Magyar News, 2001. szeptember-2002. augusztus (12. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

2002-07-01 / 11-12. szám

A HUNGARIAN VOICE WITH A PROMISING MESSAGE

Left: Zoltán Lakner delivering his speach. Next to him are Mariann Orentsák, consul and Dr. Balázs Somogyi

that the people were strong enough to start from scratch and build up everything by their own desire.

As of now, the growth and development far exceeds the other ex-communist countries. The trade balance with all of the neighboring countries, including Austria, is in Hungary’s favor, they all owe Hungary. The fact that Hungary invested shows that it is confident of its future development. The overall picture is looking better, though there are areas that are doing better, others have a lower prosperity. Transdanubia is better off than the northeastern part of the country. Now as the bridge is rebuilt on the Danube, workers come from Slovakia, also from Poland to the Suzuki plant in Esztergom.

The jobless rate is far below the European countries. In Hungary it is around 5 1/2 %, and it is 8% in Europe. Those on pension on one hand have less obligation because their expenses are lower, the children are out and their needs are lower too. There are 350,000 who still have a supplementing job.

Referring to the health situation, it is remarkable that everybody who is sick receives health service. Presently the life span of a Hungarian male is 64 years. Expanding the means of prevention will change that. Among the modem illnesses the cancer come to the forefront. With the new screening program they expect to

The social problems are still lingering. The consumption of alcohol is damaging, resulting in liver disease, putting the country in third place in the world. The demographics of the population is around rock bottom. Though the number of newborns seem to be edging upward, the number of the population is declining due to the mortal rate.

Probably based on decision of materi-The audience is made up of leaders and activists of local Hungarian organizations Page 2

It was a one man show. In a way it was strange because nobody sang, danced or performed any entertaining act. Still it kept the audience sitting on the edge of their seat. It was considered a gathering that should happen every week. Those who sat in on this one would put everything aside to participate. After all this let us see what it really was.

We had a visitor from Hungary, Zoltán Lakner, Deputy State Secretary of Social Affairs. By the courtesy of the Hungarian Consulate, Consul Mariann Orentsák escorted him to Fairfield, Connecticut. The meeting was held in the club room at the Calvin UCC.

A selective audience participated. First the lecture was in Hungarian, so one had to know the language. Then there was the necessity of being interested in the present status of Hungary and what the government was doing to solve the problems in regard of family and society. Though it wasn’t a big group, some people showed up from towns, a sizable distance from Fairfield. One had the feeling that all this was happening in Hungary.

Local organizers were the Hungarian Cultural Society of Connecticut, the Magyar Studies, and the American Hungarian Heritage. Association. The Calvin church made it possible by opening up their facilities and also for providing the Hungarian goodies for the reception.

After a little chit-chatting Dr. Balázs Somogyi opened the meeting, introducing the speaker Zoltán Lakner and Consul Mariann Orentsák. Everybody else knew each other.

Mr. Lakner set the tone of the event by defining what it means to be Hungarian; compassion of the spirit and reality. It doesn’t matter where one is, or what the circumstances are Hungarians respond to anything or anybody that is Hungarian. He was on an assignment in Teheran and in the

host’s palace he saw a good selection of paintings done by a Hungarian artist. It turned out that the host had a Hungarian friend living in Teheran, who introduced him to this art. Then Mr. Lakner visited the friend’s family who still spoke Hungarian.We usually say it is a small world.

Describing the Hungarian character he pointed out the the Hungarian people are extremely talented. Think of the sport field - he said - it is true that the Hungarians didn’t win the most number of medals, but if one looks at the per capita ratio it becomes clear that we have done better than any nation in the world. The same goes for the Nobel prize awards.

Unfortunately the Hungarians have a low self-esteem. This shows in the proportion of suicide what is equal to the USA. Presently it declined somewhat - just to compare, in Poland it is increasing. But let us not forget the many wars and hardship that the Hungarian people hade to endure through her history. One also has to notice