Hungarian Studies Newsletter, 1982 (10. évfolyam, 31-34. szám)

1982 / 31-32. szám

U.S. - HUNGARIAN CULTURAL AGREEMENT EXTENDED

Based on the 1977 agreement between the U.S. and the Hungarian government on Cooperation in Culture, Education, Science, and Technology, the two governments prepared a Program of Cooperation and Exchanges for calendar years 1982 and 1983.

In the field of culture and education, the Program stipulates the exchange of 10 Hungarian and 20 U.S. scholars for one month each; one visiting lecturer for one academic year; one research scholar for one academic year; two research scholars for 3 to 6 months; and four seminar representatives from higher education and scholarly institutions for 3 to 4 weeks. The two governments agreed to organize bilateral seminars on translation of American and Hungarian literary works; to foster contacts between libraries, museums; to exchange exhibits, films, musical, theatrical and dance groups; and to consult on the comparability and equivalency of degrees. In addition, the U.S. will send three specialists to teach English as a second language.

Cooperation in science and technology has been based on a 1972 agreement between the National Science Foundation and the Kulturális Kapcsolatok Intezete. (The role of the latter agency was assumed by the HAS in 1981.) The agreement expires in July 1982 and its renewal is being negotiated. Similarly, the Program encourages the implementation of the current Memorandum of Understanding on Science Cooperation between the NAS and the HAS. Further exchanges are encouraged between the U.S. Dept, of Health and Human Services and the Hungarian Ministry of Health; between the National Cancer,Institute and the Institute of Oncology in Budapest; between the U.S. Geological Survey and the Hungarian Central Office of Geology; the Dept, of Transportation and the Ministry of Communication; the Dept, of Agriculture and the Hungarian Ministry of Food and Agriculture; the U. S. Bureau of Standards and the Hungarian National Office of Measures; the Bureau of Mines and the Ministry of Industry. The Program also stipulates the exchange of scientific and technical film weeks, and bilateral seminars on scientific subjects. Hungary, to explore possibilities of future cooperation, will send a delegation of two persons to the U.S. for about three weeks.

The general provisions state that the Program will not preclude other mutually acceptable exchanges, it states the conditions of the competition for appointments. Round-trip fare will be paid by the sending party, internal travel and local expenses, medical insurance, interpreter’s fee, etc. by the receiving party. In addition to other academic exchanges, each side will exchange one academic lecturer for a period of five months. For the U.S. the Department of State and its International Communication Agency is designed as the executive agency forthe implementation of the Program; for Hungary the Ministry of Culture and Education. For further information contact the appropriate governmental agency.

MISCELLANEOUS

The Hungarian Chair at Indiana U. concluded a successful academic year under the guidance of György Ranki, who also teaches courses in history. Courses in Finno-Uralic linguistics were offered by Gyula Decsy, Hungarian language by Peter Szafko (visiting from Hungary), Hungarian literature

NO. 31-32, SPRING-SUMMER, 1982 HUNGARIAN STUDIES NEWSLETTER

by András Boros-Kazai. Outstanding events of the year included a “get-acquainted” meeting with the leaders of the Hungarian ethnic communities of the region; a Hungarian film week which presented five contemporary feature films; a conference on the Hungarian economy co-sponsored by the School of Business; a Bartók-Kodály symposium cosponsored by the School of Music; and a series of guest lectures by local and visiting scholars. A Hungarian reading room was opened and used conveniently for colloquia, seminars, and special lectures. Activities were organized by András and Mary Boros-Kazai and Pe'ter Szafko. Planned for early in the academic year 1982/83 is a colloquium on “The Image of the Hungarians in the U.S., “to discuss how Hungary and Hungarians are prsented in the U.S. by scholarly books, journals, magazines, the mass media, etc. Further plans for the coming academic year will be available upon request. Write to Prof. György Ranki, The Hungarian Chair, Dept, of Uralic and Altaic Studies, Goodbody Hall, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405. □

The Hungarian Chair at the U. of Toronto concluded its fourth year of Hungarian studies, offering courses in language and literature, drama, cinema, history, economic and political dynamics. Of the 22 registered students, three received a prize and a diploma from the Rákóczi Foundation a community organization which encourages the preservation of Hungarian cultural heritage. The Chair sponsored two lecture series in Hungarian history by inviting István Deák, Steven B. Vardy, and Bela K. Király in the first semester to lecture on decisive events in Hungarian history, and Mary Boros-Kazai, Linda Degh, and Nándor F. Dreisziger in the second semester to discuss the history of Hungarian immigrants in North America. The Dept, of History and the Ethnic and Immigration Studies Program of the U. of Toronto co-sponsored the series. The Chair also became actively involved in the editing of the Hungarian Studies Review (formerly the Canadian-American Review of Hungarian Studies), a unique Hungarialogical journal, which has fallen somewhat behind in its publication schedule. To correct the delay, volume 8 (1981), numbers 1 and 2 will be published in mid-1982, and volume 9 (1982), numbers 1 and 2 at the end of the year.

One of the priorities of the Chair has been maintaining a close and cordial contact with the Hungarian community of Canada. To promote further cooperation, Prof. Bisztray traveled to Calgary and Vancouver addressing groups on the accomplishments and future plans of the Chair. The Chair also committed itself to host the annual conference of the American Hungarian Educators’ Association every third year. The first such event took place in 1980; this was also the first conference of Hungarian studies in Canada. The aspiration of the Chair is to make the 1983 meeting even more meaningful and professional than the first one was. The 1982-1983 academic year will bring about the inauguration of the Hungarian major and minor study programs at the U. of Toronto, which will provide students with adiploma indicating their field of specialization in Hungarian studies.

For further information write to Prof. George Bisztray, Hungarian Chair, 21 Sussex Avenue, Room 304, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A1, Canada.

“Dancing for Honor and Shame: Gypsies and Peasants in Northwestern Hungary” was the title of an evening of films, commentary, and analysis by László Kürti, Dept, of Anthropology at New York U., on October 31, 1981.

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