Hungarians in the United States are organized in more than 100 organizations, 78 churches, 33 Hungarian schools, 25 exploratory groups, and 12 Hungarian homes, museums, and libraries, said Andrea Lower Reyes, president of the largest Hungarian American umbrella organization. He added that almost every federal state has a Hungarian community.
He described the Diaspora Council, which has served as the US president since November 2019, as one of the most effective organizations in national politics affecting the diaspora. In his words, the council acts as a kind of global Hungarian network, whose members learn a lot from each other and help each other. Andrea Lauer Reis described the Sándor Körösi Csoma Program as a serious opportunity among the Hungarian government’s scholarships for the diaspora.
He believed that the coronavirus pandemic had made the Hungarian community in America stronger, in part because they were able to reach and engage more people through events held online, which boosted community spirit. Looking to the future, Hungarians in America face two major challenges – explained Andrea Lauer Reis. One is the participation of the younger generation in the life of the diaspora, where the two most important organizations are the Association of Foreign Hungarian Scouts and the Network of Hungarian Weekend Schools. He noted that the second challenge is that those who do not speak Hungarian can be included as much as possible in the life of Hungarian societies.
He noted that of the 1.4 million Americans who consider themselves Hungarian or of Hungarian descent, there are about a million who do not speak this language, usually those who have been living in the United States since the second, third or fourth generation. At the same time, they are also aware of their roots, so it is important that they can pass on their Hungarian heritage to them through diaspora organizations, said the president of the American Hungarian Alliance in an interview with public media.
