Washington, DC – Leaders of the Hungarian American Coalition were received by László Sólyom, President of the Republic of Hungary, in his office at the Sándor Palace in Budapest’s Castle district. Coalition President Maximilian Teleki, and Vice President Andrea Lauer Rice attended the meeting.
Coalition leaders requested the meeting to urge President Sólyom to visit Hungarian American communities in the United States, which would strengthen bilateral relations and help efforts to obtain favorable treatment for Hungary and other new EU members in the currently debated visa waiver legislation.
Maximilian Teleki briefed President Sólyom about the activities of the Hungarian American community on behalf of Hungarian minorities, especially the work done by Coalition member organizations and individuals in Transylvania, Slovakia, Serbia and Ukraine. Other topics discussed at the meeting included the proposed “year of Hungarian culture” in the United States in 2009, and cooperation in educational and environmental issues.
President Sólyom expressed appreciation for the work done by Hungarian American communities, in particular help for Sapientia University in Romania and the Rákoczi College in Beregszasz, Ukraine.
President Sólyom requested the Coalition to be his emissary in communicating his belief that Hungarian Americans are an integral part of the Hungarian nation, which shares a rich cultural heritage which knows no boundaries. “All Hungarians outside of the borders of Hungary – including those in the U.S. – are members of the cultural Hungarian nation, and also part of Hungary”, said President Sólyom.
Andrea Lauer Rice presented President Sólyom with a copy of „56 Stories”, a collection of personal memories of Hungarian Americans published by Lauer Learning and the Coalition on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the 1956 revolution.