![The American Hungarian Federation and the Hungarian Scouts of Washington sponsored the Jótékonysági Est (Benefit Event) to support its programs and, this year, a very unique educational program promoting scholarly exchange between middle-school students in Sarasota, Florida, and Zalaber in Hungary. This year's event was held in the Ballroom of the Sheraton Premier in Tyson's Corner.](images/2012_Hungarian_Ball/magyarbal_2012_sm.jpg) 5/10/2012 - The 7th Annual Hungarian Charity Ball raises funds for worthy causes... The American Hungarian Federation and the
Hungarian Scouts of Washington sponsored the Jótékonysági Est (Benefit Event) to support its programs and, this year, a very unique educational program promoting scholarly exchange between middle-school students in Sarasota, Florida, and Zalaber in Hungary. This year's event was held in the Ballroom of the Sheraton Premier in Tyson's Corner.
The Master of Ceremonies, AHF Co-President Zoltan Bagdy, opened the Ball, thanked guests and the organizers. He took a moment to recognize the Ball Chairperson, Erika Fedor, whose hard work and vision made this 7th annual event not only possible, but highly successful. He also recalled AHF's Century of Service and its support for education and issues affecting the community. The American Hungarian Federation (AHF) was founded in 1906 in Cleveland, Ohio. The largest Hungarian-American umbrella organization in the United States, AHF is also among the oldest ethnic organizations in the country. Some of AHF's 2011-2012 accomplishments include:
- Disaster Relief: AHF raised over $250,000 to help victims of devastating flooding and the Toxic Sludge disaster. Working with our sister organization in Hungary, AHF encouraged volunteerism, bought seed and farm equipment to help farmers re-establish farms in hard hit flood regions, and worked with the Knights of Malta to bring relief to Toxic Sludge victims.
- Called Congressional and OSCE attention to anti-Hungarian attitudes, policies and practices
- Defended Hungary from what AHF sees as politically motivated, unmerited, biased criticism
- Rebuked Slovak President’s falsification of history and called for rehabilitation of Janos Esterhazy
- Coordinated with the CEEC to engage US leadership on policies toward Central Europe
- Raised awareness of Rumania Ignoring Minority Rights as it considered “redistricting.”
- Raised awareness of anti-Hungarian policies in Slovakia including the reaffirmation of the Benes Decrees, the Language Law, the Citizenship Act and the stripping of ethnic Hungarians of citizenship
- Continue the discussion on Trianon and relate its effects to today.
- Sponsored and promoted Cultural and Educational Programs including commemorating 1848, Hungarian Folk Music and Arts such as the bands Heveder, Tukros, Gazsa, and the Tiszta Sziv Girls' Choir
- Fund Scholarships and established the Hungarian American Education and Cultural Preservation Fund / Amerikai Magyar Oktatási és Kultúrális Alap (AMOKA)
- Raised funds for Hungarian nursery school in Bácskossuthfalva (now in Serbia)
Erika Fedor, the Ball Committee Chairperson and AHF's
Social Committee Chair, delivered opening remarks and thanked distinguished guests which included Dr. Tomica Tilleman, Congressman Tom Lantos' grandson and Senior Advisor for Civil Society and Emerging Democracies at the US State Department; Countess Sabine Lovatelli; The Hon. Aniko Gaal Schott; Former Hungarian central banker and Woodrow Wilson International Center Senior Scholar, George Kopits; Sándor István from the Hungarian Embass; and AHF and Scout leaders.
Frank Koszorus, AHF President, welcomed guests and took the opportunity to thank all those who made this Ball possible, including and especially the Ball’s chairperson, Erika Fedor, Judith Kolus, Bryan Dawson, Elizabeth Toth, Irene Hogye, Marianne Koszorus, Zoltan Bagdy. He also thanked all for supporting AHF and its causes.
"What causes?" he asked...
"Among our 106 year old umbrella organization’s purposes is to serve our community and support good American-Hungarian relations as well as democracy, human and minority rights and the rule of law in Central and Eastern Europe. But to promote these cherished values, it is essential that the dialogue about the state of democracy in the region be based on facts, objectivity and evenhandedness bereft of speculation and partisan politics.
Let’s talk about the media law or the law on religion in Hungary in this manner, but let’s also talk about egregious violations of human rights, intolerance and discrimination against Hungarian minorities in some of the countries neighboring Hungary. For example, let’s talk about the Romanian government snubbing H. Res. 191, sponsored by Congressman Tom Lantos in 2005, urging Romania to “provide equitable, prompt, fair restitution to all religious communities for property confiscated by the former Communist government.”
Not only has the restitution process taken place at a snail’s pace, there has been some discussion recently of restitution being abandoned altogether. Instead of restitution, payments of only up to fifteen percent of the value of the illegally seized properties over a ten to twelve year period have been proposed. If implemented, this would be tantamount to renationalization and contrary to Western norms and values."
Sári Bárczay and Bert Kölűs,
Leadersof the Hungarian Scouts of Washington, followed Mr. Koszorus and presented what scouting means to them:
- Közösség – ahol mindig számíthatsz a társadra, ahol testvéri szeretetben, egymást és másokat is segítve találhatsz igazi barátokra. (Community – where you can always count on your fellow scouts, where you can find true friends in brotherly love, where you help each other and everyone in need.)
- Szolgálat – amelyre mindig készen állunk, ha szólít a kötelesség, a mindennapokban való tisztes helytállástól kezdve a rászorultak segítésén keresztül, a mentőakciókig, ha arra van szükség. (Service – for which we are always ready when duty calls, through standing up to the challenges of every day and helping those in need, and through rescue missions, when it is required.)
- Kaland – amikor a természetben, magas hegyek között, zúgó folyókon és vadregényes tájakon próbálhatod ki magadat. (Adventure – where you can be tested in the midst of nature, among the high mountains, roaring rivers, and romantic scenery.)
- Hazaszeretet – amely révén tisztán láthatod a helyzeted a világban, anyanyelveddé válik a Magyar kultúra és közelebb kerülsz a magyarságtudatodhoz. (Patriotism – through which you can see your place clearly in the world; Hungarian culture becomes your mother tongue and you get closer to your Hungarian identity.)
- Vidámság – amely észrevétlenül állandó társaddá válik akár a jól végzett munka örömében, akár a társakkal való együttlétben. (Cheerfulness – which becomes an integral part of you either in the satisfaction of a job well done or in being together with your fellow scouts.)
- Természetszeretet – ahol a szabadtéri nomád élet elsajátítása közben megtanulod ismerni, szeretni és tisztelni az állat- és növényvilágot. (Love of Nature – where through the experience of a nomadic life out in the open you learn to know, love and respect the animal and plant kingdoms.)
Presentation of Gifts: "The Budapest-Sarasota Educational Connection"
Mr. Bagdy then introduced David P. Jones, Principal of Sarasota Florida's McIntosh Middle School. In his introductory remarks, Mr. Bagdy said, "The challenge of growing up in the "knowledge economy" requires that students learn to interact with a wide variety of media and to create and produce." Quoting John Syvertsen, one of the designers of the project, about the innovative, revolutionary nature of it, he added:
"'What I am imagining is not a place, but a relationship, a relationship between cultures...A collaborative approach to schooling is where learning occurs and where communities --local and global -- are built.' Clearly, this is a project that's exciting for both the American and Hungarian students, exciting, I imagine, with a tinge of nervousness, for the teachers at both places. I will ask Dr. Jones to explain how all this started, and what he and his teachers and students hope to accomplish."
Principal Jones commented on the importance of harnessing the endless youthful enthusiasm for learning and using technology to enhance education. His vision was to create “Classrooms of Tomorrow.” A chance meeting with Stefan and Erika Fedor let to discussion about building Educational Bridges between the US and Hungary and Promoting Science Education.A program was born! Erika Fedor got to work and secured the support of Dr. Janos Horvath, Hungarian Member of Parliament, and helped coordinate between the principals at each school.
Working with McIntosh Junior High School in Sarasota, Florida, the objective is to have students in Zalaber Elementary School in Hungary work directly on scientific programs with their US counterparts via laptop teleconferencing. Proceeds from the Ball funded AHF’s Hungarian American Education and Cultural Preservation Fund (AMOKA) to donate Laptops to help realize the vision. [read the article on the Sarasota Herald Tribune]
The next part of the program belonged to the scouts who presented “Transdanubian Bottle Dances” (Dunántúli Üveges Tánc) which was choreographed by Zsuzsanna Seres. Performed to music by Muzsikás, the performers were Bárczay Sári, Boone Isabelle, Gál Kata, Hargitai Panni, Jámbor Klaudia, Kárpáthy Krisztina, Kölűs Andrea, and McGinn Katie. The Rev. Judit Mayer delivered the invocation to commence the dinner and the ball with music provided by the phenomenal New York Continental Band.
![Left to right: Countess Sabine Lovatelli, Bryan Dawson, The Hon. Aniko Gaal](images/2012_Hungarian_Ball/SabineLovatelli_BryanDawson_AnikoGaalSchott_sm.jpg)
![The Fedors and Friends](images/2012_Hungarian_Ball/FedorsandFriends_sm.jpg)
![bryan dawson_chiquis dawson_sarah wells_atilla kocsis](images/2012_Hungarian_Ball/bryandawson_chiquisdawson_sarahwells_atillakocsis_sm.jpg)
[SEE MORE PHOTOS of the Ball - special thanks to Saul Coelho of SLC Photography.
Contact Bryan Dawson for the password to download pictures]
Hungarian Charity Balls
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| Previous Hungarian Balls Supported:
![BÁCSKOSSUTHFALVA - Két csoportba összesen 53 gyermek jár. Ez az első és egyetlen református óvoda, amely államilag elismert Szerbiában. Ennek ellenére hivatalos úton sem sikerült elérni, hogy állami támogatáshoz jusson az intézmény](images/2011_MayBall/bacskossuthfalva_ovoda_video.jpg)
1. The Hungarian Reformed Church Nursery School in Bácskossuthfalva was founded in 2005, this is the ONLY such school recognized by Serbian authorities. Despite the recognition, Serbia has refused to extend any financial support. The school is under serious financial distress and your support is greatly needed and appreciated. See the VIDEO INTERVIEW ( magyarul). Vojvodina, an integral part of Hungary for over 1000 years, was awarded to the newly formed Yugoslavia
by the French at the "Treaty" of Trianon in 1920 when Hungary lost 2/3 of her territory and 1/3 of
her Hungarian population. Intimidation, large scale evictions and ethnic cleansing, emigration, and fear of self-reporting have official estimates of only 300-350,000 ethnic Hungarians
remaining in the province. Some, however, estimate this number to be double that
since many fear self-reporting as Hungarian exposes them to risk. [read more] about Vojvodina.
2. The Hungarian American Education and Cultural Preservation Fund (Amerikai Magyar Oktatási és Kultúrális Alap (AMOKA) to support a wide variety of programs from scholarships and internships that develop our future leaders to assisting local communities at home and abroad to preserve Hungarian schools and cultural institutions, language, history and traditions. In 2012, the Hungarian Scholarship Fund (HSF) / Magyar Ösztöndíjalap surpassed $400,000.00. Founded by AHF Board Member, Prof. Bela Bognar, the HSF supports students who are economically disadvantaged and live in Hungary and in the lands lost at the Treaty of Trianon which cost Hungary 2/3 of her territory, 1/3 of her ethnic-Hungarian population and vast natural resources. [read more and HELP!]
3. The Claude Alexander Volunteer Program supporting Walter Reed Hospital was founded by Mike Healy in 2005 to help wounded U.S. Army soldiers being treated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC. The program provides outpatients and their families with access to free off-post recreational events.
4. The Budapest-based Juvenile Cancer Foundation. There are approximately 300 children who are diagnosed with cancer in Hungary every year. The key objective of the Foundation is to build a reference 300-bed hospital and treatment center for children with cancer which would offer medical services ranging from diagnosis to sustainable treatment on the level of developed nations by highly qualified medical doctors, nurses and social workers to ensure the recovery of children.
5. The Hungarian Elementary School in Vaján, Slovakia. The school is located in a little ethnic Hungarian village of under 800 people, Vaján (or Vojany in Slovak after annexation following the Treaty of Trianon) in the Kassa District (Kosice) of Slovakia.
6. "Classrooms of the Future" - This program builds Educational Bridges between the US and Hungary and Promotes Science Education. Securing the support of Dr. Janos Horvath, Hungarian Member of Parliament, AHF worked with McIntosh Junior High School in Sarasota, Florida. The objective is to have students in Zalaber Elementary School in Hungary work directly on scientific programs with their US counterparts via laptop teleconferencing.
2012
BÁLBIZOTTSÁG / BALL COMMITTEE
- Erika Fedor (Ball Chairperson)
- Irén Högye
- Frank Koszorús Jr.
- Marianne Koszorús
- Judit Kölus
- Erszébet Tóth
- Bryan Dawson
Tiszteletbeli Védnökök /
Honorary
Committee
- Rev. Imre A. Bertalan Executive Director of Bethlen Communities
- The Honorable Congressman Andy Harris
- The Honorable Dr. János Horváth M.P.
- Ms. Barbara A. House, Chair of the Board, William Penn Association
- Maj. Gen. Robert Ivany, Ph.D.
- His Excellency Dr. Géza Jeszenszky Former Foreign Minister of Hungary and Ambassador to the United States
- The Honorable Congressman Dennis Kucinich
- Mr. Imre Lendvai-Lintner Hungarian Scouts in Exteris
- Rev. Judit Mayer Hungarian Reformed Church
- The Honorable Anikó Gaál Schott
- His Excellency György Szapáry Ambassador of Hungary to the United States
BALL PATRONS (>$1000.00)
- Bethlen Community
- Mr. & Mrs. Stefan Fedor
- The Honorable Anikó Gaál Schott
- Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Hilberth, Esq.
- Mr. & Mrs. László Hőgye
BALL SPONSORS ($500 – $1000.00)
- Mr. & Mrs. Theodore Boone
- Mr. & Mrs. Imre Lendvai-Lintner
- Mr. & Mrs. Ákos Nagy
- Dr. & Mrs. Louis Segesváry
- Dr. Eugene Volker & Dr. Katalin Almay
- William Penn Association
BALL DONORS (<$500.00)
- Ms. Csilla Bányai
- Mrs. Mária Chikes
- Dr. Zsolt Harsányi
- Mr. Jim Henderson
- Ms. Anna Lázár
- Mr. Ernő Paróczay
- Mr. Ottó Raggambi
- Mrs. Friderika Szatmári
- Ms. Brigitta Talapatra
- Mr. Gábor Volker
Special Thanks to Exhibitors and Raffle and Silent Auction Sponsors:
Exhibits
- "Budapest: Jewel of the Danube,"
Dr. Katalin Almay-Volker, Ladies’ Committee Chair,
American Hungarian Federation
- "Hungarian History,"
Embassy of Hungary
Raffle Corporate Sponsors
- Sheraton Premiere at Tysons Corner
8661 Leesburg Pike,
Vienna, VA 22182
- Silver Diner
11806 Rockville Pike,
Rockville, MD
- Red Lobster
21065 Dulles Town Center,
Sterling, VA 20166
- Applebees
45979 Denizen Plaza,
Sterling, VA 20165
- Salon Fusion
45999 Regal Plaza Drive (#10),
Sterling, VA, 20165
Silent Auction
- Herend Porcelain Party Plate, Queen Victoria Design, from Iren Hogye
- "Halleluja Feltámadás - Örömtánc" Poster by Paul Takács (1998) Limited Edition, from the Collection of Teca Takacs
- "Boy with Accordion" - Herend Porcelain, from Iren Hogye
About the
Hungarian Scouts [more]
The
Magyar Cserkészszövetség, the primary national Scouting
organization of Hungary, was founded in 1912, and became a member of the
World Organization of the Scout Movement in 1990. The coeducational Magyar
Cserkészszövetség has 7,198 members as of 2004.
Scouting
in Hungary is maintained through Magyar Cserkészet Tanácsa,
the Council of Hungarian Scouting. There are two associations in this
national federation, Magyar Cserkészszövetség, the
Hungarian Scout Association, and Magyar Cserkészcsapatok Szövetsége.
Also serving Hungarian Scouts is Magyar Cserkészlány Szövetség,
the Association of Hungarian Girl Guides.
Hungarian Scouting was founded in 1909 under Austria-Hungary, and the
first Scout group in the dual monarchy, MCA-1912 HAS, was founded in Budapest
in 1910. Scouting started in the separate nation of Hungary in 1919, at
the end of World War I, when Austria and Hungary were divided. In 1920,
the magazine Magyar Cserkész ("Hungarian Scout") was
first published.
Hungary was a founding member of the World Scout Bureau in 1922 and later
was a founding member of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl
Scouts, WAGGGS, which was in fact established in Parád, Hungary,
in 1928.
In 1924, at the World Scout Jamboree in Copenhagen, Hungarian Scouts
attending their first jamboree came third in the competition of the nations,
behind British and American Scouts. They were especially good at water
sports.
The first Hungarian National Jamboree in 1926 had 10,000 participants.
Hungary hosted the fourth World Jamboree in 1933 at the royal forest of
Gödöllo, outside Budapest, in which 26,000 Scouts from 54 nations
camped together. The camp chief was Teleki Pál, the member of the
International Committee who later became Prime Minister of Hungary. This
was the first time there was a Jamboree subcamp for Scouts taking part
in aviation. To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the fourth World Jamboree,
the Hungarian Scout Association hosted a fourth World Jamboree Memorial
Camp at Bélapátfalva, Hungary in 1993.
After World War II, the Külföldi Magyar Cserkészszövetség
started operating in the displaced persons camps in Germany and Austria
in 1948 as the Teleki Pál Scout Association, renamed in 1948 as
the Hungarian Scout Association. Scouting was well organized and popular
in Hungary until it was officially abolished by the Communist regime in
1948, but remained nascent underground...
[read
more on Wikipedia]
100 ÉVES A NEMZETKÖZI CSERKÉSZMOZGALOM
- MIT JELENT EZ SZÁMUNKRA? – Száz évvel ezelott egy afrikai szolgálatból
hazatéro angol katonatiszt elindította azt a nevelo mozgalmat,
amely mára a világ legnagyobb ifjúsági szerveztévé
fejlodött. Lord Baden Powell az ifjúság kalandvágyára
és romantikus hajlamára alapozta jellemnevelo rendszerét,
amellyel talpraesett, testben és lélekben egészséges, jellemes fiatalokat nevel. Az új mozgalom futótuzként terjedt szét a
világon. Magyarország az elsok között volt, ahol
nevelok és vezeto államférfiak – élvonalban
olyan kimagasló személyekkel, mint gr.Teleki Pál és Sík Sándor
– felismerték a cserkészet értékét.
Felismerték, hogy egy cserkészszellemu fiatalság
megalapozhat egy életképes, szilárd erkölcsi alapokon nyugvó,
sikeres társadalmat. Ezáltal a meglátás által
vezérelve, kidolgozták a magyar cserkészet rendszerét,
kiegészítve a Baden Powell-i alapokat egy jellegzetesen
magyar színezettel.
Sík Sándor fogalmazta meg legtömörebben, hogy a magyar cserkészet
célja “emberebb emberek, magyarabb magyarok” nevelése.
Hála a magyar vezetoség kiváló muködésének,
a két világháború között a magyar cserkészet – a trianoni csonkítás ellenére
– világviszonylatban kimagasló és elismert
szervezetté vált. Teleki Pált beválasztották
a világcserkészet legfelsobb vezetoségébe, a cserkész világtalálkozókon,
versenyeken a magyar kontingens az elsok között végzett,
és mindennek koronájaként Magyarországnak
jutott az 1933-as nagysikeru gödöllöi jemboree megrendezése.
Szinte látnoki ihlet által vezérelve, az akkori magyar
vezetoség olyan foglalkozási és nevelési anyagot,
u.n. “próbarendszert,” dolgozott ki, amely erkölcsi és gyakorlati tartalmán kívül
kihangsúlyozta a magyar hagyományokat és kulturális
értékeket. Ez, és a magyar cserkészet elsorangú
vezetoképzo rendszere, tették lehetové, hogy amikor a kommunista rendszer
betiltotta muködését, a magyar cserkészet zökkenomentesen
folytatódhasson külföldön. Az ötvenes évek
közepére már magyar cserkészcsapatok muködtek
nemcsak Nyugat-Európában, hanem Észak- és Dél-Amerikában, valamint Ausztráliában
is.
A Baden-Powell-i cserkészet és annak jellegzetesen magyar
változata olyan szerencsés induló alapot nyújtott,
amelynek segítségével a Külföldi Magyar
Cserkészszövetség immár 62 éve tesz eleget
jellemnevelo és magyarságorzo küldetésének.
De nyújtott olyan alapot is, amelynek segítségével
a kommunista rendszer bukását követoen azonnal megalakultak
a magyar cserkészszövetségek mind az anyaországban, mind a környezo országok magyarlakta
területein.
Ma már a Külföldi Magyar Cserkészszövetségen kívül a Kárpát-medence
minden országában muködnek magyar cserkészszövetségek,
összesen hét szövetség, amelyek közös
rendezvényekkel, programokkal és egymást támogatva
munkálkodnak az összmagyar fiatalság nevelésén és nemzeti öntudatának megorzésén. És így, egy angol katonatiszt által száz éve
elindított gondolat adta meg azt a keretet, amelyen belül
a négy évtizedes kommunista uralom alatt külföldön ápolhattuk külföldi fiataljaink magyar nyelvtudását
és nemzeti érzését, hogy aztán a szovjet
birodalom bukása után, országhatárokat áthidalva,
összekösse a Kárpát-medencében és a világ minden
táján élo magyar ifjúságot. - Dömötör
Gábor
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