Distinguished Guests, Ladies
and Gentlemen,
I am pleased to welcome you today at
the opening of a photo exhibition of images made
by Mr. Sándor Pellek, titled „Scorching Eyes”. We are much
honored by the presence of Mr. Tom Koenigs, the Special Representative of the
Secretary-General for Afghanistan
and His Excellency Mr. Ravan A.
G. Farhadi, Permanent Representative of Afghanistan.
Here,
at the United Nations, during the past few years
we have seen
many kinds of reports about
Afghanistan.
This exhibition is a special kind of
it; a report made by images,
bringing the reality very much alive
for all of
us, seen by the eyes and
the heart of a Hungarian peacekeeper, military doctor. These breathtaking
pictures give us the chance to take a different look at Afghanistan,
to see the human stories behind the painful process of the country’s transition toward democracy. This exhibition intends to speak about the life, the courage and determination of the Afghan people
and their efforts to rebuild their country.
The pace of the change in Afghanistan
has been remarkable by any standards.
But while talking about the significant progress the country has achieved since 2001, let us never forget
the generosity and help extended by
the likes of Dr. Pellek to the Afghan men and women,
so that their
courage and determination could bear fruit. Mr. Sándor Pellek, as a doctor,
treated severely wounded people, day by day
in Afghanistan. Thus, he was able
to get a first hand account of
the impacts of the two-decade long war on the people
of Afghanistan, which he shares now with us
through his stark images.
This exhibition intends to be more than a mere presentation
of pictures. It conveys a message
that signifies the spirit of cooperation,
cooperation among countries all around
the world, to help the Afghan people in
their struggle to create a secure word and a stable
society. Their devotion and determination
to succeed is admirable and shows great
courage, which we must never forget,
but appreciate. Through this exhibition,
Mr. Sándor Pellek demonstrates
the commitment of his country, the Republic of Hungary, to
building a long lasting peace in Afghanistan.
For its part, Hungary was ready to make its
contribution to the reconstruction
of Afghanistan, and has been involved
in the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) since 2003.
Further materializing
our commitment to offer a helping hand to the Afghan people, the Government of Hungary has recently decided to take over the leadership of the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Pul-e-Khomri, Baglan Province. On
September 30, the full command of the PRT was handed over
to Hungarian troops by their Dutch counterparts.
Through operating the PRT, Hungary will be able to redouble its efforts
in assisting the Afghan reconstruction process and helping
the extension of the central government’s influence to the province. I would also like
to mention that in Hungary we are providing
training opportunities for Afghan Air
Force officers and pilots.
We are a medium
sized country, an emerging economy,
but we will
continue to play our part. The images of this exhibition
tell you, what all these
efforts are about, the people of Afghanistan.