William Penn Life, 1999 (34. évfolyam, 2-12. szám)
1999-04-01 / 4. szám
lagyar Matters Hungary joins Western alliance INDEPENDENCE, MO - At the site where NATO was born, Hungary, along with Poland and the Czech Republic, became an official member of the alliance of Western nations last month. The joining ceremony took place March 12 at the Harry S. Truman Library in Independence, Mo., a site where in 1949 President Truman announced the creation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Secretary of State Madeline Albright hosted the ceremony, which was attended by the foreign ministers of the three nations: Janos Martonyi (Hungary), Bronislaw Geremek (Poland) and Jan Kavan (Czech Republic). Representatives of Hungarian and other ethnic organizations also attended the ceremony. Much credit has been given to the ethnic community for promoting the inclusion of the former Eastern Bloc nations into the Western alliance. In her remarks, Mrs. Albright welcomed the three new member nations. "The land of King St. Stephen and Cardinal Mindszenty . . residejs] fully and irrevocably in the Western community of nations." Anniversaries spark NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ - The American Hungarian Foundation (AHF) is planning to celebrate its 45th anniversary in a big way. So big that it will take three days and encompass two other anniversaries significant to the American Hungarian community. "The Hungarian Spark in America: A Celebration of Anniversaries" will be held here May 21 to 23. In addition to the AHF's anniversary, the event will also mark the 40th anniversary of the Hungarian studies program at Rutgers University and the 10th anniversary of the AHF's Hungarian Heritage Center. The weekend will kick off Friday, May 21, with a VIP reception at the Hungarian Heritage Center. The next morning, an "Academic and Alumni Breakfast" will be held at the Center. Those invited will include students, alumni, faculty and administrators from Hungarian studies ^ programs at Rutgers and other colleges. ' */, Later that evening, the AHF will host a gala dinner at the Hyatt during which it will present its George Washington Award to Árpád Göncz, president of Hungary. The weekend will conclude Sunday, May 23, with the formal and public opening of "The Hungarian Spark in America" exhibition. It is natural for the anniversaries to be celebrated together. The AHF, which was chartered in December 1954, played a significant role in funding and developing the Hungarian studies program at Rutgers, which was instituted in 1959. The AHF dedicated the Hungarian Heritage Center in May 1989. The Center houses the AHF's museum, library and archives. Nationality rooms mark 60 years PITTSBURGH - The Hungarian, Chinese, Czechoslovak and Yugoslav classrooms, located in the University of Pittsburgh's Cathedral of Learning, will jointly celebrate their 60th anniversaries with a dinner and dance Saturday, April 24. The event, titled the "34th Annual International Cabaret Ball," will include a social hour, cabaret-style entertainment and open dancing. The menu will feature ethnic dishes from the four nationalities. Tickets are $25 per person, $15 for students. Reservations must be made by April 16. For more information and reservations, call Susan M. Langer at the university's Nationality Rooms Program, at (412) 624-6150. Flood relief Branch hosts dinner to aid victims of '98 floods PASSAIC, NJ - WPA Branch 51 Passaic is answering the cries for help coming from the Hungarian victims of last November's floods which devastated eastern Europe. The branch will sponsor a dinner Saturday, May 8, at 7:00 p.m. at the Hungarian Reformed Church in Passaic. All money raised will be used to aid the flood victims. Martha Barillo, a member of Branch 51, came up with the idea for the dinner after reading about how little some governments, particularly in the Ukraine, were doing to aid Hungarian victims. The flooding was some of the worst Europe had ever experienced. Dams broke on the Tisza River. Twenty-two bridges were damaged and 340 roads were washed out. In all, 236 towns sustained damage, of which 118 were completely under water. More than 26,000 homes and buildings were destroyed, with another 13,000 damaged. Worse, 24,000 people had to be evacuated from their homes, many of whom were left with nothing to return to after the waters subsided. Mrs. Barillo said she will travel to Europe to ensure that all funds raised by the dinner are delivered to their intended recipients. The money will be divided amongst Roman Catholic, Protestant and Greek Catholic churches for use in affected areas inhabited by Hungarians, she said. Reservations for the dinner may be made by calling Mrs. Barillo at (201) 796-8925 between 5:00 and 9:00 p.m. A donation of $35 per adult and $25 per child age 17 and under is requested. William IVnn Lile, April 1999 3
