Many exciting events took place this year regarding the work of the Rákóczi Foundation. Beside preparations for this festive season, we wanted to take a moment to reflect and assess the past year. We can proudly report on the continued work of the Rákóczi Foundation over the past year, made possible by the incredibly helpful and generous donors living in the diaspora. Reporting in reverse chronological order, we can be truly proud that:
Thanks to the “Carpe Diem” scholarship program, in December 47 Hungarian students living in the Carpathian Basin received scholarship funding: 16 from Transcarpathia (Ukraine), 19 from Transylvania (Romania), 11 from Vojvodina (Serbia) and 1 from Slovakia. In the Fall semester of the 2023/2024 school year, the Rákóczi Foundation distributed $23,5000 Canadian dollars to the 47 students.
Our hot lunch program continued in Transcarpathia, in Ungvár/Uzghorod. Since 2012, our daily hot lunch program has operated continuously for eleven years in the Dayka Gábor School. During these eleven years, the Foundation has financed the hot lunch program to the sum of nearly $45,000 Canadian dollars.
And if we are talking of young organizers, then, of course, our organization’s core program, The Students Without Boundaries camp needs to be emphasized.
The program held this year was our 27th, providing an opportunity for 100 Hungarian young people to become acquainted with the more important historical and cultural events and landmarks in Hungary, take part in historical presentations – and making life-long friends in the process. It is with great happiness that we can report that, after a three year hiatus, we could again be part of the miracle that happened during the 12 days of the program.
The Rákóczi Gala dinner was held in September, and we can proudly say that the occasion was one of the important social events for the Hungarian community. It was a sold-out success. One of the highlights of the evening was the presentation of the Rákóczi award to Peter Bethlenfalvy, Ontario’s Minister of Finance. The other recipient was Dr. Mária Dr. Vass-Salazar, Hungary’s Ambassador to Canada. In her moving speech, she spoke of the importance of retaining cultural heritage and made special mention of the activities of the Rákóczi Foundation.
On behalf of the directors of the Foundation, we wish to thank you for your support and we wish you a blessed, peaceful Christmas and a new year full of successes and many more successful programs.