Rákóczi Gala Ball in Toronto

The Canadian Rákóczi Foundation, celebrating its 72nd anniversary, hosted its traditional Rákóczi Gala Ball on September 19 at Toronto’s historic Old Mill, bringing together supporters, friends, and members of the Hungarian community.

The evening featured the presentation of the Rákóczi Lifetime Achievement Awards and a screening of a short film about the 29th Rákóczi Students Without Boundaries Camp, showcasing the life-changing experiences and heartfelt gratitude of participating youth.

In her address, Dr. Zsuzsa Papp Aykler, President of the Foundation, thanked the donors whose generosity sustains the organization’s mission. Their contributions support daily meal programs for over 50 children in war-torn Ukraine, scholarships for students in need, and the Oral History Project, which preserves the memories of 1956 Hungarian refugees for future generations at Simon Fraser University.

During the gala, the community also remembered Dr. Éva Tömöry, a long-serving board member and chair of the Scholarship Committee, whose recent passing left a profound loss.

This year’s Rákóczi Lifetime Achievement Awards were presented to Leslie and Robert Aykler for their decades of service to the community and support for senior housing; Dr. Andras Nagy for his groundbreaking stem cell research; and Veronika Zydron, Principal of the St. Elizabeth Hungarian School, for her dedication to preserving Hungarian language and culture among youth.

The evening’s hosts, Zoltán Csadi and Kleopátra Nedyalkova, guided guests through a program enriched by music from Kálmán Magyar and his orchestra and a vibrant performance by the Kodály Ensemble, followed by an energetic dance house.

The Rákóczi Gala Ball once again proved to be a celebration of unity, generosity, and cultural pride within the Hungarian-Canadian community.