Prof. E. Sylvester Vizi Recipient of 2023 Hungarian American Coalition Award

Former President of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA) Prof. E. Sylvester Vizi has been awarded the 2023 Hungarian American Coalition Award at a ceremony held in Washington D.C., October 20. Professor Vizi is the current chairman of the Friends of Hungary Foundation, publishers of our news portals Hungary Today and Ungarn Heute.

The ceremony was attended by János Csák, Minister for Culture and Innovation. In his social media post he wrote that “in such difficult times, achievements that bring joy and pride should be valued. Professor E. Sylvester Vizi is following in the footsteps of our Nobel Prize-winning scientists in the fields of pharmacology and neuroscience, and the Béla Bartók Hungarian School in Boston is bringing together Hungarians in the diaspora and helping to preserve Hungarian culture. In recognition of their work, they received awards from the Hungarian American Coalition”.

In his speech Professor Vizi expressed his thank to the Hungarian American Coalition (HACUSA) for the prestigious award.

“We have something common: we have all been raised and educated as friends and supporters of the Hungarian-American relationship”,

said the award-winner at the gala.

He continued by expressing his gratitude to his American friends and colleagues with whom he had the chance to work and teach at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. Between 1984 and 2001 Prof. Vizi worked as a visiting professor in the University’s Anesthesiology and Psychiatry Departments. In addition, he spent time at the New York State Institute of Psychiatry, working with Professors Abel Lajtha and Henry Sershen.

“Hungarian science and culture have a long and proud tradition that we must cultivate and build upon. Without mentioning our past, namely Hungarians who were involved in the Manhattan Project, and many others, whose contributions to world heritage was significant and who were involved in making America great in various fields of life”, the former MTA president reminded.

“There are thousands of first-class, successful scientists, artists, business people, and dedicated people of Hungarian origin living and working in the States, and other parts of the world, who are great assets to our country. Those of us living in Hungary are very proud of those who have succeeded in the most difficult task: to excel in a foreign country and to become a useful and valuable member of society in the United States. It is also true that big countries have the power to make individual citizens great, but for small nations the opposite is true: outstanding scientists, engineers and artists that make enormous contributions to universal human culture actually bring renown to their country and make it great. This is the case for Hungary”, said Professor Vizi in his speech.

He reminded his audience about Hungary’s two fresh Nobel-Prize winners, Katalin Karikó and Ferenc Krausz (also a member of the Friends of Hungary Foundation). “It was a golden rain from the Nobel Prize. Both are born and bred Hungarian. Both are educated in Hungary, where they received their PhD in one of the Institutes of Hungarian Academy of Sciences. We are very proud of them”, said Professor Vizi.

Featured Image: Kevin Allen