US and Hungarian dignitaries laid wreaths at the statue of Lajos (Loius) Kossuth, the leader of the 1848–1849 Hungarian Revolution and Freedom Fight, at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on Wednesday, 13 March in an event marking Hungary’s national holiday.

Congresswoman Carol Miller, a Republican representing the state of West Virginia, highlighted shared values of Hungary and the US such as

the importance of family and faith, and a commitment to freedom.

Hungarian Ambassador to the US Szabolcs Takács said at the event that Hungary had always been a small country in the grip of large, often hostile powers, and had survived many tragedies to become a sovereign, democratic state.

Kossuth’s bust was placed in the Capitol’s Rotunda on 15 March 1990. The Hungarian revolutionary and statesman visited the United States in 1851–1852, where he drew big crowds at his public speaking events, as well as a great deal of press attention.

Further celebratory events in Washington DC will include commemorations on 15 March at the Hungarian cultural institute called Kossuth House and the Hungarian Embassy.

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Sources: MTI/Hungarian Conservative