Celebrating Excellence: 2024 Gala Highlights

Contact: Janos Szekeres
Tel: (202) 296-9505

September 14, 2024

Annual Gala Honors Mary V. Mochary And the Carpathian Foundation With Special Awards In Recognition Of Their Outstanding Contributions

Alumni and Community Youth Leadership Awards Also Presented

Washington, DC – On September 12, 2024, the Hungarian American Coalition (Coalition) celebrated the Honorable Mary V. Mochary and the Carpathian Foundation at its 19th annual Gala Dinner. Additionally, two youth awards were presented: Sarolta Derzsi received the John N. Lauer Leadership Training Program (LTP) Alumni Award, and Ádám Béres was the recipient of the Community Youth Leadership Award.

President Emeritus Max Teleki, 2024 Honoree Mary V. Mochary,Treasuer Zsolt Szekeres, President Andrea Lauer Rice

Opening with a cocktail reception, the evening allowed guests to network and appreciate the elegant surroundings of the historic Larz Anderson House. Guests were also invited to explore the Holocaust in Hungary exhibition, commemorating the 80th anniversary of this tragic chapter in history. The exhibit provided an educational reflection on the Holocaust’s impact on Hungarian Jews, fostering a deeper understanding of the resilience of the Hungarian community.

Charles Simonyi served as the Honorary Chairman of the event, held at the Larz Anderson House in Washington, DC. Gala co-chairs included Governor George Pataki, Edith K. Lauer, Ambassador György Habsburg, and Anikó Gaál Schott.

Gabe Mózsi, President of the Hungarian Club of Chicago and co-founder of the HYPE Network, greeted the many distinguished guests from all over the United States area and leaders from across the Hungarian American community and Hungary. Andrea Lauer Rice, Coalition President delivered her remarks that reflected on the Coalition’s work over the past years.

We launched the HYPE – Hungarian Young Professional Engagement – Network to engage the next generation and find future community leaders. We formulized a micro-grant program to provide support to our member organizations. We continue working with leaders across the community, such as the Tulipan Foundation, HungarianHub, Hungarian Club of Chicago and others.

Edith K. Lauer, Coalition Chair Emerita, presented the LTP Alumni Award to Sarolta Derzsi, who has distinguished herself through her exceptional career in both entrepreneurship and diplomacy. A former LTP intern with the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN), Sarolta’s outstanding work led to a permanent role with GEN, where she organized global ministerial meetings and entrepreneurship congresses across cities like Johannesburg and Istanbul. Her dedication and success continued as she joined the Hungarian Diplomatic Academy, ranking among the top 3 out of over 600 applicants. She now serves as a diplomat at the Embassy of Hungary in London.

John N. Lauer LTP Alumni Award: 2023 Honoree Luca Morocz, Coalition President Andrea Lauer Rice, President Emerita Edith Lauer, Treasurer Zsolt Szekeres, 2024 Honoree Sarolta Derzsi

Similarly celebrated for his contributions to education and leadership, Ádám Béres, Co-founder of HYPE (Hungarian Young Professional Engagement) Network was honored with the Community Youth Leadership Award. The award was introduced by Dániel Barabási, a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University, who won the award last year. Béres, born and raised in Los Angeles to Hungarian parents, has demonstrated a strong commitment to both his heritage and his academic pursuits. While studying Human Biology and Healthcare Studies at the University of Southern California, Béres founded the “Ambassadors of the Future” foundation to provide scholarships for intellectually gifted but financially disadvantaged students.

Community Youth Leadership Award: 2023 Honoree Dániel Barabási, 2024 Honoree Ádám Béres, Coalition Vice President Ágnes Virga, President Andrea Lauer Rice, Board Member Csilla Grauzer, Vice President Piros Pazaurek, Board Member Gabe Mózsi.

Annette Lantos Tillemann-Dick, Chair at the Lantos Foundation provided an overview on the Kasser Family and their hard work on saving Jews during the Holocaust in Hungary. It was followed by a video about Alex and Elisabeth Kasser’s accomplishments.

The Honorable Mary V. Mochary was presented with the Coalition Award for her lifelong commitment to public service, philanthropy, and the arts. From her leadership as the Mayor of Montclair, NJ, to her work in the State Department as the first female Principal Deputy Legal Advisor to the Secretary of State, Mary has consistently demonstrated a dedication to serving others. As a philanthropist, she continues to inspire through her work with the Kasser Mochary Family Foundation, supporting fine arts and young artists, while honoring her family’s legacy of bravery and generosity during World War II.

Boglárka Bata and Sándor Köles from the Carpathian Foundation-Hungary were in attendance to accept the Coalition Award, recognizing their outstanding commitment to improving the quality of life in the Carpathian Euroregion. Representing the organization were key members who have contributed to its mission of preserving social, ethnic, cultural, and environmental values, as well as fostering sustainable development. Over the years, the Foundation has provided financial and technical assistance to hundreds of NGOs and local self-governments, granting a total of $15 million.

Coalition President Andrea Lauer Rice, Carpathian Foundation representatives: Sándor Köles and Boglárka Bata, President Emerita Edith Lauer, Treasurer Zsolt Szekeres.