Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, Reverends, Professors,
Ask anyone in Budapest who Clark Ádám was (this is how we Hungarians refer to
Adam Clark), and they will tell you right away that he’s the one who designed the
Chain Bridge. Ask what nationality he was, and you’ll be told without hesitation
that he was, of course, Hungarian.
For the Scottish engineer has become an integral part of Hungarian culture and, after
more than a hundred and fifty years, we remember him like any other great figure of
the Hungarian people – regardless of where they were born.
Tonight, gathered here in honour of Saint Margaret of Scotland to promote the
continuation of the programme named after her as best as we can, we remember with
gratitude all those who have in some way strengthened the cooperation between the
Scottish and Hungarian peoples.
For me as a pastor of the Reformed Church, the close ties that go back over four
hundred years between the Reformed Churches of Scotland and Hungary are of
particular importance. Let me mention just two symbolic events from the 19th and 20th
century.
The first of these is the establishment of the Bethesda Hospital, the only hospital still
maintained and operated by the Reformed Church of Hungary, which was set up
jointly by Rudolf König, a missionary of the Scottish Mission of evangelical spirit,
and the Hungarian Theodor Biberauer. The cooperation did not stop there though,
for it was Miss Mackinchan, also from Scotland, whose donation helped the
Hungarian mission overcome the standstill it had been in for years.
The second case in point is the personal and tragic fate of Jane Haining, a sister
working with the Scottish Presbyterian mission. During the German occupation of
Hungary in March 1944, sister Haining refused to give up the Jewish children hidden
in her school, for which she was taken by the Gestapo and unfortunately did not
make it back from the labour camps.
The torrents of history in Central and Eastern Europe have taught us how important
it is for two nations to remember, time and time again, that they both shared the
same sadness, as well as happiness, during their history. As a Cabinet member, I
find it important to highlight that, whether officially or just in the background, the
“Scottish connection” has always been present in the “Hungarian universe”.
And while we, Protestants have our reservations regarding the worship of saints, we
also understand that a holy life may be a blessing for centuries to come. Thus, we are
lucky to enjoy the blessings of the life of Saint Margaret, Queen of Scotland – but we
also have certain obligations as a result.
The programme aims to provide English, Scottish, and Hungarian students with
academic opportunities in fields that are closely related to Saint Margaret and her
heritage. It is estimated that there are almost 1,000 Hungarian students studying at
various universities in Scotland today. We would like these students – as I was
suggesting to Secretary Constance today – to be able to consider themselves the heirs
of Saint Margaret in a way, through a jointly operated alumni network, and to use
the knowledge and expertise they acquire in Scotland to the benefit of the people
when they return home.
Hungarian universities have been working hard to develop Hungary’s international
relations for centuries, which is a natural phenomenon, considering that science
knows no borders. As the Cabinet member responsible for this area, I can
confidently say that the facilitation of international networking is a key priority for
our higher education policy. This also means that we welcome with open arms any
Scottish students at our universities, where they can receive world-class training in
the fields of technical sciences or medicine for instance.
While we would most certainly be pleased if these students strengthened the
reputation of Hungary after their return to Scotland, should they choose to stay in
Hungary, future generations might remember them just like we remember Clark
Ádám today.
Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen!
Finally, let me assure you that the Government of Hungary is doing all in its power
to ensure that the cultivation of our relations leads to specific results. Let the blessed
life of Saint Margaret be our mutual hope!
Thank you for your attention!