News

On April 27, 2026, the Community Leadership Meeting  titled “Celebrating Together!” was held at the Hungarian Embassy in Washington. The  meeting was already aligned with the theme of the 2026 methodological conference.

In his speech, Ambassador Szabolcs Takács emphasized that it is not only important what kind of world we leave to our children, but also what kind of children we raise for the world.

On this occasion, Kati Petreczky, the moderator of the event, introduced both the long-standing and new members of the AMIT team, thanked them for their work, and outlined the organization’s goals.

Eszter Gagnon, Director of Development, presented the latest updates to the AMIT website, including the Hungarian Language and Cultural Foundations Program, Spotify channels, the Learning platform, educational materials developed for students in connection with the Attila exhibition (more here) at the National Museum in Budapest and famous writers, poets celebrating anniversaries. The presentation also featured the collection of learning resources about the 1956 revolution (against the communist regime), some created with new technologies of AI.

Dr. Anna Fenyvesi introduced the traveling exhibition of the Legacy of Hungarians in the United States, a collective effort to preserve, activate, and share our common heritage. Anna Lacey Smith, Executive Director of the Hungary Foundation, joined remotely and presented educational materials for students related to Michael Fabriczy Kováts. She is currently seeking philanthropic partners to help realize the vision of a commemorative statue - more on this initiative here. Dr. Judit Kerekes announced a call related to the Benedek Elek storytelling competition.

Judit Regős, Director of the Parents’ House, presented the organization’s activities and outlined opportunities for collaboration with weekend Hungarian schools.

A special feature of the conference was the wide geographical range of participants: educators and community leaders arrived from several U.S. states—Florida, New Jersey, South Carolina, Washington State, Ohio, Arizona, Hawaii, Illinois, California, and New York—as well as from Canada.

During a collaborative workshop, participants discussed strategies to ensure these new resources—crafted through the tireless dedication of volunteers—reach the widest possible audience. Keeping both educators and parents informed is essential. After all, acquiring the Hungarian as a heritage language and culture extends far beyond the classroom, reaching its full potential only with active parental support.

As the nature of schools changes from generation to generation, and teaching Hungarian as a foreign language is becoming increasingly prominent, it is especially important that parents receive support and can take an active role in their children’s language development.

Participants also shared best practices with one another. For example, Dr. Endre Szentkirályi highlighted the Cleveland Hungarian School's successful poetry recitation competition, while Eszter Sütő presented the Washington Hungarian School and Kindergarten's approach to teaching the notable figures of Hungarian culture. (Video interviews capturing these initiatives, packed with practical ideas and advice, were recorded and will be made available at a later date.)

The meeting concluded with a standing reception, followed by a guided tour led by community diplomat Zsuzsanna Fekete, during which participants gained insight into the history and behind-the-scenes aspects of the embassy’s impressive historic building