Dear Friend of Hungarian Minorities

Thanks to the support of friends like you, our team of experts was able to meet 2025’s challenges and make your voice heard on behalf of the 2 million ethnic Hungarian who live as minorities in the countries of East Central Europe. For the past 49 years, we have stood for their human rights when and where it mattered most. As we look to our 50th anniversary in 2026, we want to thank you for being a vital part of this mission.

In Romania, three make-or-break elections this year could have ushered in a dark future for the Hungarian community. Instead, a unified Hungarian vote proved decisive, and RMDSZ is once again in the governing coalition, defending minority rights with skill and determination at the national level too. Our Transylvania team launched the HHRF Romania Dispatch to provide English-language, in-depth analysis of Romania’s political shifts and their impact on Hungarians. You can also listen to the Dispatch on Spotify.

At the same time, the situation in Slovakia has taken a grave turn. On December 11, parliament adopted changes to the criminal code that amount to an unprecedented assault on free speech, criminalizing those who publicly speak out or seek legal remedy for ethnic-based land confiscations targeting Hungarians — with penalties of up to six months in prison.​
Read HHRF’s urgent report →

Adding to these challenges, a series of physical assaults against ethnic Hungarians in Slovakia and Romania were deeply disturbing. Meanwhile, in war-torn Ukraine, the very survival of the Hungarian community in Kárpátalja (Transcarpathia) is jeopardized with recent attacks on local infrastructure and devastating losses from the region on the battlefield.

In the face of this, HHRF does not stand still but responds with innovation and action. Our advocacy in Washington, our detailed reporting, and our youth programs such as Reconnect Hungary all work together to make sure those in power understand what is at stake for Hungarian minorities today.​ None of this would be possible without your generous support.

HHRF ensures your concerns are heard where and when it matters most by standing up for the rights and dignity of these communities. Together we make a difference.

Please make your most generous year-end contribution to HHRF today:

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HHRF Highlights in 2025

Human Rights Research and Advocacy

RMDSZ Executive VP Dora Szilagyi joins the HHRF team for December meetings on the Hill.

In 2025, HHRF shared over 184 Facebook posts packed with must-know updates, issued regular reports, and in-depth analysis on Hungarian minority issues. We met with decision-makers in Washington and beyond to keep these concerns on the agenda. Watch video on overview of Hungarian minorities.

Breaking: RMDSZ dropped a legislative initiative in Bucharest in the fall that could revive Romania’s long-stalled efforts to return church properties confiscated under communism from Hungarians.

We continue to inspire and educate the next generation of human rights leaders

Fellowship for Young Professionals from East Central Europe

Thanks to a generous matching grant, we raised enough funds to bring the next intern to Washington, DC for the 2026–2027 program. We’re now interviewing qualified and enthusiastic young Hungarians from Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, and Ukraine for this six‑month training opportunity.

Human Rights Workshop in Budapest

On July 2, the Reconnect Hungary group of 25 young people of Hungarian origin from the US and Canada took part in our annual human rights workshop. This year’s workshop aimed to give participants both a solid grounding in minority rights and practical skills they can use in everyday life. Renowned experts led sessions on specific aspects of minority rights, each emphasizing interactive, hands‑on learning. Through a game-based exercise using real-life scenarios, participants explored current human rights violations in the countries surrounding Hungary.

Reconnect Transylvania + Scholarship

In June, Peyton Snyder of Tennessee ended his 10-months stay in Transylvania where he had interned at the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (RMDSZ) and taught at the Protestant Hungarian High School (Kolozsvári Református Kollégium). He has moved onto a master’s program at Corvinus University, Budapest. Read his reflections here.

Applications open for 2026-27.

APPLY NOW to Reconnect Hungary Birthright Program 2026

In its 14^th year, our highly successful cultural immersion program continues for young Hungarian-Americans and Canadians aged 21-28. The 2-week trip portion of the program will be August 9 – August 21, 2026. Now is your chance to immerse yourself in Hungary’s current scene, rediscover your heritage and make lifelong friends with fellow Hungarians from all over North America.
 

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