The Hungarian Student, 1957 (1. évfolyam, 2-8. szám)
1957 / 2. szám
Hungarian ^ Student /ffij Newsletter 1/ Publication of the American Hungarian Student Association No. 2 DISCUSSION WITH UNION OF FREE HUNGARIAN STUDENTS (UFHS) DELEGATE On March 11, 1957 a representative of the UFHS visited the United States to establish direct contact between the AHSA and the UFHS international headquarters in Cologne, Germany. The achievements of the two offices were discussed at length, and we would like to tell you what we learned nbqnt the organization’s international "ud the work of the countr First we .he establishment, struct^. : and achievements of the UFho ernational secretariat. The secretariat is not an elected body. Due to the circumstances in which it was formed, its members were appointed by the Revolutionary University Students of Budapest and the chairman of the MEFESZ (Hungarian University and College Student Association). The first organizational activities took place in Vienna, and the Hungarian students now in the USA are carrying out the program which was originally planned there. Those who worked with the organization during its initial stages in Vienna, are now members of the international secretariat in Cologne. The general purposes of the UFHS secretariat are: 1. To aid all members of the organization. 2. To further Hungary’s cause and to keep her culture and tradition alive. 3. To cooperate with other student organizations, particularly international organizations such as the World University Service (WUS). (continued on p. 3) MARCH PROGRESS REPORT OF THE ORGANIZING COMMITTEE After the American Hungarian Student Association was officially established and had achieved sufficient organizational and economic strength, the organizing committee (o.c.) took note of membership requests for a newspaper. The committee decided to publish a monthly newsletter in Hungarian and English to cover the most outstanding problems of refugee students and the work of the Association. Recent refugees and Hungarian students who had been in the United States for a longer time contributed to the first issue, as did interested American students and professors. The first issue described the Association’s formation, objectives and present program. The o.c. collected the articles, translated them into Hungarian or English, solved financial and technical problems and mailed the newsletter not only to AHSA members, but also to 900 colleges and universities and to several hundred newspapers and public and private organizations. The o.c. found suitable students to talk before a United Nations’ hearing late in February. These students described their personal experience with Soviet deportations and cruelties and discussed the reasons for the revolution. When the Bard College language course ended, the o.c. moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts and established a central office for the Association. The Cambridge headquarters maintains files of the names of more than 1,000 of our members. The o.c. has established contact with local Hungarian refugee student groups through correspondence and personal visits and has attempted to advise (continued on p. 4) April, 1957 FORTHCOMING AMERICAN HUNGARIAN STUDENT ASSOCIATION CONVENTION The temporary organizing committee of the AHSA has decided to hold a general convention during June. The convention will elect the Association’s permanent officers, who will serve for the next year. One of the major objectives of AHSA planning will be to familiarize American students with the aims of our organization. Delegates from local organizations in each state will read reports and make recommendations on conference agenda items. A permanent board of management will also be elected. The number of students each delegate represents will determine his number of votes. One of the convention’s most important tasks is to align AHSA’s aims with those of other student associations in the United States. Another vital job is that of strengthening the bond between UFHS international headquarters, as well as with various European student associations. Your organizing committee decided to hold the convention in June because the Hungarian Students World Federation (Union of Free Hungarian Students) will hold a convention in Europe in July, and we believe that our representatives to this important world congress should be elected by representatives of all our members. The convention will be held in Chicago at one of the colleges which is recessed for the summer. We hope it will be possible to provide free room and board for all representatives. Invitations are being sent not only to delegates from other Hungarian (continued on p. 4)
