The State Secretary for National Policy at the Prime Minister’s Office is working towards the restoration of relations between the Transcarpathian Hungarian Cultural Association (KMKSZ) and the Hungarian Democratic Federation in Ukraine (UMDSZ) which deteriorated some twenty years ago.
State Secretary for National Policy Árpád János Potápi said at the press conference held to inform the press about the latest developments in Hungary’s national policy concerning Hungarian communities abroad: he attended the graduation ceremony of the Ungvár National University on Tuesday, after which he met with the Presidents of KMKSZ and UMDSZ with whom they are making joint efforts to restore cooperation between the two organisations for the municipal elections in Ukraine in the autumn, and with a view to resuming a dialogue between them and resolving the tensions.
The State Secretary added: the municipal election legislation is expected to be amended next week, following which he will once again meet with the two Presidents.
KMKSZ was a founder organisation of the Hungarian Democratic Federation in Ukraine; however, it suspended its membership in UMDSZ in 1996.
The State Secretary met this year’s scholarship holders of the ReConnect Hungary programme before the press conference. In this context Mr Potápi said: twice as many students will participate in the programme this year – some thirty students in total – than earlier. He highlighted that this year the son of George Pataki, US politician of Hungarian origin, a presidential candidate, is also among the scholarship holders.
The identity building programme ReConnect Hungary was launched in 2012 for American and Canadian young people of Hungarian origin. During the two weeks spent in Hungary and in territories beyond the borders populated by Hungarians, participants may meet with key stakeholders in the field of Hungarian communities beyond the borders and may familiarise themselves with innovative Hungarian economic and technological projects, in addition to attending cultural and tourist programmes.
Mr Potápi further spoke about the programme entitled 2015 – Year of Hungarian Vocational Training Beyond the Borders. He said: they have already entered into cooperation agreements regarding vocational training in Hungarian with almost every Hungarian region beyond the borders; there is only Transylvania left. This may take place in Tusványos, during the summer open university organised there, he added.
In the context of vocational training, the State Secretary also mentioned the free transfers scholarship, as part of which the students of Hungarian vocational training institutions in Transylvania, Transcarpathia, Vojvodina, Slovakia, Muravidék (Slovenia) and Croatia (aged between 14 and 18 years) and their teachers visit Hungary and attend practical training.
The State Secretary added: in the future, they would also like to see Hungarian young people visit institutions beyond the borders and to establish direct relations between Hungarians beyond the borders; i.e. there should be no need for Hungarian mediation between Hungarians in Slovakia and Transylvania.
Regarding the summer open universities, the State Secretary said: the events of the Transcarpathian Hungarian Open University, the Martos Open University in Slovakia and the Vojvodina Open University have already been held against the background of considerable interest. He attended these in person. In addition to topics of national policy, other issues of interest to young people which directly concern Hungarian communities beyond the borders also emerged at the events, he said.
The State Secretary added: the Gombaszög Summer University will be the next event, and the series of programmes will end with the Bálványos Summer Open University and Student Camp in Tusványos.
(MTI)
