Ambassador Simonyi was in New York
yesterday to speak to a high-level UN panel -- including U.S. Ambassador
John Danforth -- about Hungary's plans to establish a Center for Democratic
Transition in Budapest.
Hungary
is spearheading this initiative fifteen years after the country opened its
Western border to the East Germans seeking to leave the communist bloc and
join their brothers in the West, as well as the conclusion of the National
Roundtable discussions where the foundations of a democratic Hungary were
laid. The
Center will focus on peaceful transition through negotiation.
In
the course of the past fifteen years, Hungary has gained significant
experience in political institution building, transforming the economy,
strengthening municipalities, establishing NGOs, and helping social
reforms. As a responsible member of the community of democracies, Hungary
considers it important to share its experience with countries struggling
with democratic reforms. The
Center will aim at furthering that objective.
*
* *
In
the afternoon, Ambassador Simonyi visited the Hungarian-born ceramics
designer Eva Zeisel (98) in her New York home ahead of Ms. Zeisel's
upcoming exhibition at Washington's prestigious Hillwood
Museum.
Ms.
Zeisel worked at the renowned Hungarian Zsolnay
ceramics and porcelain factory, where she helped develop some of the
company's trademark glazes. Arthur Koestler's book about the evils of
communism, "Darkness at Noon," is loosely based on Ms. Zeisel's
life in Russia in the 1930s.
