In 2011 she was awarded the Gold Cross of Merit of the Republic of Hungary. She will be honored for her commitment to publishing top-quality scholarship related to Central European history, in English. Read Ms. Kádár Lynn’s full profile here.

The proceeds of the Virtual Mikulás Gala will benefit the Coalition’s three educational programs:

•   John N. Lauer Leadership Training Program (LTP):

The LTP provides an opportunity for young Hungarians to gain first-hand experience working in Washington DC-based institutions. The customized program motivates interns for public service and helps them create a professional network in the US. The LTP has provided invaluable internship experiences in Washington DC for more than 100 talented young Hungarians from Hungary, the Carpathian Basin and the US.

•   Dr. Elemér and Éva Kiss Scholarship Program (EEKS):

Established in 1997, this scholarship program provides partial scholarships to outstanding Hungarian students who pursue full-time studies in the US. The EEKS has been awarded to 148 students to attend US university programs over the past 23 years.

•   Bognár Family Hungarian Scholarship Program (BFHS):

Established in 1999, this program provides financial assistance to qualified Hungarian university students studying in Hungary or the surrounding region. The BFHS has helped 268 students – some of them multiple times – from across the Carpathian Basin attend local colleges.

For more information on how to obtain the link for the event, please contact Noemi Banhidi, Program Coordinator at hac@hacusa.org or R.S.V.P. here by purchasing a ticket for the Gala.