Cleveland,
Ohio, USA
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Below is PAGE 1, SPEECHES, in Magyar and English, & links to news reports
Click
here for PAGE 2, PHOTOS & links to news
reports
Click
here for PAGE 3, Highlights of
LUNCHEON
"Welcome Speech" by Mr. Laszlo Bojtos
follows here below, in Magyar and English.
Additional texts to be added soon. Please check
back.
Böjtös László tiszteletbeli konzul köszönti az államelnököt. |
Speech given in Hungarian by Laszlo Bojtos, Honorary Consul General of the Republic of Hungary on September18, 2011Translated by Dr. Magdalene H. Meszaros, Director of the Library and Archives of the Cleveland Hungarian Heritage Society |
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Tisztelt Köztársasági Elnök Úr! Hölgyeim és Uraim! Végtelenül megtisztelõ számunkra, hogy Schmitt Pált úrat a Magyar Köztársaság Elnökét köszönthetjük itt Clevelandban. Mindenek elõtt utalni szeretnék arra a társadalomra aki ma köszönti itt önt, Elnök Úr. A XX.-ik század magyarságának sokadik drámája, a II világháború és következménye, majd az 56-os forradalom, annak leverése, százezreket szórt a világ szinte minden földrészére, országok sokaságába, ide is. Ez a nemzedék magával hozta a háború borzalmát, a békediktátumok igazságtalanságát, a diktatúra, az erõszak rettenetét és gyülöletét, de ugyanúgy a szabadságvágyat, a nemzet szeretetét, a nemzetért mindmáig vállalt felelõsséget. Itt az új hazában, kezdetben a kenyérharc. Helyzetteremtés. Megkapaszkodás. A létért való küzdelemmel egyszerre épülni, szervezõdni az amerikai társadalomban. Óriási emberi kihívás volt mindez. Ez a nemzedék tudott a hátrányból erõt kovácsolni. Felemelkedni és meghaladni elõzõ önmagát. Mint emigráció, majd diaszpórában élõ magyar, mindíg nemzetben érzett és gondolkodott. Ezt táplálja az itteni nevelés, a cserkészettel az élen fiataljainkba. Akik itt táncoltak, részei voltak annak a 40 fõs csoportnak, akik e nyáron 3 hetes útjukat Kazáron, "paloc" földön kezdték, ahol a népi kultúrával és hagyományokkal ismerkedtek. Fejet hajtottak a Salgotarjáni 56-os sortûz áldozatainak emléke elõtt, majd 10 napon át járták a történelmi Magyarország Kárpátalja és Felvidék helyeit. Önben Elnök Úr, ezen együvé tartozás eszmei és gyakorlati mûvelõjét köszöntjük. Hölgyeim és Uraim! Schmitt Pál elnök úr fiatalkorú sport aktivitása két olympiai és két világ gyõzelmet eredményezett. Ez az egyéni eredmény Magyarország sikere is volt. Az aktív versenyzés után a sport vezetõség szintjén: Magyar Olympiai Bizottság Elnöke Nemzetközi Olympiai Bizottság Alelnöke A célért, a gyõzelemért való nehéz küzdelem lelkiségével kapcsolódott a politikai életbe. Ennek legkiemelkedõbb állomásai: Magyarország Nagykövete Madridban, majd Svájcban Európai Parlament alelnöke A Magyar Köztársaság Parlamentjének Elnöke Majd ezután a Magyar Köztársaság Elnöke abban az idõben, amikor 2010 tavaszán egy politikai korszakváltás történt Magyarországon. A nemzeti felelõsséget nemzeti szétszórtságunk is sokszorozza, hiszen az elszakított és nemzeti létében veszélyeztetett kisebbségi magyarság és a nyugatra szóródott magyarság számára is csak egy erõs karakterû, kemény tartással rendelkezõ, életakarattal áthatott nemzet adhat közösségi létbizalmat. Az ehhez kivánt politikai személyiségek, - akikben az erkölcs és a tehetség találkozik, - ma adottak Magyarországon. Tisztségében a legfelsõbbet a Köztársaság Elnökét, Schmitt Pált úrat köszönti észak Ohio magyarsága. Isten hozta Schmitt Pál államelnök urat Clevelandba!
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Honored President of the Republic of Hungary Ladies and Gentlemen It is indeed a great privilege for us to be able to welcome Dr. Pal Schmitt, the President of the Republic of Hungary here in Cleveland, Ohio. Before all else Mr. President, I wish to direct your attention to the community of Hungarian-Americans which greets you here today. Of the many tragedies of Hungarians living in the 20th century, are the events of World War II and its aftermath as well as the Revolution of 1956 and its brutal suppression. Hundreds of thousands of Hungarians were scattered to all the corners of the world - to many countries and cities - and here to Cleveland, Ohio. This generation carried within itself the horrors of a war, the injustices of a dictated peace, the experience of dictatorship, as well as a dread and hatred of violence. But this generation also carried a longing for freedom and an abiding love of its nation as well as a voluntary sense of responsibility for that nation… this sense of responsibility endures even to the present day. Upon arrival in the new homeland, this generation first struggled to earn its daily bread, to create a life, to establish itself. In addition, and parallel to the struggle for existence, was the need to develop and to join in the American social network. All of this posed enormous human challenges. This generation was able to forge strength from its adversity….it was able to rise and even to surpass its previous situation. As emigrees - that is as Hungarians living in the diaspora - this generation always felt for and thought with its nation of origin. This attitude is nourished and perpetuated by the way in which we rear our children- especially in the fraternity of the Hungarian Scouting movement. The young people who performed the dance today were a part of a group of forty scouts who spent three weeks this summer in Hungary. They first visited the city of Kazar where they deepened their knowledge of the Paloc region and its culture and heritage. They bowed their heads in Salgotarja before a memorial to the freedom fighters of 1956 shot to death there. Finally, they traveled for ten days through the regions of historic Hungary (now outside the borders of current Hungary) to the Ukraine (Karpatalja) and Slovakia (Felvidek). In you Mr. President we welcome one who promotes intellectually and in practice this connectedness we feel - this sense of belonging to and being a part of the Hungarian nation. Ladies and Gentlemen. President Pal Schmitt was an athlete in his youth and his excellence in sports won for him two Olympic and two world victories. His personal achievement was also a success for Hungary. After ending his participation in active competitions, he took on the following roles in sports leadership: President of the Hungarian Olympic Committee Vice President of the International Olympic Committee With the enthusiasm inherent in a hard struggle toward a goal and victory, he entered into political life. Most notable of his assignments were: Ambassador of the Republic of Hungary to Spain and later to Switzerland Vice President of the European Parliament President of the Parliament of Hungary President of the Republic of Hungary (when in the spring of 2010 a political change of epic proportions swept his party to power) Our national responsibilities are complicated by the problem of the dispersion of our national populations beyond our borders. There are Hungarian populations (and some Hungarian minorities whose very existence is under threat) in neighboring states as well as Hungarians scattered across the western world. Only a nation possessing a resolute character and a firmness of mind and imbued with a will to survive can give these Hungarians living outside the borders of Hungary confidence for their continued existence. The political personalities necessary for addressing this national responsibility - those in whom ethics and talent are joined - are now serving in the government of Hungary. Hungarian- Americans of Northeast Ohio welcome President Pal Schmitt, in his official capacity, as among the foremost of the persons addressing this important national responsibility. Welcome President Pal Schmitt to Cleveland. |
Introduction of the President's speech by Ambassador György Szapáry |
Keynote address of President Pál SchmittTranslated by Dr. Magdalene H. Meszaros, Director of the Library and Archives of the Cleveland Hungarian Heritage Society |
| President Schmitt, Mayor Jackson,
Consul General Dán, Honorary Consul General Böjtös, Chair
Emerita Edith Lauer, members of the Hungarian American community, Ladies
and Gentlemen!
It is truly an uplifting and heartwarming experience to be here in Cleveland, one of the largest centers of the Hungarian American community and the Hungarian Western diaspora, and speak in Hungarian to you, who have kept, preserved and nurtured your Hungarian cultural traditions, customs and mother tongue, which you continue to pass onto your children. Therefore, allow me to ask Dr. Pál Schmitt, President of the Republic of Hungary, to deliver his speech in Hungarian to you, members of the Hungarian American community of Cleveland, Buffalo, Chicago, and the Midwest. Mr. President!
Honorary Consul General László
Böjtös, |
Dear Mr. Mayor, Mr. Ambassador, Mssr. Consulars,
Ms. Minister, Ms. Consular, Ms. President, Honorees, Ladies and Gentlemen
and my Dear Friends,
I am happy and honored to be here in Cleveland, Ohio today, and to have this opportunity to meet with the Hungarian people of the Midwest. I would like to express my sincerest gratitude for their warm welcome and hospitality. This New World provided a home for many people who have lived in misery, hopelessness and war. Many were forced to leave our native country under the threat of totalitarianism, which has existed in our system over the centuries. This regime viewed them as "exiles," as people who had emigrated from Hungary and abandoned their country. Hungarians who escaped the repression of the East and emigrated to the West have enjoyed freedom of speech, and objected to oppression, while their families back home continued to whisper in the shadow of fear. Hungarians in the West have always expressed a guarded sense of identity, despite being far from home. However, their cohesion has been the epitome of persistence, which is the foundation of the Hungarian identity. Regardless of Hungary's changing borders over the years and the political changes that have taken place throughout our history, the Hungarian communities in America have come together as one Hungarian people. I believe that their spirit of collaboration and sense of belonging has provided a lesson for the present generation. The peoples' suffering of the past centuries - especially in the Revolution of 1956 - did not happen for naught. The old regime disappeared, and so did the barriers to the worldview that separated the Hungarians from each other. The Iron Curtain fell and removed the first brick from the Berlin Wall. When that happened, the Hungarian nation started to think freely about its destiny. Our nation's hard work made it possible to become the ally of the United States and join the European Union. The unity of the nation also achieved a new milestone when Parliament modified the law governing Hungarian citizenship in 2010, which was designed to simplify the naturalization procedure for Hungarians living outside of Hungary. My fellow citizens, please allow me to congratulate everyone again who gave their oath of naturalization and became citizens last night. I encourage everyone who has not started the naturalization process yet to go to our consulates where our officers are ready to help them. We feel responsibility for the fate of Hungarians living outside of our borders and we intend to promote and foster their connection with Hungary by preserving their Hungarian identity. Our history, our culture, our traditions and our unique language have always worked together to create an inseparable bond. Now, this law will make it possible for every Hungarian living outside our borders to obtain citizenship, to connect and to share this inseparable spiritual bond. In our heart, we have always been one people, one nation. With this key element of Hungary's new national policy, we intend to pay special attention to the Hungarian people around the world. We believe that no Hungarian, anywhere in the world, can be separated from the unified Hungarian nation. All communities that live here possess the will-power and motivation needed to help them to meet their aim. And, we are determined to help them as well. The members of the communities here, who are nurturing their Hungarian identity, require strength and persistence in their long sacrifice to pass this spirit along from generation to generation. Even today, American-Hungarians stand as one with the people of Hungary. We all remember a year ago, when Ajka was hit by a catastrophic and unprecedented natural disaster. American-Hungarians in this difficult situation once again set an example with their collaboration and sacrifice. They helped where they could, and as much as they could, proving that our people can come together during difficult times regardless of the distances that separate them. The Hungarians who live here feel that Hungary's destiny is a matter of the heart. Now, it is time for Hungary to repay its debts and help the Hungarian people living overseas become part of the unified Hungarian nation. Ladies and Gentleman, dear fellow citizens, for historical reasons, the Hungarian nation has become a world-wide nation, existing in Hungary, within the Carpathian Basin and throughout the world. We promise that we will not abandon a single Hungarian. When there are difficult times, we will overcome the obstacles together. For now, I would like to thank you, my fellow Hungarian citizens, of Cleveland, of Chicago, of Detroit and their outlying areas for your hard work in keeping our spiritual and intellectual identity together. God bless the Hungarians! |
Awardee Gabriella Nádas, President
Pál Schmitt,
Laudation of Gabriella (Kuni) Nádas
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The Laudation for Sándor Krémer was given by Károly Dán, General Consul, New York.
Awardee Sándor Krémer, Consul
General Károly Dán, Senior Consul Zita Bencsik, President Pár
Schmitt, Ambassador György Szapáry during the award
presentation |
| I am thrilled and honored to be
able to give this laudation for Gabriella Nádas.
I have had the privilege of growing up with her, first in Canada and later in the U.S. Kuni, as we affectionately call her, represents the ideal Hungarian/American who was born and raised in the diaspora. She was born to parents who came to the New World after WWII. They instilled in her the same values all of us, second and third generation Hungarians, have received from our parents: Become a very successful and loyal citizen of the country that accepted us as refugees. Study and know the Hungarian culture, language, and ethnic heritage and become involved in the Hungarian affairs of the diaspora. Kuni was successful in all of these and stands as a role model for us and our children. Her Hungarian studies started in early childhood, attending Hungarian religious services, joining the Hungarian Scouts, and attending Hungarian Saturday school. She studied pharmacology at the University of Toronto, and became a very successful professional, thus contributing to the welfare and wealth of Canada and later to the U.S. in her profession. .Upon graduation from college, she dedicated herself on a volunteer basis to the education of young Hungarians in America and in the Carpathian Basin. While in Canada, she was involved with and eventually became President of the Hungarian Helikon Society in Toronto, a prestigious group of Hungarian intellectuals, dedicated to the promotion of Hungarian Culture. Having grown up in the Scout movement, it was only natural that she took a leading role in the biggest and most powerful organization outside Hungary dedicated to the education of Hungarian/Americans from kindergarten through college. She works tirelessly with her colleagues in Cleveland with the Cleveland Hungarian Scout Troop and dedicates ten days of her vacation during the summer to attend and lead the scout leadership camp in Fillmore, NY. This type of work and dedication should be enough for most of us, but not for Kuni. Twenty years ago, she established a remarkable assistance project through which each year dozens of Hungarian/American families from all over the U.S. have become the symbolic godparents of young ethnic Hungarian students in the Reformed High Schools (Kollegiums) of Romania. Many of the students are from small villages where high schools are not available. After finishing high school, they go on to study at both Hungarian and Romanian universities. The Reformed Church, as well as the Catholic and Unitarian church provides Hungarian language education that is the basis for the survival of the Hungarian community. Due to her amazing fundraising success, the 1.5 million dollars she has collected have enabled several thousand Hungarian students to attend the Kolozsvár Reformed High School and similar institutions. These funds have also made possible the building of several Kollegiums (dormitories) as well as the repair of some of the old buildings the Hungarian churches reacquired, after many years of fighting for them, as restitution from the Romanian government. I could go on and name a dozen other organizations and projects she is involved with, including serving on the Board of the Hungarian/American Coalition and being chief operating officer of the Hungarian Association in Cleveland. But in addition to these achievements, her most outstanding accomplishment is that she was able to raise a wonderful, loving family. She has three outstanding, very successful boys, all educated at the best American universities, and all of them carry on the message of our Hungarian forbears in America, namely to enrich and strengthen the country that took us in and at the same time keep our Hungarian ethnic identity and do everything possible to promote the welfare and well-being of our brothers and sisters in the Carpathian Basin. It is a privilege for me to stand on the same podium with Kuni, and I wish her continued luck in her work on these projects. |
The Laudation for Dr. Jeannette Grasselli Brown was given by Ambassador György Szapáry, Washington, DC .
Ambassador György Szapáry, Awardee
Jeanette Grasselli Brown, President Pál Schmitt during the award
presentation
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Photo credits: Embassy of Hungary, Washington,
DC
http://washington.kormany.hu/historic-visit-of-hungarian-president-pal-schmitt-to-cleveland-oh
Hungarian president Pál Schmitt meets Cleveland people
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GugojUbN1wc&NR=1
Hungarian president Pál Schmitt in Cleveland Ohio
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rt35lAZSxYc&feature=related
Cleveland Hungarian Scouts sing for President Pál Schmitt
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRgkzA6dR30&feature=related
Website of the Hungarian Embassy in Washington,
DC / Nagykövetség honlapja:
http://washington.kormany.hu/historic-visit-of-hungarian-president-pal-schmitt-to-cleveland-oh
Website of the Office of the Hungarian President
/ Köztársasági Elnöki Hivatal honlapja:
http://keh.hu/index.php?submenu=galeria&gid=347
http://www.hirkereso.hu/search?q=cleveland&timelimit=168&x=0&y=0&archivum=-1
They all basically report the same MTI (Magyar Tavirati Iroda)
stories sent from their reporter who was here in Cleveland following President
Schmitt. It shows that the reports were carried by many sites in Hungary.
By MTI President Pal Schmitt affirmed Hungary's commitment to all Hungarians, wherever they live, speaking in Cleveland on Sunday. “We will not forgo any Hungarian. As it was declared in the National Avowal of our new Constitution: we promise to ..."
"When Hungary's president, Pal Schmitt, visits Cleveland this weekend, the still sizeable Hungarian-American community here -- estimated at more than 100000 in the region -- will greet him with great enthusiasm. . ."
"When Jozsef Antall visited Cleveland in 1991, many in America's largest Hungarian community saw a dream coming true. They rushed to pump the hand of Hungary's first democratically elected prime minister after the fall of communism....
Our Cleveland Hungarian Scouts can be seen (barely) in the background of the picture, but there are two good quotations from scouts Judit Gyorky and Zsofi Szelpal.
[YouTube and other internet links courtesy of Mr. Michael Horvath]
Above is PAGE 1, SPEECHES, in Magyar and English, & links to news reports
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PAGE 2, PHOTOS & links to news reports
Click here for
PAGE 3, Highlights of LUNCHEON
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Page last updated Sept. 23,
2011
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