Book Launch Event Summary with Photos – The Noble Banner of Human Rights: Essays in Memory of Tom Lantos
Hungarian Academy of Science Budapest, Hungary
The Tom Lantos Institute launched the Noble Banner of Human Rights: Essays in Memory of Tom Lantos (https://brill.com/abstract/title/38919) at the Gala Hall of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences on January 31, 2019. Over one hundred and fifty guests attended the event, including ambassadors, representatives of the diplomatic corps, members of Hungarian academia, international human and minority rights experts and prominent members of the Hungarian and American public life, to celebrate the life and legacy of Tom Lantos.
Following the opening remarks of Dr. Anna-Mária Bíró, Director of TLI, Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett, President of the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice, Dr. János Martonyi, former Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and President of the Board of the Tom Lantos Institute, Yossi Amrani, Ambassador of the State of Israel to Hungary, and David Kostelancik, Deputy Chief of Mission of the US Embassy in Hungary, students of the Berzsenyi Dániel High School, Tom Lantos’s alma mater, along with the artists of HeMo Musical Studio and Silhouette Balett, presented their musical performance.
After each musical piece, author and former Chief of Staff of Tom Lantos, Ambassador Robert R. King gave remarks on the formidable life and human rights achievements of Tom Lantos.
As Ambassador King put it:
„Today we mark a decade since Tom’s passing with this outstanding publication that highlights not only Tom’s own commitment and action for human rights, but also provides information and updates on human rights issues which continue to be areas in need of our focus and attention. Human rights is a battle that has not been won. Tom Lantos has shown us the challenge. It is now our responsibility to continue that struggle that he so nobly led.”
The Naim Klezmer Band of the Lauder Javne Jewish Community School closed the event with an amazing performance of traditional Jewish songs.
Please find some highlights of the event on the following link: https://www.facebook.com/TomLantosInstitute/posts/2124378927627224
Photos by Dávid Biró.
