Ambassador George H. Walker

Opening Remarks at the Independence Day Concert and Reception

Palace of Arts, Budapest, Hungary
July 3, 2006

Celebration on stage of the Palace of Arts.

It is with great pleasure - and gratitude - that I welcome you here this evening to this magnificent Palace of Arts. And we particularly want to thank the Palace and TriGranit Corporation for making this event possible.

Great thanks, too, to Dr. Batta, Ms. Charity Sunshine Tillemann-Dick, the Alma Mater Choir of the Liszt Ferenc Academy, and the Hungarian Air Force Band for their superb contributions to our program this evening and, of course, all of our corporate sponsors for your generous contributions.   

Two hundred and thirty years ago, on July 4, 1776, the founders of the United States pledged "their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor" to the cause of independence. They went on to say that "these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent states." They well knew, in so declaring, that they were in fact risking their lives, that they were up against the greatest military power on earth and that their resources, both in military and financial terms, were very limited. But their yearning for freedom, for equality and opportunity prevailed. Many lives were lost in the struggle that ensured - thousands of young men were taken away in the bloom of youth. Great sacrifice was required. But years later, they achieved victory and the United States of America was on its way. 

Almost a hundred years later, as the Statue of Liberty was being constructed, a great lady poet, Emma Lazarus, attempted to put into words the message that the United States intended to send out, through this celebrated monument, to all the world. She wrote:

  Give me your tired, your poor,
  Your huddled masses, yearning to breathe free,
  The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,
  Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
  I lift my lamp beside the golden door.

In the 230 years which have elapsed since the Declaration of Independence was issued, we have had our Civil War, and, of course, our participation in both World War I and World War II. In all of these struggles, there has been the great cost of human life and unimaginable sacrifice and suffering. But, it serves us well to remind ourselves that victory was achieved in these struggles against domination by foreign powers and for freedom and democracy. 

Today, in the year 2006, more people throughout the world are enjoying the fruits and blessings of freedom and democracy than ever before. Here at home, in this great Republic of Hungary, noteworthy throughout the world for its heroic and courageous history, prosperity and opportunity are on the rise. The human values which this Republic holds so dear, and in defense of which it has paid a big price, these values are identical with those which motivated the founders of the United States in 1776. We owe to those founders and to all in our country and in Hungary who made the ultimate sacrifice our deep respect and most profound and heartfelt gratitude. And that, truly, is hardly enough.

This evening, as we hear the glorious music of the choir from Liszt Academy, let us celebrate the spirit and values of 1776 and, in addition, the strong ties which bind together the United States and the Republic of Hungary.

It is now my pleasure to introduce Dr. Andras Batta, President of the Liszt Academy.