Diplomats, UN staff and New Yorkers gathered in the General Assembly Hall yesterday (23 October) at the United Nations Headquarters in New York to celebrate 71 years of the existence of the world’s foremost multilateral institution.
This year the UN day concert was sponsored by Hungary and supported by Sri Lanka, Australia and Denmark. World renowned Sri Lankan Pianist Rohan De Silva accompanied Hungarian violinist Galina Danyilova in Bela Bartok’s Romanian Folk Dances. The evening featured pieces from Zolton Kodalay, Johann Strauss, Johannes Brahms and showcased dancers from the Hungarian National Ballet.
The performance came in for high praise from those present. The Hungarian Ambassador in her remarks specifically thanked Sri Lanka, Australia and Denmark for their participation at the event.
The Hungarian sponsorship of the event tied to its commemoration of the 1956 uprising which came to be known at the UN as the ‘Hungarian Problem’. Consequent to the uprising a Special Committee was formed on the ‘Problem of Hungary’ for the purpose of investigating Hungary’s 1956 uprising and its suppression.
The five countries who were members of the Committee were Sri Lanka (Ceylon), Australia, the Philippines, Tunisia and Uruguay.
Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the UN
New York
