Embassy of Hungary 3910 Shoemaker St., NW Washington, DC 20008 Tel.: (202) 362-6730

Washington, August 20^th, 2007

Message from Ambassador Simonyi for Hungary's National Day
 

On the occasion of our National Day I would like to take the opportunity to greet all our friends first and foremost from the Hungarian Community, but equally thank all our friends in the United States for celebrating with us.

This year the celebration of our St. Stephen's Day almost coincides with our departure from Washington after five great years. Náda and I have been thrilled to serve the relationship between our countries, which really is in great shape. We arrived on the first anniversary of  9/11 and are departing when America will be remembering the victims after six years. We experienced as America changed forever in the aftermath of that sad terrorist attack. Americans said yes to life and no to those wishing to undermine our democratic  and free societies.

For us, five years ago, the  idea was to take off at full speed, and then accelerate after the first year, and add a little speed with each year of our stay. The Hungarian way.

In those five years we have advanced our relationship in all fields: combating terrorism, building stronger business ties, culture, tourism and numerous other fields. However, what makes us most proud is the giant leap we have been able to make in building the image of Hungary in the US as an ambitious and creative democracy,  a good friend,  firmly embedded in the Transatlantic community.

We would like to thank President Bush and Mrs. Laura Bush, the First lady for reaching out to Hungary and to us personally  in a generous way, for making so much effort last year to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the 1956 revolution. Their visit to Budapest was spectacular and generous. Each year the President met with our leaders, each year taking our friendship to a higher level. Náda would in particular like to express her thanks to the First Lady for her interest in the Hungarian Arts.

A very special thanks to Congressman Tom Lantos and Annette Lantos who have taught us how you can have two loves, without betraying the other: a love for America and a love for Hungary. Congressman, thank you for your leadership and personal friendship. Thank you, Professor Charles Gati and Toby, for being so honest in your help and criticism!

Thank you to my friends and colleagues: Ambassador Nancy Brinker for all that you did in firming up the relationship, for promoting health care in Hungary and Hungarian arts in the US for your true friendship. Ambassador Bert Walker and Carol, for your wonderful outreach, for supporting business and education and unreserved friendship. Ambassador April Foley for her friendship and cooperation. Together we moved an amazing number of roadblocks out of the way so we could move with full speed ahead. I will always treasure the friendship of the late Philip Kaiser, a wonderful person and a great Ambassador!

Our modest achievements as diplomats were only possible because of the support of so many good Americans in high offices and in all walks of life. So allow us just to mention a few, who will symbolize the vast range of people who have helped us.

Thank you to Secretary Rice and Secretary  Powell and Alma, to Secretary Carlos Gutierrez and Edi, Secretary Sam Bodman and Diane, and Secretary Chertoff and Meryl who have all made personal efforts to enhance our friendship Thank you to Dan Fried, to Judy Ansley, Damon Wilson, Walter Andrusziszyn, Anita McBride and others at the White House. Thank you to all our friends at the State Department, Paula Dobriansky, Heather Conley (a true leader, a real trooper), Gene, Jane and Michelle (at the Hungarian desk), Eric Stewart and our friends at the Department of Commerce, Department of Health and Human Services, and all the other Departments and Services. To General Brent Scowcroft and Madeleine Albright. To Frank and Marcia Carlucci. To Paul and Pat Stern and all the terrific friends we made. To Rob Odle for his care for Hungarian talent.

Thank you to Justice Scalia and Maureen for your wisdom and encouragement. Thank you to General Pete Pace and Lynne, to Admiral Ed Gianbastiani and Cindy and all the men and women in uniform of the United States. A special thanks to Debra Cagan. Debra, we would be ready to go to war with you on my side You are the best!

Thank you to our friends Congressmen and -women in the House of Representatives and in the Senate who have been so understanding and who have taught us so much about bipartisanship: we need those lessons in our own country. Thank you for making  serious headway in the admission of Hungary to the visa waiver program under our watch.

Thank you to the Hungarian community who have embraced us, supported us, and rooted for us. Thank you for what you do for Hungary, for Hungarians: your help is badly needed. Thank you to Max Teleki, George Olah, John Lukacs, Charles Simonyi, Edward Teller, Janos Starker, Tony Curtis, George Lang, Arthur Schneier, Molnár Guszti, Böjtös Laci, Mary Mochary, Laci Megyeri, István Nyirjesy, Imre and Zsuzsa Toth, Zsolt Rumy, Tom Neumann, George Bien and Elly Bien, Barbara Vazsonyi, Edith Lauer and thousands of others all over the United States. You have all made me proud. Thank you for opening your hearts and minds to us. Thanks to our great Honorary Consuls too.

Thank you to the business community, Jeff Smulyan, Tom Beddow, Mike Oxley, Ralph Gerson and hundreds of others who put their confidence into Hungary, for hanging in with us in hard times, for the encouragement in our very difficult economic reforms.

Thanks to all our friends in the Jewish American community and beyond who have helped us build new bridges between Hungary and the U.S. and helped the world never forget the tragedy of the Holocaust. Thank you, Elie Wiesel, Sara Bloomfield and Radu Ioanid from the Holocaust Museum, and thank you, Randy Braham!

Thank you to Lincoln Diaz-Balart, Paula Dobriansky, Mark Palmer, my Cuban friends Orlando and Frank, and those suffering from suppression on the island  for teaming up with us to promote democracy and freedom in Cuba and elsewhere in the World. Thank you to Zbigniew Brzezinski and his whole family.

Thank you to those who are the men and women of the Arts: Rusty Powell from the National Gallery and his colleagues, Matt Witkovsky, Sarah Greenough, Michael Sonnenreich of the National Opera, Cy Katzen of the Katzen Center, and the leaders of the National Symphony and hundreds of others who shared moments of high arts with us. I want to thank the Hungarian artists who have made this journey so much more enjoyable. Thank you to László Fehér, Tamás Soós, Károly Klimó, István Nádler and others who have helped us promote Hungarian artistic prowess through their beautiful paintings at the residence. Thank you Aniko Gaál Schott for creating a residence worthy of the New Hungary. Thank you to Eva Zeisel who beyond the age of 100 is still beautiful and creative as an artist. Thank you Kirk Brown. Thank you to the great Universities, to Stephen Trachtenberg and his colleagues all over the US.

Thank you to Lucy Liu and the Sibs (Colin K. Gray and Megan Raney Aarons) for celebrating the 50th anniversary of the 1956 Revolution with us at a spectacular Washington premiere.

A special thanks to my friend Jack Valenti who gave us so much of his precious time and who left us prematurely. Jack, we miss you!

Thank you to all our journalist friends: Fred, Jackson, Jim, Roxanne and Amy, Gail, Kevin and Lloyd and Wolf and all the other friends. Don’t be angry if your name is not mentioned, we still love you.

Thank you to the Rock Hall of Fame in Cleveland: Terry Stewart, Frank Sullivan, Steve Winwood, Donovan and other partners in arms in the wielding of soft power, for letting me use the platform of the Museum to send a strong message about the role of Rock and Roll in bringing freedom and democracy to our part of the World. Rock on!

Thank you to Stephen Colbert and all the citizens of Colbert Nation, the most serious funny man on planet earth for wanting to have a bridge named after him in Budapest and letting me get away unharmed in his show. What a friend!

Thank you to our friends in the diplomatic corps: Sir David and Cathrine, Knut and  Ellen, Frans and Dominique, Noel and  John (Bruton), Petr, Janusz and Rastislav, Wolfgang, Jean Davide, Klaus, Ulrik and Friis, Guillermo and all the other friends in the EU family and beyond.

Thank you to my amazing staff: my deputy Viktor and Adél, my assistants Vilmos, Teri, Mari, András (Juhász), Zoli, András (Bácsi-Nagy), Jóska, Krisztina, Márta, Szilvia, Judit, János, Imre, Laci (Kővári), Laci (György), Ági, Sándor, Zsolt, Tamás, Zsuzsa, Gyuri and Feri (the cooks), Géza, Vincent and Eliana and all the rest. You have been amazing, worked harder and better than one could hope for. Thank you to the families for their understanding. Thank you for helping send a strong message about the real Hungary: the Hungary of smiles and quality. Thanks to Tvrtko (Vuity), the honorary member of the team. Thanks to our journalist colleagues Gábor, László, Judit and all.

Thanks to all those in Budapest  and beyond who have supported us. The list would be long, but without you nothing would have been possible.

A big thanks to our friend Bill Duggan and the Madam’s Organ team for a spectacular sendoff. (We’ll be back!)

To our successors, Ambassador Ferenc Somogyi, Andrea and their two boys: have a great time in America and good luck.

Thank you to all of you who have not been mentioned, not with the intention of being forgotten but for lack of space.

Finally a big hug to my buddies in the Coalition of the Willing band: Skunk, DanP, Linc, Sandy and DanMcD. What an amazing quality of personalities and musicians. You have taught me more, about music, about friendship, about listening to others, being humble (even if you are a superstar), about the importance of the peace and quiet between notes, about being a Coalition than anyone ever before. Guys, you are terrific! The Coalition will live on!

Signed: Ambassador András Simonyi and Náda Simonyi Peják

PS:  Thank you from both of us to our children Dani and Sonja, their other halves Kim and Niels for being such great kids, for your support.

Click here to read Ambassador Simonyi's CV