At the event, Bogyay will award the Republic of Hungary?s Order of Merit, Officer?s Cross to Professor of the School of Slavonic and East European Studies at University College London George Kolankiewicz, as well as to Senior Lecturer and Head of the Department of Central and East European Studies at the University of Glasgow Richard Berry for promoting Hungary and the Hungarian language in the UK.
The Hungarian Cultural Centre annual Christmas concert has been organised by Jeanne Henny, who has trained many young Hungarian opera singers. Performers at the concert will include the soprano Cecilia Lloyd and the tenor Xavier Rivadeneira, accompanied by Katalin Alter and Lajos Sárközi on piano and Lajos Sárközi Jr on violin.
The University College London?s School of Slavonic and East European Studies is one of two institutes in the UK which offers degrees in Hungarian language and culture. Professor Kolankiewicz has done much to promote Hungarian history and culture in the UK and he has also contributed to raising the profile of Hungary and Central Europe in Britain?s academic circles.
The Department of Central and East European Studies at the University of Glasgow has operated since 1999. In addition to heading the department, Richard Berry was a co-organiser of the 2003-2004 Hungarian Cultural Season ? dubbed ?Magyar Magic? ? in Glasgow. This year, he organised a conference on the 1956 revolution.
Source: Hungarian News Agency (MTI)
