William Penn Life, 2005 (40. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2005-01-01 / 1. szám
Magyar Matters A golden year The American Hungarian Foundation has big plans for celebrating its 50th anniversary this year The American Hungarian Foundation will celebrate the 50th anniversary of its founding in 2005. Dr. August ]. Molnár, president of the AHF, presented a look at how the Foundation planning to mark this milestone during his remarks at the AHF's George Washington Awards dinner held this past December in New York. We reprint here Prof. Molnár's address: How would you begin to plan for a 50th anniversary? The 50th anniversary of the American Hungarian Foundation. We need your help am are asking you to help us, because the anniversary belongs to each of you, to all of us. For the last several months, Dr. Ilona Kovács of the National Széchényi Library has been here gathering th< fascinating history of the Foundation to be published along with a traveling exhibition and a 10-minute videi Let me tell you more about what we are planning to ao to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Foundation acrqss the United States and in Hungary. The director of the National Széchényi Library has agreed to serve as the chairman of the conference and exhibition about the Foundation |n the National Széchényi Library i Budapest. Other programs in Hungary are envisioned also. When we established the Foundation in 1955,1 was profesfcor of Hungarian studies and history at Elmhurst College in Illinois, whih was our home base then. The president of Elmhurst College h invited us to commemorate the 5t)th anniversary of the founding meeting of the Foundation's Board of Directors, where it took place, o: Jan. 31,2005. Former students of mine shall gather at t] college with others on that day for a luncheon and reo tion. Then, likewise, on March 16,2005, we shall obseil/e the anniversary of our first Board meeting held on Rutjers- The State University campus in New Brunswick, N.J., marking the day when the Foundation moved its base pf operation from the Midwest to the East coast. College and university campuses have been the seelbed for the growth and development of the American Hungarian Foundation. We can refer to Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, Pa., as our "grandfather," so to August J. Molnár AHF President An artist’s rendering of the American Hungarian Foundation’s Hungarian Heritage Center in New Brunswick, N.J. The Center, opened in 1989, houses the Foundation’s museum, library and archives. speak. On Feb. 27,2005, we plan to honor Franklin & Marshall College with the Foundation's Abraham Lincoln Award. A month later, we will honor Rutgers University with the same award. Fifty years ago, when the American Hungarian Foundation was established, we did so with two gala concert programs at Carnegie Hall and at Orchestra Hall in Chicago. For 2005 we have invited the Hungarian National Operetta Theatre for a national tour that will honor the 50th anniversary of the Foundation. This past year the Operetta Theatre received rave reviews for their London performances. The first performance as a tribute to the Foundation will be Saturday, May 14,2005, in Lincoln Center Alice Tully Hall in New York City. The following day, Sunday afternoon, May 15, they will perform in the State Theatre in New Brunswick, N.J. The Operetta Theatre will then continue on a national tour that will include performances in Canada. For the Fall season, the renowned Hungarian Folk Dance Ensemble plans to tour the United States and will honor our 50th anniversary as part of their 46 performances. We plan to honor parents, grandparents and families in various parts of America, whose lives and examples should be honored with our Family Heritage Recognition Award. During the past 50 years, we have emulated what 8 William Penn Life, January 2005
