August 25 - September 5, 2008

Ambassador, Hungarian Politicians Attend Democratic and Republican Conventions

Leaders of Hungarian political parties and Ambassador Ferenc Somogyi attended the national conventions of the Democratic Republican parties, in Denver and in St. Paul, respectively. The Hungarian notabilities met their American partners and the local Hungarian communities in both cities.

The delegation of the Hungarian Socialist Party attended the Democratic Convention in Denver. The Socialist delegation was led by Mrs. Mónika Lamperth, former Minister of the Interior, Chief of Staff for party president (and current Prime Minister) Ferenc Gyurcsány as his special representative, and included Attila Mesterházy, the deputy chief of the Socialist group in the Hungarian Parliament, Zoltán J. Gál, member of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Parliament, and Gyula Cserey, the International Secretary of the Socialist Party.

At the beginning of their trip, the Socialist delegation visited the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and met with Director for the Central and Eastern European region, Catherine Messina Pajic and Program Director Ulrike Scholl Dorn. They agreed that the think-tank of the Socialist Party, the Táncsics Foundation, would cooperate with NDI on projects aimed at stabilization in the Balkans and democracy promotion worldwide.

While in Denver, the Ambassador and the delegation were invited by Ambassador Richard Holbrooke to attend the International Affairs forum of the Rocky Mountain Roundtable 2008. After the forum, the head of the delegation met with Ambassador Holbrooke and former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Chairperson of NDI.

In Denver, Ambassador Somogyi participated in the week-long International Leaders Forum organized by the National Democratic Institute. 

On August 26, Ambassador Somogyi and the Socialist delegation were invited to attend the Ground Dedication of the Holocaust Memorial, Learning and Social Action Site at the University of Denver. The event was also a tribute to the memory of the late Hungarian-born Congressman Tom Lantos, the only Holocaust survivors ever to serve in the U.S. Congress. Mrs. Annette Lantos, widow of the late Congressman and herself a Holocaust survivor from Hungary, and Ambassador Somogyi were invited to deliver remarks. 

The family of the late Congressman Lantos, led by Annette Lantos, the delegation of the Socialist party, and the Embassy’s representative, Press Attaché Zoltán Fehér, laid wreaths and flowers at the 1956 Memorial in the Hungarian Freedom Park in Denver. 

The Republican National Convention in Minneapolis/St. Paul was attended by former Prime Minister and President of Fidesz – Hungarian Civic Party, Viktor Orbán, at the invitation of the GOP, and by Ambassador Ferenc Somogyi, at the invitation of the International Republican Institute. 

At the convention, former Prime Minister Orbán met with President George W. H. Bush whose family had hosted Mr. Orbán at their home in Kennebunkport, Maine, in the days preceding the convention. 

Prime Minister Orbán, Member of Parliament Dr. János Horváth, author and minority rights activist Géza Szőcs and Ambassador Somogyi also met with the local Hungarian community, led by László and Ágnes Fülöp. The leaders of the Minnesota Hungarians showed their city to the guests. Ambassador Somogyi visited the Immigration History Research Center and the Foshey Tower. The visitors were hosted by the Zoltai family at their residence.