Reports by Archie Bonka
A new organization aimed to bridge the gap between Africans and Afro-Hungarians was recently re-launched at the Savannah African restaurant in Budapest.
Ebony, which was founded in 2003 is said to have in its agenda the need to find a common voice in order to be reckoned with as a minority group in Hungary.
According to a member, there must be a formidable way to deal with difficulties encountered by both Africans and Afro-Hungarians most especially orientation and counseling which would help curb unnecessary embarrassment often faced from certain public sectors.
Also important to the organization is, the identity crisis facing the Afro-Hungarians due to misinformation dished out to them by their mothers, who probably out of anger or revenge failed to see anything good about Africa.
“The early Afro-Hungarians are the products of African students married to Hungarians but went back to Africa while their wives remained in Hungary because of many negative reports about Africa,” said Marian, co-owner of the Savannah African Restaurant.
Now in their twenties and late twenties and cut off from their fathers who are now living in Africa, the African and Afro-Hungarian Union would like to seriously address their plight.
Small Voice gathered that the organization will also provide a platform that enables the Africans in Hungary to connect so as to act as a collective force; pool resources and proactively undertake initiatives for the promotion of African heritage, culture and universal values such as human and civil rights.
In addition, the organization which is opened to the public may also function as an intellectual workshop for studying, researching including bridging and enhancing Hungarian-African relations, embracing the integration of Africans and other foreigners in Hungary.
Written by Hakeem Babalola
photo: AFP
