{"id":1048496,"date":"2019-07-06T20:17:26","date_gmt":"2019-07-07T00:17:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bocskairadio.org\/?p=1048496"},"modified":"2019-07-06T20:20:29","modified_gmt":"2019-07-07T00:20:29","slug":"laszlo-hamos-remembered-in-the-hungarian-parliament","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bocskairadio.org\/en\/laszlo-hamos-remembered-in-the-hungarian-parliament\/","title":{"rendered":"L\u00e1szl\u00f3 H\u00e1mos remembered in the Hungarian Parliament"},"content":{"rendered":"
Minority Leaders Recall His Professional Excellence, Personal Integrity<\/em><\/div>\n
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On July 1, a memorial gathering in the Hungarian Parliament recalled the life and work of L\u00e1szl\u00f3 H\u00e1mos, founder and president of the Hungarian Human Rights Foundation (HHRF), who passed away April 16 in New York.\u00a0 Nearly 150 invited guests filled the Parliament\u2019s Delegation Room, including family, friends, allies and co-workers from many countries.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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The memorial speeches gave eloquent testimony to L\u00e1szl\u00f3\u2019s remarkable life and personal legacy. The first speaker was\u00a0Zsolt N\u00e9meth<\/strong>, president of the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs, who noted that Hungarian organizations in the Western diaspora, such as HHRF, acted as important catalysts for regime change in Hungary.\u00a0\u00c1rp\u00e1d J\u00e1nos Pot\u00e1pi<\/strong>, Secretary of State for National Policy, praised L\u00e1szl\u00f3\u2019s dedication over more than four decades of professional activity on behalf of human rights for Hungarian minorities. Bishop\u00a0L\u00e1szl\u00f3 T\u0151k\u00e9s,\u00a0<\/strong>the Hungarian Reformed minister whose resistance to the Ceausescu regime\u2019s campaign of terror and intimidation sparked the Romanian revolution in 1989, expressed his personal gratitude to L\u00e1szl\u00f3, who fought relentlessly and successfully to keep Hungarian minority issues on the international agenda. Other minority leaders also expressed their indebtedness to HHRF\u2019s literally life-saving actions during the Communist era:\u00a0Mikl\u00f3s Duray<\/strong>, twice imprisoned by Czechoslovak authorities, whose case was championed internationally by HHRF;\u00a0G\u00e9za Sz\u0151cs<\/strong>, a former editor of the \u201cEllenpontok\u201d clandestine newsletter, whose first-hand information on the plight of the Hungarian minority in Romania was obtained, translated and disseminated by HHRF; and\u00a0L\u00e1szl\u00f3 J\u00f3zsa<\/strong>, a leader of the Hungarian community in former Yugoslavia.<\/p>\n

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Hunor Kelemen<\/strong>, president of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (RMDSz), noted that L\u00e1szl\u00f3\u2019s unimpeachable reputation literally opened doors for Hungarian minority leaders visiting U.S. officials in Washington D.C. A statement by\u00a0L\u00e1szl\u00f3 Brenzovics<\/strong>, president of the Cultural Alliance of Subcarpathia (Ukraine) was read by his colleague\u00a0Gy\u00f6rgy<\/strong>\u00a0Kota<\/strong>, a former intern at HHRF, who added his personal recollections of L\u00e1szl\u00f3 during the 1990\u2019s. L\u00e1szl\u00f3\u2019s niece,\u00a0Ildik<\/strong>\u00f3 H\u00e1mos<\/strong>, poignantly recalled L\u00e1szl\u00f3\u2019s supportive love for family members and special capacity for listening. Finally,\u00a0Zsolt Szekeres<\/strong>, HHRF\u2019s newly appointed president, briefly touched on HHRF\u2019s future direction, building upon the foundations laid by L\u00e1szl\u00f3.
\nAlso in attendance was\u00a0L\u00e1szl\u00f3 K\u00f6v\u00e9r<\/strong>, president of the Hungarian Parliament.\u00a0L\u00e1szl\u00f3<\/strong>\u00a0Gy. Kiss,\u00a0<\/strong>noted\u00a0t\u00e1rogat\u00f3<\/em>\u00a0artist (traditional Hungarian wind instrument), provided musical interludes during the program.<\/p>\n

\nThe entire program maybe viewed\u00a0here<\/u><\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n

\nThe memorial was organized and sponsored by:<\/p>\n