Projects & Accomplishments

 

THE COALITION'S PROJECTS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN 2006

The Hungarian American Coalition is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization founded in 1991.  Its mission is to identify and promote the interests of the Hungarian-American community.  Its goals are:

  • To foster appreciation of Hungary's history and culture;

  • To protect and preserve the human and minority rights and cultural heritage of Hungarians throughout the world;

  • To encourage educational and cultural interaction between the people of the U.S. and Hungary;

  • And to support democratic institutions and economic development in Hungary.

Education and Culture

  • Provided a grant to Madach Posonium Publishers to support Hungarian culture in Slovakia.

  • Funded the 2006 Posonium Literary Awards, which was created in 2000 by Edith and John Lauer of Cleveland to foster and recognize Hungarian authors and artists for outstanding contributions to the cultural heritage of the Hungarian minority of Slovakia.

  • Conducted a successful fundraising campaign in support of the production of the English-language documentary on the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 “Torn from the Flag”. The Coalition’s contribution to this project in 2006 was $173,000.

  • Hosted a Gala Evening at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts honoring Dr. Charles Simonyi for outstanding achievement as software developer and philanthropist. The event was also the celebration of the 15th anniversary of the founding of the Hungarian American Coalition.

  • Received a grant to build an auxiliary building at the riding course of the Eilika Habsburg Foundation to allow changing and sanitary facilities for disabled children and adults attending the Foundation’s hippo therapy.

  • Signed a Grant Agreement for $150,000 to extend the Charles Simonyi Research Scholarship Fund Awards with the Magyary Zoltán Higher Education Public Foundation, Hungary, the Ministry of Education and Culture of Hungary and the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.

  • Awarded $90,000 through a grant received from the Charles Simonyi Fund for Arts and Sciences to extend the operation of the Károly Simonyi Prize until 2008 in support of scientific endeavors of Hungarians in Hungary and beyond the borders. The agreement was made between the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and the Hungarian American Coalition.

  • Administered the first year of the Coalition’s Congressional Internship Program. Five students were sponsored for internships at the office of Congressman Tom Lantos, the Heritage Foundation, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), the William Penn Association and the Hungarian Human Rights Foundation.

  • Co-sponsored with the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Embassy in Budapest the International Visitors Program entitled U.S. Secondary Education Program. Nine high school principals and administrators completed a two-week study tour visiting American schools in New York, NY, Pittsburgh, PA, Raleigh, NC and Washington, DC.

  • Coalition leaders participated in several events of the visit of President Bush to Budapest on occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956.

  • Assisted with the publishing and distribution of “56 Stories: Recollections of the Hungarian Revolution” which was released in Hungary and in the US on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of 1956. The book is published by Lauer Learning in a joint project with the Hungarian American Coalition.

  • Awarded to Janos Americo Barbero of Budapest, Hungary the Dr. Elemer Kiss Scholarship Program for the 2006-07 academic year.

  • Assisted the Teleki Laszlo Institute of Budapest, in their “Survey of Hungarian Americans in the United States” a study sponsored by the Hungarian Government through the Office of Hungarians Abroad.

Information

  • Operated an Office of Information in Washington, D.C. since 1991.

  • Provided information on issues of interest to Coalition members to officials of the National Security Council, the State Department, and members of Congress.

  • Maintained contact with US Embassy officials in Hungary; establishing a working relationship with newly appointed U.S. Ambassador April H. Foley.

  • Maintained contact with leaders of Hungarian minorities in Romania, Slovakia and Vojvodina, on events affecting the Hungarian minority communities of the region. A three week fact-finding trip was made by Coalition President to Hungary, Romania and Serbia.

  • Published an issue of the Newsletter, focusing on a concise overview of the legal framework of the minority issues in Romania in the last decade.

  • Prepared, published and updated a “Calendar of Events - Commemorations for the 50th Anniversary of the 1956 Revolution”.

  • Disseminated “Noticed in the Press”, a selection of newspaper articles from American and from Hungarian newspapers on topics of interest to Coalition members and supporters.

  • Organized the traditional end-of-year Coalition events on December 2006, in Washington, DC. The events include a State Department Briefing, the annual Mikulás Dinner, and the Board and Annual Meetings.

  • Developed an online membership database to facilitate membership management and communications.

  • Continue to update the Coalition’s home page (www.hacusa.org).

 

Magyar verzió

 

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