A memorial celebration was held at the State Department in
Washington on Monday dedicated to the 1956 Hungarian revolution.
The
event was hosted by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice who noted in a
speech that the bravery of Hungary's freedom fighters in 1956 won
respect throughout the world. As many as 200,000 Hungarians left the
country after the revolution was crushed and the U.S. was among the
recipient countries, she added. Since the collapse of communism in 1989,
Hungary has put into practice the rule of law and freedom, serving an
example to the whole world, she said.
"Hungary's
support for the freedom of others now stretches throughout the world, from the
Balkans to Afghanistan to Iraq and beyond. In Budapest, the Hungarian Government
has created the International Center for Democratic Transitions, which pools the
knowledge and experience of democratic nations to help countries across the
world navigate their own transitions to democracy," said Secretary Rice.
The
event was attended, among other dignitaries, by Under Secretary
responsible for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns, Hungarian-born ranking
Democrat Tom Lantos of the House of Representatives' International
Relations Committee, Archbishop of Washington Cardinal Theodore
McCarrick and President of the Appeal of Conscience Foundation Rabbi
Arthur Schneier, Rev. G. Wilson Gunn, General Presbyter and Dr. Allen Weinstein, Archivist of
the United States.
In
his speech, Ambassador Simonyi said that the sacrifice of 1956 was
not in vain and Hungarians ended up achieving more than the heroes had
ever dreamed of. Hungary is today a stable ally to the U.S. and the
European democracies, a member of NATO and the EU, he said. 1956 has
become a symbol of freedom in Hungary and to us everybody is a
"56-er" who is ready to fight for freedom and democracy in
Europe, Asia, Latin America, Iraq, Afghanistan, or elsewhere in the
world, said Ambassador Simonyi.
The
event marked the first celebration in a series to commemorate the 50th
anniversary of 1956 this year.
Last
December, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously approved a
resolution to recognize the significance of the Hungarian revolution of
1956. The document, submitted by Hungarian-born U.S. Congressman Tom
Lantos, declared that the 1956 revolution set the stage for the ultimate
collapse of communism in 1989 throughout central and eastern Europe,
including Hungary, and two years later in the Soviet Union itself.
Click
here to read Ambassador Simonyi's speech.
Click
here to read Secretary Rice's speech.
(Based
on MTI wire reports.)
The speakers and Mrs. Simonyi before the commemoration
Ambassador Simonyi presented to Secretary Rice a 1956
commemorative coin
Amb. Simonyi with Cardinal McCarrick
Rep. Lantos greets Secretary Rice
Ambassador Simonyi with Under Secretary of State Paula
Dobriansky
Secretary Rice congratulates Amb. Simonyi on his speech as
Under Secretary of State Burns looks on
Ambassador Simonyi delivering his speech
The Ambassador thanks Rep. Tom Lantos for his remarks on 1956
(Photos by Lili Iravani)
