Ambassador György Szapáry as part of his ‘EU Presidency Lecture Series’ paid a visit to North California.  During his stay he discussed economic cooperation opportunities and also met the representatives of the local Hungarian communities.

As a first step the Ambassador visited the Stanford University.  Maciej M. Siekierski, Ph.D. the Curator of Hoover Institution’s East European Collections presented selected documents of the 20th Century Hungarian history.

Ambassador György Szapáry and Maciej M. Siekierski

After their short meeting in Simi Valley early February, 60th US Secretary of State, George Schultz and Ambassador György Szapáry met again.  The Ambassador informed Dr. Schultz about the preparations of the Centennial President Reagan Commemoration in Hungary and invited the legendary statesman to Budapest to participate at the festivities.

Ambassador with Dr. George Schultz

Ambassador Szapáry spoke to a group of students in a roundtable discussion hosted by the Center of Russian, Eastern European and Eurasian Studies (CREEES) and the Europe Center of Stanford University.  He discussed Hungary’s top priorities as she assumes the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, touched on Hungary-U.S. bilateral relations and fielded questions from the audience.

A reception hosted by Eva Voisin Honorary Consul General of Hungary in San Mateo closed the first day.  Ambassador Szapáry was welcomed by a large number of representatives of various institutions and Bay Area Hungarians.

Ambassador György Szapáry and Honorary Consul General Eva Voisin

Ambassador György Szapáry visited the Woodside Benedictine Priory and School.  The Priory was founded in 1956 by a group of seven Hungarian Benedictine Monks from Saint Martin's Archabbey in Pannonhalma, Hungary.  The enrollment of the Priory is 370 students spanning grades 6-12.  The major population of the student body is from the Bay Area; however, international students are from almost twenty countries including Hungary.  The Priory is one of the most important institutions of the Bay Area Hungarians as well.

Ambassador György Szapáry and Fr. Maurus Németh, OSB,

Catholic Pastor of the Hungarian Community

Ambassador Szapáry gave a lecture titled ‘Forging a Stronger Europe: Challenges Ahead for the EU’ at the Commonwealth Club of California.  Click here to listen to the presentation:

http://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/archive/podcast/dr-george-szapary-hungarys-ambassador-us-42711

Ambassador György Szapáry speaking at the Commonwealth Club of California

Cosponsored by the European Union of Excellence, the Institute of Slavic, East European and Eurasian Studies (ISEEES), and the Institute of European Studies (IES) of the University of California at Berkeley Ambassador Szapáry gave a lecture at Berkeley’s International House titled ‘Strong Europe with a Human Touch: Hungary and the European Union Presidency’.

Ambassador Szapáry speaking at Berkeley

Ambassador Szapáry visited the Plug and Play Tech Center, one of the incubator houses in Silicon Valley.  The aim of his visit was to explore cooperation opportunities for Hungarian cutting edge information technology companies.

Ambassador signing the relic wall at Plug and Play Tech Center

Ambassador Szapáry continued his visit in California’s Capital, Sacramento.  In the Capitol he met Executive Secretary Nancy McFadden, who informed him about California’s fiscal situation.  Ambassador Szapáry shortly presented the new fiscal reform plan adopted by the Council of the European Union during the Hungarian Presidency.  The parties also discussed the cooperation opportunities on the field of renewable energy.  After the meeting the Ambassador had a discussion with the representatives of California Governor’s Office of Economic Development.

Ambassador Szapáry at the Californian Capitol

Ambassador Szapáry visited Angelo Tsakopoulos at his residence.  Mr. Tsakopoulos is a prominent real estate developer and a true friend of Hungary.  His daughter, Eleni Tsakopoulos Kounalakis is serving currently as Ambassador of the United States in Budapest, Hungary.

Steve Miklos, Mayor the City of Folsom, Ambassador György Szapáry,

Hungary’s Honorary Consul, Miklós Bartsch, and Angelo Tsakopoulos

As a conclusion of his first day in Sacramento the Ambassador visited the Mount Zion Congregation a non denominational Christian community visited mostly by Hungarians.  The church is of the major meeting points of the Hungarian community in the Sacramento Area.  Ambassador Szapáry highlighted among others the new regulations of the Hungarian Citizenship Law.

Ambassador Szapáry among the members of the local Hungarian community

On the last day the Ambassador met with representatives of various business organizations: the Sacramento Area Regional Technology Alliance, California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank, Northern California World Trade Center, and California Chamber of Commerce.  The Ambassador presented the economic goals of the Hungarian Government and EU Presidency and identified fields for closer cooperation of renewably energy and small business development.

Ambassador György Szapáry, CalChamber’s President and CEO Allan Zaremberg, CalChamber’s Vice President

for International Affairs Susanne Stirling, Honorary Consul Miklós Bartsch, and Consul Gábor Kaleta