At the Smithsonian Folklife Festival National Mall: June 26-30 & July 3-7

There are approximately thirteen million Hungarians in Central Europe some ten million of them living in Hungary, a thousand-year-old country that is slightly smaller than Indiana. Calling themselves Magyars, these people speak a unique language and maintain highly distinctive traditions in music, dance, costume, crafts, gastronomy, and more.

The Hungarian Heritage: Roots to Revival program at the 2013 Smithsonian Folklife Festival will highlight the vitality of Hungary's cultural heritage in these areas. It will bring to the National Mall in Washington highly skilled masters and apprentices from rural Central Europe who maintain the traditional knowledge acquired in their native environments. The Festival program will also bring musicians, dancers, and artisans from more urban settings who have revived many of these older traditions to make them part of their daily lives.

Please visit Smithsonian Institution's website for more info >>>>

April 9, 2013 - Space Puli barks in the Bay Area

The Hungarian Puli Space initiative, an official contestant of the Google Lunar X PRIZE (GLXP), started to build its presence in the US. Tibor Pacher, Founder and CEO of Puli Space Technologies Ltd, introduced the most exciting race of our days, and Team Puli's participation therein to California folks.

Tibor gave a presentations at the Spring Networking Lunch of The Hungarian American Chamber of Commerce in the US in Redwood City, at Twitter in San Francisco, and discussed extensively with  Laszlo,  Puli's plans to be part of the bright future of space industry.

Bundling Hungarian talents and their innovation capabilities Puli will be at the forefront of the Moon 2.0 race and the utilization of the Moon's and space resources.

For more info go to http://www.pulispace.com/ and follow the Puli on Google+ , Twitter , Facebook and YouTube .

April 9, 2013 - AHEC meeting in Silicon Valley to welcome member Tibor Pacher, leader of our main project sponsored by AHEC in 2013

Please join the members and friends of the HUNGARIAN AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN THE US, SPRING NETWORKING LUNCH
To welcome and hear a presentation by Dr. Tibor Pacher, Founder and CEO of the Hungarian PULI Space Initiative

Tuesday, April 9, 2013, noon-2pm
Oracle Plaza Restaurant, at Oracle Corporation, 10 Twin Dolphin Drive, Redwood City, California , (corner of Twin Dolphin Dr., & Oracle Parkway). Parking entrance on Twin Dolphin Drive @ Lagoon Drive

It is cafeteria style, but please RSVP Eva E. Voisin evoisin@ix.netcom.com. Tel: 650.341.0167

Dr. Tibor Pacher was born in Hungary. He now shares his time mainly between Hungary and Germany. Trained as a physicist (PhD., Heidelberg 1991 s.c.l.), during his academic career, he worked on different topics of General Relativity, Cosmology (Eötvös Loránd University Budapest, Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory) and Quantum Chemistry (University of Heidelberg) as well as on ESA's Infrared Space Observatory (ISO) mission (Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Heidelberg).

In 2006, he initiated the organization  Peregrinus Interstellar,  dedicated to the topic of interstellar travel:  The PI   Club . Dr. Parcher also runs the project  Faces from Earth , which focuses on creating interstellar message artifacts to be carried on future deep space missions, and  MiniSpaceWorld , which aims at the creation of a big, lively scale-model layout for Spaceflight and Astronomy.

May 9, 2013 Susan Polgar Foundation Dinner  and  Silent Auction

The  Susan Polgar Foundation Cordially Invites you to a Fundraiser  Dinner  &  Silent Auction

Special Guests: Dr. Ken Rogoff
Where: Hungarian Consulate in New York City
Address: 223 East 52nd Street
Date: Thursday, May 9, 2013
Time: 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Please RSVP by May 1, to the PolgarFoundation@live.com
Cost: $100/person or $1000 for a Sponsor table (seats 8) Please send checks to the:
Susan Polgar Foundation
11939 Manchester Road #129
Des Peres, MO 63131
Tel: 806-281-7424

The  Susan Polgar Foundation , Inc. is a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation supported by charitable donations that was established by GM Susan Polgar , Winner of 4 Women's World Chess Championships and the first woman in history to break the gender barrier in chess. The  Foundation  is the proud sponsor of the National Invitational for Girls, National Open Championship for Girls , World Open Championship for Girls, All-Star Girl's Chess Team, NY City Mayor's Cup Invitational, and Tri-State Scholastic Chess Challenge. Further information at   www.susanpolgarfoundation.org

March 9 , 2013 - Invitation for the Commemoration of the 1848 Hungarian Revolution and War of Liberation

Saturday, March 9, 2013, at 3PM
Chapel, Wesley Theological Seminary
4500 Massachusetts Avenue, Washington, D.C. 

More info: http://www.americanhungarianfederation.org/news_kossuth_1848.htm

January 24, 2013 - The X PRIZE Foundation and LEGO Announce Winners of 2012 MoonBots Challenge | X PRIZE Foundation - Student group from Hungary takes top prize in global competition designed to simulate Google Lunar X PRIZE missions using LEGO robots

PLAYA VISTA, CA (December 13, 2012) - The X PRIZE Foundation and LEGO Group announced today the winners of MoonBots 2012: A Google Lunar X PRIZE LEGO® MINDSTORMS® Challenge. This third annual competition challenged teams of students ages 9 to 17 to design, program and build robots that simulate lunar missions similar to those required to win the $30 million Google Lunar X PRIZE, a global incentivized competition to further the commercial exploration of space.

The Grand Prize winner, Team HungaroBots from Hungary, earned a VIP trip to test their creations at the Pacific International Space Center for Exploration Systems in Hilo, Hawaii. The team, comprised of 16- and 17-year-olds from the town of Sopron, Hungary, was introduced to the competition by the Google Lunar X PRIZE team, Puli Space.

The runners-up were Team Incredibots from Ohio, Team Apollo 19 from California, and Team Titanium Springboks from South Africa, all of whom will receive complimentary registrations into the FIRST® robotics league.
[ read more ]

January 2 , 2013 - AHEC Member Julie Kantor wrote it for Huffington Post

Pause Before Buying That iPhone 5
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/julie-kantor/buying-that-iphone5_b_2386147.html
By Julie Kantor

Lena just bought the latest iPhone 5 last week and had eleven more gifts to unwrap. She luckily was up to date on her mortgage payment but her husband Samuel was just laid off from his job and they had a big private school bill payment due in two weeks.Putting pen to paper she calculated her mortgage, Pepco bill for electricity, Comcast internet and cable, three trips to Safeway for monthly groceries, life insurance, two cell phones, two payments on leased cars, water bill, gas bill, you get the picture... Lena was out of cash from her bi-weekly pay stub before she even got to the private school bill, date nights and paying the housekeeper."I saved a fair amount of money in my 401(k) plan, but that is suppose to be for retirement," she told me, tears falling on the wooden breakfast table. "And besides, if I withdraw any amount before the age of 59, I will be taxed around 20 percent or more. That's too expensive. I can't do this by myself," she said.
I could relate to Lena, I had been in a similar situation years before where I was living paycheck to paycheck and not saving enough for a rainy day. Today was Lena and Samuel's rainy day and they were both feeling naturally upset. "Samuel is looking for a job and asking his parents for a loan. I am confident he will get a good job but it could take a few months in this job market," said Lena. We both lamented that we chose shopping and professional optimism over creating a three month reserve for these tough moments in life. I vowed at that moment to keep enjoying my iPhone 4 and not upgrade to the coveted "5" as Lena had until I built another two month reserve.
I had just returned the night before from seeing my father overseas (in Hawaii) and my talk with Lena really made me reflect on how my parents have managed their resources and retired well in a time that so many people are financially challenged.
My father escaped to America in 1956 from Hungary and he came here with no money but a big desire to be free and make a life for himself and the family he would eventually have. His childhood was filled with real-life nightmares and survival, but he has persevered and has become one of my great heroes and mentors. To me he exemplifies the American Dream.
Walking through his home in upcountry Maui I was overcome with memories every turn I made and every cabinet I opened. "That was the blue mug Dad made espresso in when I was in elementary school"; "This is the paper mache candy chicken Dad brought home from a business trip in Peru. We would walk down Wisconsin Avenue and fill it with carefully selected candy from the Coffee, Tea and Spice shop in Georgetown," I shared with my husband Marc.
I walked my 10-year-old daughter through the house and we pulled out holiday decorations that had seen better years, but were carefully preserved since the '70s. My dad put some Mozart on and I had to pull out my camera to take a picture of him showing our daughter what a record actually looks like. It was the first record that she has ever seen and I recognize the record player and stereo equipment from at least 1980.
My dad no longer lives in Virginia but the furniture, the paintings, the dishes all take me back to that period in time when he was working and thoughtful with his investments. I only get to see my dad once a year as he lives so far away and I am a bit obsessed with a start-up in D.C.
I co-founded:   Barrel of Jobs .
Friends tease me that I have parents who have great, amazing real estate overseas but little do they know I don't take advantage of it nearly as much as I would like. This trip we talked a lot about managing money and the steps he took to retired to a dream life in Maui. He doesn't shop a lot and when he does, its usually for high-quality food at Costco, travel to Europe, or a new tech gadget that he will keep for years. He proudly bought the iPhone 5 with a two-year plan but then proactively sold the "4" on Craigslist in an impressive break-even deal. My stepmother is amazing at recycling and re-purposing everything. We delighted every day in eating guava, mango and passion fruit jams she made from her own garden.
I used to wonder why Dad would wear the same Lacoste shirt for a decade or two when he was in a position to buy four new ones, but now I know. He buys high quality and does not look at purchases as disposable like Lena and I do. For the first time it really dawned on me that my dad's sensibilities and plan works and that if I put away money and stopped coming home with C-Wonder, Apple and Chicos' Bags, maybe I could retire someday well too.
I wanted to share all this with Lena but decided it best to wait until things got better. Maybe not buying the latest Samsung 50-inch flat screen is the answer. Maybe ongoing retail therapy is really a recipe for working hard until you're 82.
I sent Samuel three job listings from our site with some great tech companies in the DC area that I admire, WeddingWire, Venga and Clarabridge to see if they might perk his interest. I also sent him good ones at   SmartCEO   magazine and the DC Chamber of Commerce.
That night I kissed Justine goodnight and noticed in her arms she was snuggling with a well-worn Putsy, a Siberian husky dog that my father bought me when I was nine years old at FAO Schwartz in New York City. I begged for an hour and finally my Dad gave in. Putsy was one of three stuffed animals at my dad's home and by far my favorite. He gave it to Justine when we visited and I noticed that over the past few days all her other four dozen animals have been relegated to her bookshelves: 34-year-old Putsy won the coveted spot as 'first animal' with his head next to hers on her Scooby-Doo pillowcase.
Julie Kantor blogs weekly for The Huffington Post. Her full author archives can be found at   www.huffingtonpost.com/julie-kantor .

December 6 , 2012 - AHEC Meeting Washington D.C.

Dear AHEC members, 

Our meeting was held:
Thursday, December 6, 2012
7-8:30 am EST
Morrison & Foerster
2000 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Suite 6000 Washington, DC 20006-1888

Agenda:
1. Introductions
2. Remarks by Arpad Toth:
“Next Generation Broadband WirelessEnabled Homeland Security Solutions”
3. Other Business

Winter 2012 - AHEC Newsletter is available

Download our latest PDF newsletter.

Hurricane Sandy: Help Those in Need

Hurricane Sandy Response | OCT 2012
For donors outside of the United Sates, please contact your national Red Cross society how to give.

Financial donations help the Red Cross provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance to those affected by disasters like Hurricane Sandy, as well as countless crises at home and around the world.

Please donate today online The American National Red Cross or call
1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767)

The American National Red Cross is registered as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Contributions to the American National Red Cross are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. The Red Cross' tax identification number is 53-0196605.

July 14, 2012 - AHEC Meeting Budapest
Dear AHEC members, 

On behalf of American Hungarian Executive Circle, it is my greatest pleasure to invite you to the Budapest general meeting to be held in Szatyor Bár, Budapest (Bartok Bela ut 36) on 14th of July, 2012 Saturday at 5 pm.

The meeting will cover various issues and initiatives like the introduction and familiarization with the members' backgrounds and professional works, and possible methods to develop linkages and potentially beneficial connections. 
Presentation of Martin Retai about pocketguide smartphone city guide application product will also be exhibited. 

AHEC will make its best efforts to make the meeting an open and interesting forum for sharing experiences and developing mutual cooperation. Therefore we highly appreciate your presence and your active participation, so the meeting will be a worthy one. 

We look forward to welcoming you in Szatyor Bár. 

Warmest regards: 
Viktor Nagy
AHEC

Summer 2012 - Hungarian Birthright Program
a unique cultural immersion experience 

Proud of your Hungarian heritage and want to experience it in a meaningful, unique and fresh way? Explore your heritage and discover the Hungary of today...   and connect to other young Americans and Hungarians!  

Join other young Americans for a fun-filled and eye-opening experience of your culture, traditions and history while exploring the country.   See first-hand the trends, innovations and ingenuity driving Hungary today.

What you need to know

• any Hungarian ancestry
• for ages 18-26
• two-week trip, August 10-26, 2012
• sponsored donations limit your expenses to $1,000

To learn more and apply, visit : www.ReConnectHungary.org

May 26-June 1 - Hungary/Croatia Exhibition Series - Southern California
May 26 - USA vs. Croatia 6pm - Newport Harbor HS - Newport Beach, CA
May 27 - USA vs. Hungary 12pm - Newport Harbor HS - Newport Beach, CA
May 28 - Croatia vs. Hungary 5pm - Newport Harbor HS - Newport Beach, CA
May 31 - USA vs. Hungary 7pm - UCLA - Los Angeles, CA
June 1 - USA. vs. Croatia 7pm - Rose Bowl Aquatics Center - Pasadena, CA
Visit USA Water Polo for more info

Spring 2012 - AHEC Newsletter is available

Download our latest PDF newsletter.

March 21, 2012 - Endre Szemerédi Wins Norwegian Abel Prize in Mathematics
A Hungarian scientist has been awarded with the Abel Prize, considered to be the Nobel-prize for mathematics. It was announced in Oslo at noon today. Endre Szemerédi mathematician, professor of Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Alfred Renyi Institute of Mathematics has been given this prestigious award this year. Given annually to one of the most outstanding mathematicians in the world, the prize is a recognition of world-renowned Hungarian mathematical traditions.
The Able Prize website

March 11, 2012 - INVITATION / MEGHÍVÓ 1848-as szabadságharc emlékére rendezett ünnepélyére
Celebrating Hungary's National Day
Embassy of Hungary Washington DC Celebrates the 1848 Hungarian Revolution
Sunday, March 11, 2012, 3PM
Kay Spiritual Center
The American University
4400 Massachusetts Avenue Washington, D.C.
[ read more ]

March 12, 2012 - Sping Networking Lunch of the Hungarian American Chamber of Commerce in the US
SRING NETWORKING LUNCH, Hungarian American Chamber Of Commerce, In The Us Inc.,
Please join us to welcome a delegation of Hungarian Doctors attending a Conference In California, and to hear an informal Presentation By Dr. Zoltan Szabo, Ph.D, F.I.C.S.
Dr. Szabo is a San Francisco resident, who will share his experience and insight after 20 years of teaching at various prestigious institutions, including the University of Szeged.

ORACLE PLAZA RESTAURANT, at Oracle Corporation,
10 Twin Dolphin Drive, Redwood City, California, @ Lagoon Drive,
It is cafeteria style, but please RSVP.
RSVP marshika.szabo@gmail.com , or Eva Voisin, evoisin@ix.netcom.com , 650.573.7351

January 8, 2012 - Rare Archive Photos of Hungary
Please download to see Fortepan Archivum PowerPoint Slideshow

December 22, 2011 - Kellemes karácsonyi ünnepeket, egészségben, jócselekedetekben gazdag boldog új esztendot kíván a KÜRT Zrt. minden dolgozója!

A KÜRT az elmúlt években jótékony célra fordította a karácsonyi ajándékozásra szánt pénzügyi keretét. Idén ennél tovább mentünk. A tavaly kiválasztott alapítvány boldogulását egész évben segítettük mind forintokkal, mind munkatársaink önkéntes munkájával.

Ennek is köszönhetoen már 10 hátrányos helyzetu általános iskolában muködik a H2O Program. A H2O Program célja a hátrányos helyzet végleges megszüntetése, a hátrányos helyzetu iskolák elonyös helyzetuvé alakítása speciális oktatási módszertan segítségével. www.H2Oktatas.hu

Támogassa a H2O Programot, melynek pénzeit a

Digitális Esélyegyenloség Kiemelten Közhasznú Alapítvány kezeli ERSTE BANK Számlaszám: 11600006-00000000-43730841
SWIFT kód: GIBAHUHB

December 21, 2011 - Indul a Duna World!
2012. január 1-jétol friss, dinamikus musorstruktúrával várja a tengerentúli és kárpát-medencei nézoket a korábbi Duna2. Az új Duna World csatorna változatlan vételi paraméterek mellett, megszakítás nélkül fogható továbbra is.
Bovebb a változásokról >>>

December 2, 2011 - Invitation to a discussion with H.E. Pal Schmitt, President of the Republic of Hungary
Why A Europe Whole and Free Still Matters: A Central European Perspective

2:15 PM - 3:45 PM Friday, December 2, 2011
Kenney Auditorium The Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies
1740 Massachusetts Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20036

November 11 , 2011 Godollo, Hungary - Team Puli Space – Hungarian space robot to the Moon!
Puli Space Technologies cordially invite you and your associates for a reception and project demonstration.

3 PM on Friday, November 11, 2011
Godollo Industrial Park
Pattantyus Abraham krt. 2, Godollo 2100, Hungary
Read more>>>

Agenda
New member introductions
Business update of individual members (Darwin USA, Taboo,)
Upcoming all expenses paid trips to China
Collecting membership fees
Setting up one on one meetings for Sunday, October 2 as necessary

June 18 - 19, 2011 - AHEC RETREAT Chesapeake Bay, Virginia, USA

Please join us for a retreat to consider where AHEC has been and where it is going in the years ahead. Family members are welcome. The retreat is by Chesapeake Bay, one of the idyllic resting places of residents from Washington, D.C. and Richmond, VA. Arpad and Agnes Toth will be the gracious hosts, for a fun-filled weekend at their vacation home in Wicomico Church, VA.

June 30- July 3, 2011- Global Summit of Hungarians Balatonlelle, Hungary
Four Days, Twelve locations, Over 100 Programs. The Global Summit of Hungarians will be recognized for the first time in Hungarian history. From all over the world, tens of thousands of participants will gather on a multi generational festival.
For details visit: http://vilagtalalkozo.hu/

May 20, 2011 - Spring 2011 Newsletter is available

Download our latest PDF newsletter.

April 8, 2011
Scholarship Announcement from the Balassi Institute / Hungarian Ministry of Public Administration and Justice
The Balassi Institute is pleased to announce that we are now accepting scholarship applications for the 2011-2012 academic year. We ask that you please bring this to the attention of those who may wish to enroll in a Hungarian Studies and language development program for one year in Budapest ,Hungary.
For more information visit The Balassi Institute

April 6 , 2011
Nyelvében él a nemzet
We would like to acknowledge our honorary member Andrew Pohl. Please see Nyelvében él a nemzet slideshow

February 25, 2011
Goulash Populism Orbán needs to regain some of his former courage to revive Hungary's economy.
Read the full article in The Wall Street Journal here

February 21, 2011
Team Puli of Hungary in the Google Race Aside from Penn State Lunar Lions, the X Prize Foundation also announced seven new teams that were previously unknown. They include Mystical Moon of the U.S.A. and Space II of Israel, two teams trying to improve "scientific awareness," as well as Team Puli of Hungary, which comprises young professionals. More>>

February 14, 2011
Az eltitkolt dal Elvis Presley’s contribution to the 1956 revolution video here

February 13, 2011
Erdélyország az én hazám fesztivál Transylvanian festival read details here

January 2, 2011
Happy New Year! We would like to acknowledge our honorary member Andrew Pohl.
Please see BUEK-2011 slideshow

December 23, 2010 - Winter 2010 Newsletter is available

Download our latest PDF newsletter.

August 23 , 2010 - Newsweek ranks Hungary 33rd best place to live
Hungary is 33rd in the ranking of the world’s best 100 countries, a comprehensive list compiled by Newsweek that ranks the states in five categories (health, education, quality of life, economic dynamism and political environment). Finland was crowned "Best country in the world", followed by Switzerland and Sweden. In regional comparison, Hungary is in the second third in the ranking.
Read the full article in Newsweeek

August 19 , 2010 - AHEC Meeting
AHEC held a pre-holiday meeting on August 19th at the Gellert Coffee Shop in Budapest with 15 participants. The membership agreed to hold our next meeting together with Premium Hungaricum in the Fall, www.premium-hungaricum.hu. Our Hungary based members have countless exciting projects that they will report to us in the near future, with our official AHEC Project in the main focus: the Google Lunar Challenge

August 19 , 2010
Meet our summer Intern, Viktor Nagy. He will be in touch with our members in Hungary on a regular basis. Viktor is studying in Hungary and Germany, and he is very enthusiastic about meeting as many members as he can, especially after the first meeting that he attended in person.

August 10 , 2010 - Correspondent's diary, Day three: Food for thought in Budapest
BUDAPEST is my favourite city in the region, which makes me all the crosser that it is so strikingly badly run: dirty, congested and ill-regulated. It is the only place built as a majestic capital metropolis and with surviving roots to its glory days. The setting is spectacular. The bridges are eyecatching. The parliament, national bank, ministries and university all look as if they were built to last by people with taste on a grand scale, and serious ambitions for the future.
Read the article in The Economist

July 21, 2010 - Summer 2010 Newsletter is available

Download our latest PDF newsletter.

June 14, 2010 Elevator Pitch Competition
New companies, original ideas. Read the article in HVG (Hungarian)

March 31, 2010 AHEC member Sandor Kurti
Sandor Kurti was thanked by the teachers and students of Illyés Gyula Gimnázium for his presentation. Please download the full letter Köszönet Kürt (World Document).

March 12, 2010 - Are you proud you’re Hungarian? Identify yourself on the 2010 census form!
"...an accurate count of the U.S. population forms the basis for many important but often overlooked political, economic, and social decisions that are made that end up affecting our daily lives." Please share this information with your friends and make sure that your clubs, organizations, and churches where Hungarian Americans congregate have copies of this notice. More>>