Hungarian American Coalition News, 1997 (6. évfolyam, 1-2. szám)
1997 / 1. szám
News From Our Members Our Board Member, George J. Pogan, has been named a Paul Harris Fellow by the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International, “in appreciation of tangible and significant assistance given for the furtherance of better understanding and friendly relations among peoples of the world.” Mr. Pogan was instrumental in the establishment of the Middlefield Care Center in Middlefield, OH, a birthing center for the Amish community. Kb serves on the Board of Directors of this enterprise, whose mission is to provide for Amish women prenatal care at low cost and safe birthing facilities. While in Hungary, Mr. Pogan became aware of a critical need in the Budapest Hospital for a surgical microscope, an instrument which could literally save the fives of countless persons. Mr. Pogan, challenged the Board of the Rotary Club that the Chagrin Valley Rotary raise the necessary funds to provide the first surgical microscope for Hungary. After a successful fundraiser which accomplished this objective, Mr. Pogan travelled with the microscope to Hungary, and helped to oversee the installation of the device and the training of medical staff in its use. Hungarian American Coalition Board member co-authors article on minority rights Coalition Board member, Mr. Frank Koszorús, Jr., co-authored an article with Csaba K. Zoltáni, a senior researcher with the Army Research Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, entitled “Group Rights Defuse Tensions” which was published in the summer/tall volume of the prestigious journal, The Fletcher Forum of World Affairs. The authors make a compelling case for the recognition and enforcement of group rights as a means of promoting democracy and stability in Central and East Europe. The authors address the legitimate aspirations of ethnic minorities in Centra) Europe to preserve their cultural and historical identities. They place the concept of group rights in its historical context, review current international legal standards, and identify successful Western European solutions to the grievances of ethnic minorities. The authors recognize the markedly different historical experiences of the United States and Central Europe. They persuasively argue that the United States must nevertheless take the lead in “formulating the legal basis for group human rights” if only to advance its security interests and to “avoid becoming entangled in future conflicts.” The authors then suggest that “the recognition of non-territorially defined autonomy of conationals” would help solve the minorities question. This concept, they explain, “is based on the idea of shared spaces and complementary and overlapping jurisdictions in the cultural field, with special emphasis on linguistic rights.” The protection of minorities in Central Europe, the authors conclude, will “promote not only democratic values but will also help defuse seemingly intractable disputes.” Mr. Koszorús, one of the cofounders of the Coalition, practices law in Washington, DC. He has lectured and written about minority rights and was a Study Group participant in a Carnegie Endowment for International Peace project which culminated in a book on self-determination. In 1989 Mr. Koszorús was appointed a public member of the U.S. delegation to the Paris meeting of the CSCE Conference on the Human Dimension. Copies of the article, which was also published in the February issue of the Hungarian pericxfical, Hitel, can be obtained from the Coalition. News from the Hungarian Scouts Association Abroad I "he Hungarian Scouts Association Abroad held its annual leaders’ training camp at the Sik Sándor Scout Park in Fillmore, NY. Over 250 Scout leaders attended the 10-day camp between August 8 and 18, 1996. Among the attendees were leaders and trainees from Western Europe, Brazil, Venezuela, Argentina, and Australia The majority of the campers however came from the USA and Canada Training was provided for boy and girl scout patrol leaders and cub pack leaders. Scoutmaster and assistant scoutmaster camps were also held. Two special emphasis camps, the Zrínyi Rover and Corvina, were also held. The Zrínyi Rover camp brought together 16-18 year old boys and girls for the ten-day period to sharpen their Hungarian language capabilities and hone their outdoor survival skills. The Corvina camp is aimed at 21+ year old scout leaders and scout alumni who wish to immerse themselves in the broad tapestry of Hungarian culture. This year’s camp besides reviewing Madach’s Tragedy of Man, turned its attention to Kodály’s “Háry János” opera, modem Hungarian painters and sculptors, Erkel’s “Hunyadi János” opera and a variety of short stories and poems. Finally, a daily lecture reviewed the most important aspects of Hungary’s 1100 year history with specific comparisons with and to other major European nations. In addition to participating in numerous theoretical and practical training sessions, the campers also enjoyed games, singing, hikes, and campfires. All participants left the camp full of new skills and ideas which they can utilize with their local scout troops. Scholarships for Hungarian Middle School Students in Délvidék The Hungarian Americans for Human Rights in Délvidék have increased their financial support to middle school Hungarian students in Délvidék, according to Mr. Sándor Kroner, president of the Chicago branch of HAHRD. Members from Cleveland and Toronto have also increased their support, making it possible to benefit 40 students this past year, said Mr. Béla Kovách from Columbus, Ohio. The students, in turn, send in regular reports on their studies and experiences to the organization. 4 • Hungarian American Coalition News • Winter 1997
