Fraternity-Testvériség, 1999 (77. évfolyam, 1-4. szám)
1999-07-01 / 2. szám
FRATERNITY Page 3 PRESIDENT’S CORNER April, May and June was a very busy and exciting time for the Home Office and the ethnic Hungarian community throughout the United States. Social and fraternal activities abounded like never before. In April, during the week of the 19th, NATO celebrated its 50th anniversary. More than 36 heads of States from all over the world assembled in Washington, D.C. to commemorate this event. Hungary, now a new member of NATO, also participated in this celebration. As we recall, on March 12th of this year, Hungary, together with Poland and the Czech Republic, formally joined the NATO military alliance at a ceremony held at the Harry S. Truman Library in Independence, Missouri. This is where in 1949, President Truman announced the creation of NATO. It is also where, with the signing of this military alliance agreement with NATO, a longstanding dream of our Hungarian forefathers became a reality. The Embassy of Hungary also participated in the celebration by hosting a beautiful event at the Organization of American States in Washington, DC on April 24th. The Executive Officers of the HRFA attended this event as well as the NATO gala dinner given on the same evening at the historical Decatur House. The 1999 Spring Board Meeting of the HRFA was held in the week of April the 26th. In anticipation of the Convention in 2000, plans were discussed to keep the Federation a competitive and viable society in the new century. The traditional banquet of the Board of Directors was held at the Hungarian Embassy thanks to the generosity of Ambassador and Mrs. Géza Jeszenszky. Our honored guest and main speaker of the evening was Mr. Walter Slocombe, Under Secretary of Defense for Policy. On the last day of the Board meeting, we had the honor of welcoming Mr. and Mrs. József Torgyan. Mr. Torgyan is the Minister of Agriculture and Regional Development in Hungary as well as President of the Independent Small Holders’ Party. This party shares in the coalition of the present government of Viktor Orbán. Mr. József Torgyan, Minister of Agriculture & Regional Development of Hungary, was greeted by National Officers and Directors at the Kossuth House, April 30, 1999. In May, during the week of the 10th, representatives of the Federation attended the annual meeting of the Calvin Synod in Somerset, Pennsylvania, where members of the clergy and church relations committee of the HRFA Strategic Planning Committee had the opportunity to partake in the Synod Committee’s work. Now that spring is coming to an end and it is time to gear up for the hot summer days here in Washington, D.C., it looks as though the Nation’s Capital will again enjoy a record number of visitors during the months of June, July and August. The Home Office, located in the heart of the city, will also have its share of visitors. Travelers from Hungary, stopping by to visit the well known Kossuth House, will be joined by tourists from various states who in passing by the building will read the inscriptions under the plaques of Kossuth and President Roosevelt. Their interest aroused, many of these tourists will be ringing the bell to ask who we are and what we do. Most will be pleasantly surprised to find out that we are a business and fratemal/cultural entity that has been around for more than 100 years, and they will admire the memorabilia and the history recounted on the walls through the artifacts. Some may even know of Kossuth and his trip to America in the 19th century, but those who will want to know more, we will happily give them some informational handouts. Therefore, in order to strengthen our cultural and fraternal role in the ethnic Hungarian community, the Federation has recently started a dialogue with the Hungarian Embassy to develop the Kossuth House into a mini cultural center to serve visitors’ needs, wherever they are visiting from. The way we envision this program is to develop a centralized information system using the sophisticated technology of the Internet, link it to other information centers to maximize coverage of topics, and dedicate a single computer (equipped with appropriate database software) at the Kossuth House for this purpose. When completed, we will be able to furnish instant information through the Internet on a host of cultural, social, financial and fraternal topics that would not only be of interest and use to our visitors but also to present and future members of the Federation. All in all we are looking forward to a promising and exciting future. With this optimistic note, I wish all our readers very pleasant, safe and restful summer months. George Dózsa, President L. to r. Director Margaret H. Saltzer, Mrs. Martha Major, Claims Secretary, Mrs. Matilda Dózsa, wife of President George Dózsa, Mr. and Mrs. József Torgyan, Ms. Andrea Bárok, Accounting Assistant, and Director Joseph Fabri.
