Amerikai Magyar Szó, 1992. január-június (46. évfolyam, 1-26. szám)
1992-04-30 / 18. szám
1996 World Expo - the final word A hundred years after 1896 millenary festivities to mark the 1000th anniversary of the Hungarian settlement in the Carpathian Basin - a series of events which raised Budapest to the rank of a world capital - Hungary is at it again. It will stage the World Expo in 1996. The Paris based Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) has granted Hungary the right to host the Exhibition to be held between May 11 and October 4, 1996. Following heated debates both inside and outside Hungary (in a referendum held in May 1991 the Viennese voted to withdraw from the 1988 decision to stage the exhibition jointly with Budapest, and there were endless debates pro and contra in the Hungarian parliament, in the Budapest Town Hall, on television and everywhere) the Hungarian parties finally agreed. Then, at the end of February, came BIE's approval. The government has appointed Mrs. Etelka Pataky Barsi, a prominent member of the Hungarian Democratic Forum,active on the Budapest City Council, as High Commissioner to co-ordinate the event, which is expected to cost anything from 86 to 90 billion forints, together with 32 billion forints worth of backup services around the country and 22 billion in the capital. Mrs. Pataky Barsi will chair a body called the World Exhibition Council and will also head the Program Bureau while Mr. Béla Kádár, Minister for International Economic Relations will oversee the work of the High Commissioner and Expo's work already underway. The cost of the exhibition will be met out of state budget and municipal funds, supported by a sizable loan promised by the World Bank, and income expected from concessions. NEW YORK - BUDAPEST SISTER CITY Rep. Ted Weiss (Dem. N.Y.) proudly celebrated the announcement of a "sister city" relationship betwen his native home of Hungary and his adopted home of New York on March 16th, at a press conference. For Mr. Weiss, who fled Hungary in March 1938 to escape the regime of Hitler, it was a momentous occasion. Filled with emotion, he observed that "in many ways the span of the bridge we erect today between New York and Budapest, is the span of my own life, and I am moved to be able to participate in this ceremony. There is much that brings the citizens of New York and Budapest together. Whether we speak of art and culture, an appreciation for our mutual histories, or the pride of the residents of each city for their communities and heritage, there is connection and continuity between our two cities. As with all the Sister City Committees, this union will facilitate the kind of cross- cultural awareness that every society needs to grow and change. Our understanding of other cultures provides us with an enlightened world view that looks beyond our immediate concerns to see how we are connected to the concerns of other peoples." day of spring International Human Rights and Interfaith Week. This would be an annual celebration. During this week, everyone learns about each other's cultures, traditions and religions via media, seminars, open houses, folk art and cuisines. Everyone should use this week to purify themselves of prejudice and violence. I honestly hope that some day this week would be celebrated around the world like Mother's Day, and it would create mutual understanding, respect, unity and greater harmony in the future. László M. Sándor Over a billion dollars Hungary's income from tourism last year, rose by 22 per cent to $1,002.3 million. With outgoings falling by 7 per cent to $442.8 million, tourism as a whole showed a record surplus of $559.5 million, compared to a $345 million surplus in 1990. The previous peak, set in 1987, was $368 million. The organizers hope that foreign and Hungarian business interests will amount to 32-45 billion forints. This part of the money will be invested directly through a government sponsored real-estate development company. All the guarantees are to come from the government. To be realized on an entrepreneurial basis, Expo '96 will change the face of South Budapest - on the Buda side of the river Danube - without detracting from the city's ambience or spoiling any of its architectural masterpieces. The location for the main events will be an 80 hectare site on the banks of the Danube not far from the _ity centre, but other areas such as Óbuda will also feature. Andrea Patak PLEASE GIVE HUNGARY TODAY TO A FRIEND! HE HAD A DREAM... László Sándor, early supporter of the New- York-Budapest Sister City Program,wrote the foUowing letter; March 22, the first day of spring, a time when nature renews herself, this is similar to the spirit renewal of the Easter-Passover holidays. On March 15, 1848 the Hungarians started this process of rebirth, a week earlier when they unsuccessfully revolted against the Habsburg Empire in order to be free and independent. Unfortunately, 96 years later, on March 19, 1944, Hitler's fascist soldiers invaded Hungary. Finally, we have a freely elected government and New York City and Budapest are sister cities. In commemoration of the 1848 Hungarian Revolution, we would like to declare this historical week from March 15 to the first $3 million for Rubik? A Californian-Israeli businessman recently visited Budapest for talks with Erno Rubik, inventor of the Rubik cube, about a $3 million investment in Rubik's Budapest Studio. The $3 million investment is intended to boost sales of Rubik's designs on the international toy market. The craze for Rubik cube in the mid 1970's brought sales of over $1 billion. Since then, more than 100 million units of other Rubik inventions, produced by Matchbox Inc. have been sold worldwide. In the last couple of years, however Rubik's Studio has seen a sharp decline in sales. With the investment, Mr Lev, founder of Gal Industries, an international investment company, will acquire a 50% stake in Rubik's Studio.
