Hungarian
Ambassador András Simonyi and his wife paid a three-day visit to New
Orleans between January 30 and February 1, 2006. The Ambassador was
hosted by Hungarian Honorary Consul István Gergátz, MD, and his wife,
Júlia Bika, who showed Ambassador Simonyi the aftermath of the
hurricane, including the damaged former offices of the Honorary
Consulate near a broken levee on Lake Pontchartrain. The Ambassador's
trip was co-sponsored by the World Affairs Council of New Orleans.
In
the evening, Ida Szodomka and József Tóth gave a reception in honor of the Ambassador, where he met with local
Hungarian-Americans, including Pál Fábry, founder of the Hungarian
Pulitzer Prize; Olympic champion Jenő Hámori; János Kalmár,
physician and former Olympic bronze medallist; local businessman Charles
Tóth; and architect Imre Hegedűs. In his keynote speech Ambassador
Simonyi said that the historic city of New Orleans was especially close
to the heart of Europeans, and that both the city and Hungary needed the
local Hungarian-American community.
On
Tuesday, Ambassador Simonyi was welcomed at the largest rural Hungarian
settlement in the U.S., Árpádhon, near Albany, LA. There he met
with community leaders and visited two Hungarian cemeteries and
churches.
The
Ambassador also met with Bobby Eason, acting crisis director of the University
of New
Orleans and other members of the UNO faculty, including
Guenther Bishof, director of the Center of Austria in New Orleans. UNO
students had already returned to the damaged city, and the second
semester started on Monday. The University was spared the destruction of
the flood but sustained severe wind damages so that some classes still
need to be held in military tents. The Ambassador and Mr. Eason
discussed the possible expansion of an ongoing exchange program between
UNO and Corvinus University of Budapest, Hungary.
On
Wednesday, Ambassador Simonyi spoke at the local World Trade Center
about trans-Atlantic relations and investment opportunities in Hungary
("Doing business with Hungary: A European Ally in Good and Bad
Times"), and later visited the temporary hospital of Tulane
University, housed in a tent in a large parking lot outside of the New
Orleans Convention Center.
Finally,
he spoke to students at St. Martin's Episcopal School and the
International School of Louisiana, the latter of which was the first New
Orleans public school to reopen after Katrina. The Ambassador brought
the following message to New Orleans: Hungarians, who expressed their
solidarity after the devastation of Katrina, are now looking at
expanding ties in the fields of the economy, health care, education, and
culture.
Ambassador Simonyi spoke at the New Orleans World
Trade Center, where he was presented the WTC Award by President Charles
Nelson
The Ambassador with Honorary Consul István Gergátz
and Gábor Halmos
The Ambassador with Olympic champion Jenő Hámori
Ida Szodomka, Ambassador Simonyi, and Honorary Consul
István Gergátz at the reception
Ambassador Simonyi visited the International School
of Louisiana, which helps displaced children from the area
The Ambassador at St. Martin's Episcopal School
Júlia Bika and Ambassador and Mrs. Simonyi with Dr.
Jennifer Avegno of Louisiana State University Medical School at the Charity
Hospital temporary emergency services tent
Scenes of destruction in New Orleans
