March 5-8, 2007

Hungary's Minister of Education and Culture Visits U.S.

The Minister of Education and Culture of the Republic of Hungary, Dr. István Hiller paid a visit to the US on March 3-8. The visit focused on preparing the planned Hungarian Cultural Season in the United States in 2009. The minister also signed  the renewal of the agreement for bilateral program of higher education exchange.

Minister Hiller pursued intensive talks in Washington, DC, on March 7th and 8th. He received positive responses from all his negotiating partners concerning his initiative about the series of Hungarian cultural events in the first half of 2009.

Michael Kaiser, President of the Kennedy Center and the Minister discussed the launching of new cultural exchange programs and new schemes of cooperation.

 

Hungary's Minister of Culture, István Hiller, with the President of the Kennedy Center, Michael Kaiser

 

During the Minister's visit to American University’s Katzen Arts Center, both Dr. Cyrus Katzen, founder, and Mr. Jack Rasmussen, director and curator, expressed willingness to host new exhibitions of contemporary Hungarian art during the planned Hungarian Cultural Season.

 

Minister Hiller visited American University's Katzen Arts Center - from left to right: Founder Cyrus Katzen, Ambassador András Simonyi, Katzen Director Jack Rasmussen and Minister Hiller

Former U.S. Ambassador to Hungary, Nancy Goodman Brinker honored Minister Hiller and his delegation with a luncheon in her home.
 

Luncheon in honor of Minister Hiller and his delegation hosted by former U.S. Ambassador to Budapest Nancy G. Brinker

Minister Hiller, himself a history professor, also met with President of George Washington University, Prof. Stephen Joel Trachtenberg, and paid a visit to the Librarian of the Library of Congress, James Billington.

 

At George Washington University: Hungary's Minister of Education and his delegation with GW President Stephen Trachtenberg (middle)

 

Minister Hiller and Ambassador Simonyi with Librarian James Billington (second from right) at the Library of Congress

Ambassador Simonyi gave a reception to honor Mr. István Hiller with the attendance of representatives of American culture and science. Minister Hiller bestowed the awards “Pro Cultura Hungarica” upon Nancy G. Brinker, former Ambassador of US to Hungary, and Jill A. Wiltse and Kirk H. Brown from Denver for their outstanding achievement in promoting Hungarian culture in the US. The reception also showcased the new collection of contemporary Hungarian paintings at the Residence. Two of the artists, István Nádler and Tamás Soós, were present and honored at the event.
 

Minister Hiller presented Nancy G. Brinker, Kirk H. Brown and Jill A. Wiltse with the "Pro Cultura Hungarica" Awards for promoting Hungarian culture

 

Ambassador Simonyi, Minister Hiller, Ambassador Brinker, Jill A. Wiltse and Kirk H. Brown at the reception held at the Resident

 

During a breakfast at the Residence of Ambassador Simonyi, Earl Powell, Director of the National Gallery of Art, and Minister Hiller discussed plans to have a Hungarian photo and contemporary film show in 2009 at the NGA. During his visit to the NGA, Hiller visited  the Design Department and inspected the preparations for this summer’s main event, Foto: Modernity in  Central Europe 1918-1945, sponsored by the Central Bank of Hungary.

 

At the National Gallery of Art, the upcoming photo exhbition sponsored by Hungary, Foto: Modernity, was presented to the delegation – Chief Curator of Photographs Sarah Greenough shows a model of the exhibition to Minister Hiller

 

Hungary's participation at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Summer 2009 was envisaged during the talks of Mr. Hiller with Mr. Ned Rifkin, Under Secretary for Art at Smithsonian.

 

Minister Hiller with Ned Rifkin, Under Secretary for Arts at Smithsonian

 

 

The agreement on the continuation of the Fulbright Exchange Program was signed by Minister and Miller Crouch, U.S. Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Education and Cultural Affairs. The renewal of this cultural, technical and scientific cooperation agreement will enable a large number of graduates, scholars and scientists from Hungary to participate in various educational and scientific programs in the USA.

 

István Hiller, Hungary's Minister of Education and Culture, and Miller Crouch, U.S. Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Education and Cultural Affairs, signing the renewal of the Fulbright Agreement in the State Department's Treaty Room

 

On Thursday afternoon, Minister Hiller met with Hungarian-born Congressman Tom Lantos (D-Ca.), the Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. They discussed Hungarian-American political, economic, cultural and educational relations.

 

SAIS Professor Charles Gati, Annette Lantos, Congressman Tom Lantos, Minister István Hiller, Mrs. Hiller, Ambassador András Simonyi