Past Events 2006
U.S. President Hosts 1956 Movie at the White House
On October 29, 2006, President George W. Bush hosted a screening of "Children of Glory," a vivid and moving motion picture portrayal of the ’56 Hungarian revolution and of the Hungarian peoples’ longing to break the bonds of tyranny, produced by Andrew G. Vajna. Leading Hungarian-American and Hungarian dignitaries, together with high-ranking U.S. officials, including U.S. Ambassador to Hungary April H. Foley, participated in the event, which served to express American gratitude for the contributions of Hungarians to the United States and to global freedom and democracy.
During his visit to Hungary in June 2006 to commemorate the heroes of the ’56 revolution, President Bush expressed his gratitude to Hungarians for keeping the spirit of 1956 alive and thereby motivating those fighting for civil liberties all around the world. He declared that the Hungarian freedom fight represented the triumph of liberty over tyranny. On October 23, the 50th anniversary of the Hungarian Revolution, the U.S. celebrated the Hungarians who defied an empire to demand their liberty. President Bush proclaimed October 23, 2006, as a day of recognition in honor of the 50th Anniversary of the Hungarian Revolution.
The White House social event demonstrated how highly the United States values its strong relationship and friendship with Hungary, which is also enriched by the contributions of the Hungarian-American community. The guest list included many of those Hungarian Americans who have themselves contributed through their achievements in business, science, the arts, and education, such as Governor of New York George E. Pataki, President of Hungarian-American coalition Maximilian N. Teleki, actor Tony Curtis, and Nobel Laureate George Olah.