A two-day conference organised by the State Secretariat for Hungarian Communities Abroad and the National Policy Research Institute entitled „State and Civil Relations with the Diaspora” is taking place in Budapest with the participation of both Hungarian and international public dignities, aiming to raise awareness of the importance of diasporas.

Deputy State Secretary for Hungarian Communities Abroad Zsuzsanna Répás told the event that countries are increasingly recognising the significance of ties with their diaspora and the role they play in forging new links between states. The Hungarian Government pays equal attention to Hungarians in the Carpathian basin and those living for instance in Canada, the US and Western Europe. The Deputy State Secretary recalled that the Hungarian Diaspora Council had been set up with a view to cooperating with Hungarian organisations from all over the world. The Council’s next meeting will take place in November, she added.

In his lecture, Romania’s Ambassador in Budapest Alexandru Victor Micula spoke about the importance of minorities in Europe and said that Romania has to protect the interests of Romanian citizens living abroad but must also take responsibility for the minorities living inside the country.

Ilan Mor, Israel's Ambassador to Budapest, said that responsibility and partnership are the basis for nurturing relations with the Jewish Diaspora. For a long time public opinion favoured the view that Jewish identity rested exclusively on religion. In fact this identity is tied to the nation, he said, adding that Israel is today the nation state of Jews. Israel belongs to all Jews, even if they do not live there, and it will always be open to them. An important additional element of the relationship is that Israel asks Jewish disaporas throughout the world for their support, the Ambassador said.

Irish Ambassador to Budapest Kevin Dowling said that even though Ireland is a small country, there is a large diaspora of Irish people who have left the country over the years. Irish communities have been assimilated into Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States, and new communities have developed in Asia, he said, adding that Dublin supports several diaspora organisations and the government is making efforts to strengthen ties with Irish communities abroad.

(MTI)