Hungarian American Coalition Holds Board Meeting

Board Approves D.C. Conference for Hungarian Minority Leaders; Human Rights Workshop Meets with National Security Council

During its regular Board Meeting held on June 9, 1995 at the Kossuth House in Washington, D.C., the Hungarian American Coalition adopted a resolution to hold a conference on the role of national minorities in regional security, on November 2-3, 1995 in the nation’s capital. The participants will include leaders of Hungarian minority communities in Romania, Slovakia, Carpatho-Ukraine and Voivodina. They will have an opportunity to share their views with U.S. policymakers concerning the promotion of democracy and regional security in Central and Eastern Europe.

A committee consisting of the Hungarian Americans for Human Rights in Delvidek, the Hungarian Human Rights Foundation, and the National Committee of Hungarians from Slovakia, Inc., was appointed to organize the conference.

During the meeting the Board also accepted reports from the Coalition’s Executive, Information and Membership committees, and reviewed ongoing projects. The Coalition will continue its work with the annual Human Rights Workshop, the White House Internship program, the Educational and Business directories, the Duna TV project, and the Central and East European Coalition.

Finally, on behalf of the Coalition, the Board of Directors extended a certificate of appreciation to Mr. Csaba Szabo, outgoing Cultural Attache of the Hungarian Embassy in Washington, recognizing his accomplishments in strengthening Hungarian-American relations.

The Board approved Coalition membership for two new organizations: the Hungarian Anti-Defamation League and the East Europe Trading Company. Three organizations renewed their positions on the Board for an additional three-year term: the Magyar Club of Cleveland; the Cleveland Hungarian Development Panel; and Hungarian Americans for Human Rights in Delvidek.

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Coinciding with its Board Meeting, the Hungarian American Coalition co-sponsored the sixth annual Human Rights Workshop, held on June 9-12, 1995 at Shepherd College, W.Va., and in Washington, D.C.

Twenty-four participants from Ohio, New Jersey, New York, Maryland and Virginia discussed and debated how best to advocate the human rights of Hungarian minorities. Beginning with the keynote address of Mr. Tibor Purger, a journalist from Voivodina, and continuing with a simulated U.S. Congressional hearing, participants were introduced to the issues relating to Hungary’s bilateral treaties with neighboring states and the United States’ position on Central European security. Other presentations addressed letter`writing, networking and influencing the press.

On Monday, June 12, the workshop’s final phase brought participants to the White House for an hourlong meeting with Mr. Daniel Fried, Senior Director for East and Central Europe of the National Security Council. Mr. Fried gave a briefing and fielded questions on U.S. policy regarding minority rights, bilateral treaties, Most Favored Nation status, and NATO expansion. Later, the group met with Senator John Glenn’s staff. The workshop ended with a debriefing session at the Hungarian American Coalition’s Washington D.C. office.

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