Welcome

"We offer our thanks to all who honour the Hungarian Soros Foundation by their presence. We hope you enjoy and appreciate the performances, concerts, exhibitions and meetings.

The Soros Foundation started its operations exactly 15 years ago, in 1984. Its founder is György Soros, Hungarian-born businessman, who set up the Foundation in Hungary to promote the formation of an open society. The Foundation's yearbooks and indeed the celebration programme  demonstrate that from the very beginning, the fundamental criteria by which support has been granted have been: commitment to openness and freedom, talent, high standards, and need. The Soros Foundation has a liberal outlook, and gives assistance to every endeavour, whether religious or secular, conservative or socialist, traditional or avant-garde, which promotes the emergence of the open society and personal autonomy. Its intention is to encourage the creative and give succour to victims. With its four-year Education Development and Health Service Development programmes coming to an end, the Soros Foundation is changing its support strategy.

One of the aims of its programme announced in 1999 is to correct anomalies in the open society. Its main support criteria are assistance for the disadvantaged and alienated sections of society, equalising opportunities and lending support to new, innovative alternative initiatives. These principles are to be implemented in the three programme areas of Education, Culture and Arts, and Equality of Opportunity Programmes.

We invite you to look back with us on the joys, regrets and results of the last 15 years. The Hungarian Soros Foundation wishes you pleasant experiences, a good time, and interesting, stimulating pleasures for all attending the celebrations."

June, 1999

Miklós Vásárhelyi Foundation President

Éva Bakonyi Foundation Director