US Embassy celebrates the 4th of July

Chargé d’Affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Hungary, David J. Kostelancik welcomed fellow diplomats and hundreds of other guests at the Official Independence Day Celebration in this country at the Ambassador's residence in the Buda Hills this Monday.

In his speech, the Chargé d’Affaires stressed that "it is also a celebration of an extraordinary moment – born of the Enlightenment – when a group of Americans advanced the then-radical idea that we are all created equal.  That governments exist to serve people, and not people to serve governments.  And that when the institutions of government fail to serve the people and protect their liberties, they don’t resign themselves to bad government, they change their government."

He pointed out that "we have a robust, broad, and deep relationship with Hungary that stretches back to the very earliest days of our Republic, when Hungarian officers were instrumental in building up and training the Continental Army of former shopkeepers and farmers.  Through the years, thousands of Hungarians migrants found a new home in the United States.  They were welcomed into a new country and a new culture where they made remarkable contributions and became model citizens.  Hungarian-Americans are a quintessential part of the fabric of our society and the story of America."

He found it important to mention "NGOs and civil society organizations that have inspired us in a wide range of fields, from combatting human trafficking, to organizing the Pride March this coming weekend, to enhancing transparency in governance, and improving access to services for disadvantaged populations.  Your organizations are a vital pillar in every free society and the work you do here is a testament to your love of your country, your commitment to justice, and your compassion for your fellow citizens.  We thank you for your commitment to the future of this country, even in the face of difficult challenges, some enduring, some new."