Kossuth Plaque in Paris

On June 6 1998 a bronze memorial
plaque was unveiled to Lajos Kossuth. Location:
“PlaceKossuth” (formerly Place Chateudun; renamed
“Kossuth” in 1956; it is in the 2nd
arrondissement,along the Rue Saint Roch). The plaque was at the
initiative of Tibor Méray, noted author andpresident of the
“League of Hungarian Human Rights” in France.

Méray
speaking:

The League was
founded in 1923 by Hungarian workers to aid those who could not
speak French.First president: Mihály Károlyi.. Mr. Méray
commented: “we were trying to find a way tocelebrate the 150^th
anniversary of the Hungarian freedom revolution. Thus we decided
on a plaqueto Lajos Kossuth.”

The bronze plaque
is the work of sculptor András Gál and was unveiled by Ferenc
Fejt. After the unveiling the audience joined in the rendition of
the the first verse of the “Kossuth Nóta”(traditional
song).

	†
Kossuth plaque

At the unveiling a message from French Prime
Minister Jacque Chirac was read, where he suggests that the 1848
revolt was heir to the French revolution of 1789. The week end of
June 6and 7 became the symbol of friendship of the two nations.
Béla Szombati, Hungary’s ambassador,read a message from
President Árpád Göncz in Hungarian as well as in French. In
this he suggested the symbol of the June 6 event being a reminder
of the revolts of 1848 as well as of 1956.Congratulates the
Hungarian and French associations who made this event possible.
Inscription: Fondateur de la Hongrie
dčmocratique, chef de la lotte d’indčpendence de son pays
(1848-1849) Inspiré par les idčaux de LIBERTÉ ÉGALITČ
FRATERNITÉ

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