Ambassador and Mrs. Simonyi paid a
four-day official visit to Puerto Rico between March 5-8. In San Juan, the
capital, the Ambassador met with Governor Aníbal Acevedo-Vilá, as well
as members of the Governor's cabinet, including Secretary of State Fernando
J. Bonilla and Secretary of Economic Development Jorge Silva. The
Ambassador also had meetings with the Administrator of San Juan, Miguel
Cordero, and leading officials of the Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce and
the Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company (PRIDCO).
Governor Acevedo-Vilá saw potential in
a possible cooperation between Hungarian and Puerto Rican scientists in
the field of biotech research. The Governor plans to meet with the
Hungarian biotech delegation in Chicago in April at the BIO 2006
conference. The Ambassador informed Governor Acevedo-Vilá about the
Center for Democratic Transition in Budapest. The Ambassador and the
Secretaries also talked about sharing experiences in tourism development
and promotion, as well as the infrastructural development of their countries.
Ambassador Simonyi visited the
University of Puerto Rico and the Spanish-language Universidad del Este (UNE),
where he met with the leaders, faculty, and students. The Ambassador also
had a chance to meet and talk with the small Hungarian-Puerto Rican
community of San Juan.
In his meetings with Puerto Rican
officials, the Ambassador talked about the parallels in economic
development between Hungary and Puerto Rico, with both paying increasing
attention to the quality of education, the national infrastructure, and an
investment-friendly business climate. He suggested stepping up academic
exchanges between our institutions of higher education. In this regard, he
welcomed an offer by the Chancellor of the Universidad del Este, Alberto
Maldonado Ruiz, to host, and finance a full scholarship for, one Hungarian
student for a year at his institution, starting with the Fall semester
this year. At UNE, the Ambassador also met wit a large group of
students and professors. Ambassador Simonyi was pleasantly surprised by
how much is known about Hungary and its history in Puerto Rico. Ambassador
and Mrs. Simonyi were treated to an excellent lunch at the Hospitality
Department of UNE.
The Ambassador, talking at the Medical
Sciences School of the University of PR, suggested closer cooperation in
the fields of cancer and cardiovascular disease research.
Mr. and Mrs. Simonyi also visited the
Arts Museum of Puerto Rico and the beautiful El Yunque rainforest .
